New York Times Editorial Board : “While transgender civilians in the federal work force enjoy robust legal protections from discrimination, those in the armed forces may be discharged at any moment. The Pentagon, shamefully, has yet to rescind anachronistic personnel guidelines that prohibit openly transgender people from joining in the military, labeling their condition a ‘paraphilia,’ or perversion”  

“During the months leading to the repeal of the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ law in 2011, gay activists refrained from publicly talking about the transgender ban, which was never codified in law. Some feared that advocating for transgender rights would cause Congress to enact a ban on transgender service.”  

“The current policies leave transgender troops vulnerable to discrimination that the Justice Department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission describe as a violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Medical and military experts who have studied the policies have concluded that there is no rationale for disqualifying transgender troops from serving on medical grounds.”