The US Navy has introduced a new policy requiring transgender service members to voluntarily separate from service by 28 March or face involuntary discharge.
Guidance issued on 13 March states that Marines and sailors who do not identify with their birth-assigned gender must either opt for an honourable discharge or be forcibly removed from service.
Those who choose voluntary separation will be entitled to separation pay based on their length of service, though they will not be required to repay any bonuses or incentive pay received during their time in the military.
A memo signed by Navy Secretary Terence Emmert reinforces the Navy’s stance, stating:
“The Department of the Navy recognises two sexes: male and female. An individual’s sex is immutable, unchanging during a person’s life.”
The policy aligns with a broader effort to ban transgender individuals from serving in the US military, following an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump shortly after taking office.
In February, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth formally implemented the ban, asserting that the military must be “one force” without sub-groups defined by gender identity.
Despite this stance, there is no evidence to suggest that transgender troops are less capable than their cisgender counterparts.
Enforcement of the Ban
The US Navy has clarified that it will not actively seek out transgender service members but will instead rely on them to self-identify.
“The chief of naval operations and the commandant of the Marine Corps will maximise the use of all available command authorities to ensure impacted personnel are afforded dignity and respect,” the memo states.
It remains unclear exactly how many personnel will be affected by the policy. While Navy estimates suggest at least 4,240 active-duty and reserve members could be impacted, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) reports that as many as 15,000 active-duty personnel identify as transgender or non-binary.
The HRC has condemned the policy as “dangerous and discriminatory.”
