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APA ‘firmly against’ Trump’s transgender military ban
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The APA recently announced its opposition to a ban on transgender participation in the military recently indicated in a series of Twitter posts from President Donald J. Trump.
“The APA stands firmly against discrimination against anyone,” APA President-elect Altha Stewart, MD, said in a press release. “Banning transgender service members from serving our country harms not just those transgender Americans who have dedicated themselves to service of others, but it unfairly casts a pall over all transgender Americans. Discrimination has a negative impact on the mental health of those targeted.”
In 2012, the APA passed a policy statement opposing discrimination against transgender individuals.
The statement also called for protection of their civil rights.
“Our stand in support of transgender military members is rooted in our policies against discrimination in all forms,” Saul Levin, MD, MPA, CEO and Medical Director of the APA, said in the release “We firmly believe the world should be more inclusive. We are encouraged by Joints Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford’s statement that there are no modifications to the current policy and we call upon Defense Secretary Mattis to allow transgender service members to continue to serve in the military.”
The American College of Physicians also expressed opposition to the ban.
In a recent article, Healio/Psychiatry discussed potential mental health implications of the transgender military ban.