{"id":42420,"date":"2017-10-05T17:32:46","date_gmt":"2017-10-05T17:32:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/10\/05\/us-seeks-to-quash-lawsuit-opposing-transgender-military-ban\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:51:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:51:28","slug":"us-seeks-to-quash-lawsuit-opposing-transgender-military-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2017\/10\/05\/us-seeks-to-quash-lawsuit-opposing-transgender-military-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"US seeks to quash lawsuit opposing transgender military ban"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Justice Department is asking a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump\u2019s moves to curtail military service by transgender people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lawsuit was filed in August by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) on behalf of eight transgender individuals, including service members in the Air Force, Coast Guard and the Army, as well as students at the U.S. Naval Academy and in the ROTC program at the University of New Haven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump tweeted in July that the federal government \u201cwill not accept or allow\u201d transgender individuals to serve \u201cin any capacity\u201d in the military. That would reverse a 2016 policy change that allowed transgender people to serve openly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump subsequently directed the Pentagon to extend indefinitely a ban on transgender individuals joining the military, and gave Defense Secretary Jim Mattis six months to come up with a policy on how to deal with those who are currently serving, leaving the door open to permitting their continued service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump also directed Mattis to halt the use of federal funds to pay for sexual reassignment surgeries and medications, except in cases where it is deemed necessary to protect the health of an individual who has already begun the transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Late Wednesday, the Justice Department filed a brief asking a U.S. District Court judge in Washington to dismiss the lawsuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lawsuit \u201cis premature and should be dismissed for many reasons, including that the Defense Department is actively reviewing such service requirements, as the president ordered,\u201d said Justice Department spokeswoman Lauren Ehrsam. She said none of the plaintiffs have established that they will be impacted by current policies on military service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two advocacy groups who filed the lawsuit assailed that assertion, saying there was a \u201ccompelling need\u201d to halt the administration\u2019s efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTransgender Americans looking to enlist are not able to do so, and currently serving transgender service members have been demeaned and stigmatized, denied health care, and are facing the loss of their professions, livelihoods, health care, and the post-military retirement they have worked hard to earn,\u201d the groups said Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The groups highlighted the uncertainty now facing Dylan Kohere, the University of New Haven student, and Regan Kibby, the Naval Academy student.<\/p>\n\n\n\t