Valley transgender community reacts to Supreme Court upholding military ban

The Supreme Court is allowing President Trump’s transgender military ban to go into effect.

The justices did not rule on the merits of the case, but will allow the ban to go forward while the lower courts work through it. It’s a blow to the LGBTQ community, and transgender people here in the valley are voicing concerns.

The policy blocks individuals who have been diagnosed with a condition known as gender dysphoria from serving, with limited exceptions. It was first announced by President Trump in July 2017 on Twitter.

News Channel 3 reporter Jake Ingrassia spoke to trans activist Thomi Clinton, who is the CEO of the Transgender Community Coalition in Cathedral City.

” Stating that it doesn’t matter the quality of your work, the honor to your country, it matters what you are, is not the world we should be living in,” Clinton said.

” It’s already a proven fact that they’re effective soldiers. But the only thing that they’re targeting is that they’re trans. Not that they’re unqualified, but because thye’re trans. And that is no different than targeting someone because of the color of their skin,” she said.

We have also spoken with now-transgender woman Anne Blakeley, who formerly served in the Air Force for more than 20 years. She says gender identity is completely unrelated to one’s ability to serve one’s country.

“It’s a matter of your capabilities, what your mental capacity is, what your physical capabilities are,” Blakeley said.

She said she was shocked by Tuesday’s revival of the ban, and said it’s driven by hate and fear.

“This is based on a preconceived notion that he has,” Blakeley said. “It’s based on something that he obviously feels inside that’s not based on fact.”

Clinton said President Trump lied when he promised to support LGBT rights.

“He’s been dishonest with people to get what he wants,” she said.

Transgender Palm Springs councilmember Lisa Middleton agreed.

“There are many of us who were very doubtful of those pledges when he made them,” Middleton said. “His actions have only ramped up our concerns in that area.”

She stressed the bravery and honor of any military service members.

“When someone steps up and says they want to put on the uniform of the United States of America, we should be celebrating those individuals, we should be thanking them,” Middleton said.

And offering a message of reassurance to the transgender and LGBT community here in the valley, she said, “If you believe in your country, keep fighting and keep fighting for the equality of opportunity you are entitled to.”

You can reach Jake on Twitter, Facebook or email him at jake.ingrassia@kesq.com.