The Pentagon's controversial policy for transgender service members is in effect as of April 12.
The new regulation keeps transgender troops from serving in the nation's military openly and also "blocks all use of [Department of Defense] or [Department of Homeland Security] resources to fund sex-reassignment surgical procedures," CBS News noted.
The Defense Department has said people can serve if they remain their biological sex. They estimate that nearly 15,000 troops identify as transgender and could potentially be impacted by the policy.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the military could enforce its policy on transgender service members after President Trump called for a blanket ban back in 2017 on Twitter, claiming the military "cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail."
In a statement, the American Psychological Association reaffirmed its opposition to the Department of Defense's implementation of a ban of transgender Americans from U.S. military service. ( The implementation took place April 12. ) "APA opposes this ban," said APA President Rosie Phillips Davis, Ph.D. "As psychologists, we oppose discrimination that has no basis in science. We urge the administration to rethink this harmful policy."
The statement continued, "Based on psychological science and practice, there is no evidence of a relationship between being transgender and one's ability to serve in the military."
In a separate statement, American Medical Association President Barbara L. McAneny, M.D., said, "The AMA has played a lead role in educating the military and the publicabout the fact that sexual orientation and gender identity are not psychological or medical disorders. The estimated 14,700 transgender military personnel are qualified and willing to serve. Rather than stigmatizing and banning these patriots, DoD should let them serve."
The CBS News item is at www.cbsnews.com/news/transgender-military-ban-trump-administration-ban-on-transgender-troops-goes-into-effect/ .