Nation's Largest Medical Association Denounces Trump's Transgender Military Policy
The American Medical Association has denounced President Trump's policy on transgender soldiers.
AMA CEO James Madara told Defense Secretary James Mattis in a letter that there's "no medically valid reason"for the policy. "[The Pentagon] mischaracterized and rejected the wide body of peer-reviewed research on the effectiveness of transgender medical care," Madara wrote.
"Transgender individuals have served, and continue to serve, our country with honor, and we believe they should be allowed to continue doing so."
He also criticizes the Trump administration's argument that providing medical care to transgender soldiers would be too costly. "The financial cost is negligible and a rounding error in the defense budget. It should not be used as a reason to deny patriotic Americans an opportunity to serve their country."
After initially attempting to ban all trans service members, the Trump Administration unveiled a new policy that disqualifies anyone requiring medication, surgery or other treatment, or “with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria,” from military service “except under certain limited circumstances.”
Madara sent the letter to Mattis before the secretary was supposed to provide recommendations on a new policy, although sources claim the policy was actually drafted by Vice President Mike Pence, working with the Family Research Council's Tony Perkins and Ryan Anderson of the Heritage Foundation.
It states that enlistees who have been stable in their gender for at least three years may serve, along with those who do not require medical transition or who enlisted prior to the new guidelines being enacted.
A 2016 study conducted by the Rand Corporation, estimated there are nearly 4,000 transgender troops on active duty and in the reserves in the U.S military.