During a Sunday interview on ABC News, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy declared that he does not plan to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.
Trump previously implemented a ban on those with gender dysphoria, a mental illness, from serving in the military — citing the burdensome medical treatments that these individuals require, and the mental disorders and high suicide rates they suffer from as issues that will make them, like other mentally ill individuals, unfit to serve.
1) Gender dysphoria is indeed a medical disorder.
2) This article is in regard to trans individuals in the military.
People who are trans usually require doctor’s visits, medication, and even surgery. Most medical conditions with those requirements are barred from service. pic.twitter.com/tb2fzztLDJ
— Lauren Chen (@TheLaurenChen) February 28, 2019
The finalized version of the ban stated that “transgender persons with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria” were disqualified from serving in the military — specifically those who “may require substantial medical treatment, including medications and surgery,” except in “certain limited circumstances.”
Although the left and their allies in the media attempted to portray Trump’s policy as a blanket “transgender ban,” it actually wasn’t — as the measure did allow transgender individuals to serve as long as they did so as their biological gender, and did not suffer from gender dysphoria, which is a disorder that causes distress when the individual does not attempt to masquerade as the opposite gender.
Within days of taking office, President Joe Biden repealed the policy.
During his interview on ABC, Ramaswamy was asked whether he would reinstate Trump’s “ban on transgender members of the military,” the Republican presidential candidate stated that he would not — noting that he is only focused on preventing gender ideology from being pushed on children.
“I would not reinstate a ban on transgender members,” Ramaswamy said. “I would, however, be very clear that for kids — that’s where my policies are very focused — we should not be foisting this ideology onto children.”
Vivek Ramaswamy says he would not reinstate the ban on transgender members in the military, but "would be very clear" that "we should not be foisting this ideology onto children." pic.twitter.com/kyR9v02DYS
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 4, 2023
While Ramaswamy does not appear to be concerned about allowing mentally ill transgender individuals to serve in the military, the issue has been a concern for many critics of gender ideology — who point to the astonishingly high suicide rate for transgender people and the other mental illnesses that they often suffer from. Critics have expressed frustration about the military lowering standards and letting in mentally unwell and physically incapable individuals, stating that this will ultimately be a detriment to the military at a time when there is tension with China, Russia, and other hostile nations.
Meanwhile, Trump has reiterated his stance on the issue multiple times over the past few years, including during comments about the mass shooting at a Nashville Christian school committed by a woman claiming to be a transgender man. In those remarks, he stated that gender hormone treatments had likely contributed to the shooter’s aggression — noting that this is why he implemented the restriction.
BREAKING: Trump praises Nashville police response, says the shooter’s aggression was caused by gender hormone treatments and that’s why he banned trans in the military pic.twitter.com/doJmlRdruf
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) March 29, 2023
