by Julie Moreau
Openly transgender individuals are now able to enlist in the U.S. military,
after the Justice Department on Friday made clear that its proposed ban
on such recruits was on hold and that it would not appeal federal court
rulings ordering the military to begin the enlistments.
“It's
a victory for trans people, and it's a victory for the military," said
Joshua Block, a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties
Union, which has been fighting the ban in court. "There is no reason
whatsoever why people who can meet the rigid and very strict standards
for enlistment should be barred from doing so simply because they are
transgender."
Friday’s announcement came as a welcome relief for
Nicolas Talbott, a 24-year-old transgender recruit from Lisbon, Ohio,
who has been planning to join the Air Force for nearly two years.
“All
I’m waiting for now is a phone call back from my recruiter,” he told
NBC News, adding that the past few months have been “an absolute roller
coaster” for him.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
No comments:
Post a Comment