CV NEWS FEED // “Transgender” individuals and those experiencing gender dysphoria are disqualified from serving in the U.S. military, according to a Pentagon memo released Wednesday.
The memo, filed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, emphasizes that military readiness, cohesion, and effectiveness take precedence over ideological accommodations.
“It is the policy of the United States Government to establish high standards for Service member readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity,” the memo states. “This policy is inconsistent with the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals with gender dysphoria or who have a current diagnosis or history of, or exhibit symptoms consistent with, gender dysphoria.”
The directive orders the Pentagon to implement a procedure within 30 days to identify “transgender” service members and discharge them within 60 days.
According to the memo’s text, the Department of Defense (DOD) recognizes only two “immutable and unchanging” sexes, male and female. Pronoun usage must also align with a service member’s true sex.
The policy allows for case-by-case exemptions for individuals who demonstrate 36 months of stability in their sex, have not attempted to transition, and continue to adhere to standards of their sex.
The memo surfaced as part of a court filing in a case challenging President Donald Trump’s recent executive order against “transgender” individuals serving in the military. The administration has defended the move as necessary for maintaining operational effectiveness.
According to a 2018 report by research institute Palm Center, an estimated 15,000 “transgender” individuals are currently serving in the U.S. military, representing roughly 1% of the 1.3 million on active duty.
With the new policy, the DoD will no longer fund “transgender” medical procedures, including sex reassignment surgery, genital reconstruction, and cross-sex hormone therapy.
The decision follows last month’s revocation of a “controversial Biden-era policy that used taxpayer funds to cover travel costs for military employees and their family members to seek abortions across state lines,” as CatholicVote previously reported.