1. United States
2. Wisc.
3. Letter

The White House's new military policy discriminates against transgender individuals and denies them the ability to serve openly in the armed forces. This stance actively undermines the dignity, mental health, and human rights of transgender people. Transgender service members have proven their fitness to serve honorably and capably. Excluding them based on outdated prejudices compromises military readiness by removing skilled, qualified personnel. This regressive policy also signals broader hostility toward the transgender community. It encourages stigma, promotes pseudoscientific misinformation about gender identity, and enshrines an intolerant ideology into federal policy. This harms transgender civilians, especially youth struggling with acceptance. Maintaining an inclusive military that judges service members solely on their merits is vital for upholding American values of equality. I urge you to reconsider this discriminatory order. Transgender Americans deserve the same rights and opportunities as their fellow citizens, including the ability to serve their country proudly in uniform if they are fit and qualified to do so. Supporting our transgender troops and citizens is critical for military strength and national unity. Policies rooted in bias and ignorance weaken us all.