Six elements of the United States Army have filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump for his executive order that prohibits transgender people from serving in the armed forces, marking the beginning of a new battle for LGBTQ rights. The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Washington, alleges that the order violates the equal protection guarantees of the Constitution by discriminating based on sex and transgender status 'without legal justification.'
The complaint highlights that Trump's new order did not assess whether the military service of transgender troops incurred higher costs or whether governmental concerns could be addressed in ways other than a categorical prohibition. Two of the plaintiffs are transgender individuals wishing to join the army, including Nicolas Talbott, a 31-year-old second lieutenant who has served in the Army Reserve for nearly a year. Talbott would lose the military career he has dedicated years of his life to if the prohibition goes into effect.
The executive order signed by Trump is part of his attempt to dismantle the legal protections granted in recent years to transgender Americans, including active-duty soldiers, contradicting previous findings that indicated they could effectively fulfill their military duties. Additionally, Trump also signed an order that recognizes only two genders, male and female, seeking to eliminate restrictions for people with gender dysphoria, a condition often diagnosed in transgender individuals.
The order issued by Trump involves updates to the Pentagon's medical standards and the elimination of the use of 'invented' pronouns. Although the United States Supreme Court authorized Trump to implement the prohibition while the lawsuits were pending, the fight continued until former President Joe Biden lifted the prohibition upon taking office.
