In what’s being described as a backward move, the United States Supreme Court has given support for President Donald Trump’s controversial transgender military ban after attempts to challenge the ban failed.
With two separate cases challenging the ban failing, including Karnoski v. Trump and Stockman v. Trump, the United States Supreme Court has issued stays, meaning the Trump policy against transgender service personnel in the United States Military will be allowed to go into effect.
Shanon Minter, who is the legal director for the National Centre for Lesbian Rights, confirmed the news saying, that “unfortunately” the interpretation of the orders mean Trump’s policy can go into effect.
“The court declined to hear the cases now, which permits our challenges to proceed in the lower courts, but it also is allowing the Trump administration to enforce the ban in the meantime,” Minter said.
Despite the news, Minter remains positive, adding that the Supreme Court’s stay order is “only temporary and is in place only until the Ninth Circuit issues its decision and the Court decides whether to accept review of that case.”
In response to the Supreme Court stays, a Defense Department official noted that despite the rulings, one court injunction against the transgender military ban remains in effect, thus “nothing would change today.”
Mara Keisling, who is the executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality has also come out opposing the Supreme Courts moves saying: “The court’s extraordinary action today puts the honourable service of thousands of troops and military readiness on the line.”
“The military sets a core standard of unity and acceptance for American society, with implications extending far past military bases and recruitment offices, and that is the goal of the Trump-Pence administration.”
Keisling added, “Today’s action is an attack on transgender people around the nation. President Trump’s attempts to defend this ban are as farcical as ever and only serve to defame thousands of transgender troops. It is more important than ever for Congress to act immediately to defend thousands of brave and honourable transgender service members from this thoughtlessly destructive president.”
