ICYMI: Poll: 70% of U.S. voters support transgender military service

GLAAD to host special screening of TransMilitary on Capitol Hill on April 3

NEW YORK – GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today hailed the U.S. House of Representatives for passing a resolution denouncing President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender service members from serving openly for our country’s armed forces. The resolution was approved just two weeks before the Trump Administration announced plans to implement the policy on April 12. 

“Any person who wishes to serve and protect the freedoms of this country should be able to do just that – regardless of their gender identity. It’s a welcoming reassurance that the elected leaders in the U.S. House support the more than 13,000 brave transgender service members who proudly dedicate their lives to our nation,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “It’s time for President Trump to drop his proposed ban and stand with transgender patriots putting their lives on the line to keep us all safe.”

The House vote comes one week before GLAAD plans to host a special screening of the groundbreaking documentary, TransMilitary, on Capitol Hill on April 3. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Joe Kennedy, and transgender service members – including Captains Jennifer Peace and El Cook – will attend the event. 

GLAAD has fought back against the Trump Administration’s transgender military ban since the President issued his directive on July 26, 2017. Not only has GLAAD condemned the administration’s attempt to prevent transgender Americans from serving the United States, but GLAAD also supported the production and publicity of TransMilitary, a documentary which tells the stories about the brave trans soldiers currently our country. GLAAD presented a copy of the documentary to every member of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Military Personnel ahead of the subcommittee’s hearing on the topic on February 27. TransMilitary is now available on iTunes and Amazon.

Since taking office, the President Trump and his administration have unleashed more than 98 attacks against LGBTQ Americans in policy and rhetoric, which includes banning transgender service members from openly serving in the country’s armed forces. GLAAD’s Trump Accountability Project (TAP) has catalogued every anti-LGBTQ action by this administration, available at www.glaad.org/trump.

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