Target: Jim Mattis, U.S. Secretary of Defense
Goal: Applaud the freeze of a ban on transgender troops, and demand the total removal of the ban.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis recently announced that transgender troops will continue to serve in the military until further study of the matter is completed. The study will be conducted by what Mattis described as a “panel of experts,” but for now no policy changes will be implemented.
“Once the panel reports its recommendations and following my consultation with the secretary of Homeland Security, I will provide my advice to the president concerning implementation of his policy direction,” Mattis said in the statement. He continued, “In the interim, current policy with respect to currently serving members will remain in place.”
This is a welcome step in the right direction, and wouldn’t have been possible without the wave of public pressure put on the Trump administration, including from petitions such as this one. However, the battle is far from over, with Mattis and his “experts” likely to try to find a way to implement the transgender ban. Please sign this petition to welcome the ban’s freeze and demand be totally removed.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary Mattis,
We welcome the decision to halt the implementation of a ban on transgender individuals serving in the U.S. military. This is a positive step, but it’s far from enough. Transgender troops are important members of the armed forces, and there is simply no compelling reason to purge them from the ranks of the military.
Such a purge would be expensive, disruptive and nonsensical. It would harm morale, waste taxpayer dollars and strike a blow to the reputation of the U.S. internationally. Such a move is almost unanimously opposed by military leaders, not to mention the overwhelming majority of the U.S. public. So while we welcome the freezing of the ban, we demand you take the next logical step and ensure transgender troops can continue to serve their country.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: U.S. Army/Handout/William Tremblay
No ban! Transgenders Troops should be able to continue to serve. Plus, they still should be able to apply! ty
no excuses of war