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Veterans can now identify as transgender, nonbinary on their VA medical records

About 80 percent of trans veterans have encountered a hurtful or rejecting experience in the military because of their gender identity

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Graphic via U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough announced Wednesday that his department added the options of transgender male, transgender female, nonbinary and other, when veterans select their gender, in medical records and healthcare documentation.

ā€œAll veterans, all people, have a basic right to be identified as they define themselves,ā€ VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement. ā€œThis is essential for their general well-being and overall health. Knowing the gender identity of transgender and gender-diverse veterans helps us better serve them.ā€

The statement also noted that the change allows health-care providers to better understand and meet the medical needs of their patients. The information also could help providers identify any stigma or discrimination that a veteran has faced that might be affecting their health.

McDonough speaking at a Pride Month event last June at the Orlando VA Healthcare System, emphasized his support for Trans and LGBQ+ vets.

McDonough said that he pledged to overcome a ā€œdark historyā€ of discrimination and take steps to expand access to care for transgender veterans.

With this commitment McDonough said he seeks to allow ā€œtransgender vets to go through the full gender confirmation process with VA by their side,ā€ McDonough said. ā€œWeā€™re making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do, but because they can save lives,ā€ he added.

In a survey of transgender veterans and transgender active-duty service members, transgender veterans reported several mental health diagnoses, including depression (65%), anxiety (41%), PTSD (31%), and substance abuse (16%).  In a study examining VHA patient records from 2000 to 2011 (before the 2011 VHA directive), the rate of suicide-related events among veterans with a gender identity disorder (GID) diagnoses was found to be 20 times higher than that of the general VHA patient population.

McDonough acknowledged the VA research pointing out that in addition to psychological distress, trans veterans also may experience prejudice and stigma. About 80 percent of trans veterans have encountered a hurtful or rejecting experience in the military because of their gender identity.

ā€œLGBTQ+ veterans experience mental illness and suicidal thoughts at far higher rates than those outside their community,ā€ McDonough said. ā€œBut they are significantly less likely to seek routine care, largely because they fear discrimination.

ā€œAt VA, weā€™re doing everything in our power to show veterans of all sexual orientations and gender identities that they can talk openly, honestly and comfortably with their health care providers about any issues they may be experiencing,ā€ he added.

All VA facilities have had a local LGBTQ Veteran Care Coordinator responsible for helping those veterans connect to available services since 2016.

ā€œWeā€™re making these changes not only because they are the right thing to do but because they can save lives,ā€ McDonough said. He added that the VA would also change the name of the Veterans Health Administrationā€™s LGBT health program to the LGBTQ+ Health Program to reflect greater inclusiveness.

Much of the push for better access to healthcare and for recognition of the trans community is a result of the polices of President Joe Biden, who reversed the ban on Trans military enacted under former President Trump, expanding protections for transgender students and revived anti-bias safeguards in health care for transgender Americans.

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Federal Government

Education Department moves to end support for trans students

Mental health services among programs that are in jeopardy

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The U.S. Department of Education headquarters in D.C. (Photo courtesy of the GSA/Education Department)

An email sent to employees at the U.S. Department of Education on Friday explains that “programs, contracts, policies, outward-facing media, regulations, and internal practices” will be reviewed and cut in cases where they ā€œfail to affirm the reality of biological sex.ā€

The move, which is of a piece with President Donald Trump’s executive orders restricting transgender rights, jeopardizes the future of initiatives at the agency like mental health services and support for students experiencing homelessness.

Along with external-facing work at the agency, the directive targets employee programs such as those administered by LGBTQ resource groups, in keeping with the Trump-Vance administration’s rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the federal government.

In recent weeks, federal agencies had begun changing their documents, policies, and websites for purposes of compliance with the new administration’s first executive action targeting the trans community, ā€œDefending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.ā€

For instance, the Education Department had removed a webpage offering tips for schools to better support homeless LGBTQ youth, noted ProPublica, which broke the news of the “sweeping” changes announced in the email to DOE staff.

According to the news service, the directive further explains the administration’s position that ā€œThe deliberate subjugation of women and girls by means of gender ideology ā€” whether in intimate spaces, weaponized language, or American classrooms ā€” negated the civil rights of biological females and fostered distrust of our federal institutions.”

A U.S. Senate committee hearing will be held Thursday for Linda McMahon, Trump’s nominee for education secretary, who has been criticized by LGBTQ advocacy groups. GLAAD, for instance, notes that she helped to launch and currently chairs the board of a conservative think tank that “has campaigned against policies that support transgender rights in education.”

NBC News reported on Tuesday that Trump planned to issue an executive order this week to abolish the Education Department altogether.

While the president and his conservative allies in and outside the administration have repeatedly expressed plans to disband the agency, doing so would require approval from Congress.

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Trump bans transgender service members from U.S. armed forces

Lambda Legal, HRC announce plans to sue

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President Donald Trump (Photo via White House/X)

President Donald Trump on Monday signed a series of executive orders focused on the military, including a directive gutting the Pentagon’s diversity, equity, and inclusion programs along with another banning transgender service members from the U.S. armed forces.

White House officials said new military standards for mental and physical readiness will exclude transgender troops, which would mean the EO goes further than the ban Trump implemented during his first term in 2017.

Among the first actions the president took after his inauguration on Jan. 20 was rescinding the order that former President Joe Biden signed immediately after he took office in 2021 that allowed trans and gender diverse service members to serve openly.

ā€œThe implementation [of the ban] is on the DoD regarding specifics,ā€ a White House official told CNN.

A February 2018 memo by the U.S. Department of Defense contained carveouts to exempt trans service members already in uniform who had joined the military prior to the policy excluding them, along with those who do not require a change in gender or those who have been ā€œstable for 36 consecutive months in their biological sex prior to accession.ā€

DEI practices, meanwhile, will be subject to review by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was narrowly confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Friday.

Lambda Legal and the Human Rights Campaign on Monday announced plans to sue the Trump-Vance administration “to block implementation of yet another discriminatory and dangerous attempt to bar patriotic transgender military service members from serving openly in the U.S. armed services,” Lambda Legal said in a press release.

ā€œWe have been here before and seven years ago were able to successfully block the earlier administrationā€™s effort to prevent patriotic, talented Americans from serving their country,ā€ said Sasha Buchert, Lambda Legal counsel and director of the Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project. ā€œNot only is such a move cruel, it compromises the safety and security of our country and is particularly dangerous and wrong. As we promised then, so do we now: we will sue.”

ā€œThousands of current service members are transgender, and many have been serving openly, courageously, and successfully in the U.S. military for more than eight years ā€” not to mention the previous decades when many were forced to serve in silence,” Buchert added. “Once again, as during the first term, the Trump administration is attacking a vulnerable population based on bias, political opportunism, and demonstrably untrue ā€˜alternative facts,ā€™ denying brave men and women the opportunity to serve our country without any legitimate justification whatsoever.ā€ 

Sarah Warbelow, vice president of legal at HRC, said ā€œOur military servicemembers, including thousands of transgender troops, wear the same uniform, take the same oath, and meet the same rigorous standards,” adding, “They are heroes who put their lives on the line to protect our countryā€”and we owe them all a debt of gratitude.ā€

ā€œInstead, this discriminatory ban insults their service and puts our national security at risk. Expelling highly trained members of our military undermines military readiness and wastes years of financial and training investments,” Warbelow said.

“It also needlessly upends the lives of families who have already sacrificed so much,” she said. “The Commander-in-Chief should prioritize our militaryā€™s safety and readiness, not use his position to issue bans on entire groups of people. This order is unconstitutional, and we will see this administration in court.ā€ 

GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and the National Center for Lesbian Rights also filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday challenging the ban. The suit,Ā Talbott v. Trump, was filed on equal protection grounds on behalf of six active service members and two individuals actively seeking enlistment, according to a statement from the groups.

ā€œWhen you put on the uniform, differences fall away and what matters is your ability to do the job,ā€Ā said Nicolas Talbott, Second Lieutenant, Army.Ā ā€œEvery individual must meet the same objective and rigorous qualifications in order to serve.”

SPARTA Pride, a nonprofit of transgender people who currently serve or have served in the military, released a statement on Monday:

“Transgender Americans have served openly and honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces for nearly a decade. Thousands of transgender troops are currently serving, and are fully qualified for the positions in which they serve. 

“Transgender service members currently fill critical roles in combat arms, aviation, nuclear engineering, law enforcement, and military intelligence, many requiring years of specialized training and expertise. Transgender troops have deployed to combat zones, served in high-stakes missions, and demonstrated their ability to strengthen unit cohesion and morale. 

“While some transgender troops do have surgery, the recovery time and cost is minimal, and is scheduled so as not to impact deployments or mission readiness (all of which is similar to a non-emergent minor knee surgery). The readiness and physical capabilities of transgender service members is not different from that of other service members.

“SPARTA Pride is standing by to support all transgender service members impacted by this policy.” 

ā€œDonald Trumpā€™s executive orders are not only cruel, discriminatory, and wrapped in disinformation, but they will make all of us less safe. Throughout our militaryā€™s history, thousands of transgender people have served with honor, integrity, and bravery,” said Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Womenā€™s Law Center. “Attempting to ban them is an insult to their humanity and the contributions that they have made.”

ā€œAdditionally, Trumpā€™s decision to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives will lead to further harassment in our ranks, making underrepresented service members a greater target for discrimination,” she said. “Already we are hearing reports of anti-harassment policies being taken down based on the order to end equity and inclusion initiatives, which is appalling, misguided, and a gross insult to those who serve.”

Goss Graves added, “Everyone, regardless of race, gender or sex, should be able to work with dignityā€” including in the military ā€” without fear of discrimination and harassment. We will continue to fight against these harmful abuses of power.ā€ 

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Senate confirms gay Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent

Hedge fund manager confirmed by 68-29 vote margin

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed President Donald Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary, openly gay hedge fund manager Scott Bessent.

Overcoming opposition from some economically progressive Senate Democrats like Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Ron Wyden (Ore.), the nominee was confirmed by vote of 68-29.

Bessent during his hearing said that extending tax cuts that were passed during Trump’s first administration with the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act but are slated to expire in 2025 will be a top priority.

ā€œThis is pass-fail, that if we do not fix these tax cuts, if we do not renew and extend, then we will be facing an economic calamity,” he told the senators.

“Today, I believe that President Trump has a generational opportunity to unleash a new economic golden age that will create more jobs, wealth and prosperity for all Americans,” Bessent said at his confirmation hearing. 

According to Fortune Magazine, Bessent, who is a billionaire, disclosed assets worth an estimated $521 million.

He will be the second openly gay man to serve in the Cabinet, after Biden-Harris administration Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and in a Cabinet-level office, after Obama-Biden administration Acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis and Trump-Pence administration Acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell.

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