In a move that has created shockwaves across the world, US President Donald Trump has taken the questionable step of banning transgender people from the military.
Trump has claimed the reasoning behind this ban is down to the “disruption” they would cause, announcing the legislature via his most favourite of mediums – Twitter. The move reverses Obama’s policy which loosened the restrictions on transgender people to serve in the US armed forces. A Rand Corporation study found that there are approximately 1,320 to 6,630 transgender people serving in the US military.
Writing on Twitter, Trump said: "After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the US Military.
"Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you.”
The move has caused tremors, with one transgender activist claiming it “violates the human rights of all transgender Americans”, adding that it was both “dangerous” and “cruel”. However, soldiers are seemingly not going to take this ban lying down. Staff Sergeant Logan Ireland, told the Air Force Times: “I would like to see them try to kick me out of my military. You are not going to deny me my right to serve my country when I am fully qualified and able and willing to give my life.
“We have pilots, we have doctors, we have combat medics, we have security forces members like myself.”
And from a HR point of view, it’s certainly not in keeping with departmental ideals. Research by totaljobs found that 60% of trans employees have experienced some form of transphobic discrimination in the workplace. This transphobia was most likely to come from colleagues (38%) or management (25%). It’s HR’s role to combat this kind of discrimination and be the voice of equality for all workers.
Click next to see how Twitter reacted to Trump’s transgender ban…
