Transgender Service Members Sue Trump for Equality

Transgender rights advocacy groups are set to file a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump's executive order that targeted transgender service members. The lawsuit, led by GLAD Law and NCLR, argues that the order violates U.S. constitutional equality guarantees. Critics highlight challenges and uncertainties facing transgender troops in the military.

Transgender rights advocacy groups are gearing up to file a groundbreaking lawsuit against former U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order targeting transgender service members. The suit, filed by GLAD Law and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), marks the first legal challenge to a main plank of Trump's conservative Pentagon strategy.

The order, signed by Trump, claimed that 'gender identity' expressions different from birth sex don't meet military standards. It bans 'invented' pronouns in the military, leaving questions about current transgender service members' status. Critics, including rights groups and Democratic lawmakers, denounce it as discriminatory.

The advocacy groups argue Trump's order violates constitutional equality guarantees. Senator Andy Kim criticized the order as disrespectful to transgender service member contributions. The military, with around 1.3 million active-duty personnel, includes a contested number of transgender members. Trump's 2017 ban highlighted cost concerns, which President Biden reversed in 2021.

(With inputs from agencies.)