The Pentagon announced that it will now allow transgendered individuals to serve in the military under their preferred sex. The military health care system will also provide hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery to current servicemen and women who wish to transition to another sex.
The Pentagon said Thursday it was ending the ban on transgender people being able to serve openly in the U.S. military.
The announcement — which removes one of the last barriers to military service by any individual — was made by Defense Secretary Ash Carter, who had been studying the issue for almost a year.The decision comes as the military has witnessed major changes in the role of women and the inclusion of gays, lesbians and bisexual service members in recent years. . . .Carter said the ending of the ban takes effect immediately and that no longer could a transgender person be discharged on that basis.Transgender service members will also receive the same medical coverage as any other military member — receiving all medical care that their doctors deem necessary — according to Carter.For current members of the military, the coverage will include hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery if doctors determine that such procedures are medically necessary.Incoming service members must be “stable” in gender identity for 18 months before joining the military.
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