Pride at Work and Union Veterans Council React to Transgender Service Ban

For Immediate Release

July 26, 2017

Contact: Jerame Davis – jdavis@prideatwork.org

Pride at Work and Union Veterans Council React to Transgender Service Ban

Washington – President Trump announced today that he will issue an order to ban transgender Americans from serving in the military. Pride at Work and Union Veterans Council issued a joint statement in response:

“Banning transgender Americans from military service is an insult to our troops, the LGBTQ community and our nation’s founding principles. This has nothing do with readiness or unit morale. It’s bigotry masquerading as military strategy.

Make no mistake, transgender Americans have served our country for decades and they’ve done so largely in the shadows. They have fought and died for our freedoms while their country has refused to recognize them for who they are.

And they deserve better from our commander in chief.

Today two service members will stand side by side—one trans and one not—to defend the country they love. They will support each other and the mission at hand.

That’s the greatness of America—troops of every gender, race, sexual orientation, and gender identity banding together for something greater than themselves.

Only 1% of Americans step up and join a branch of the armed services. We should not deny anyone willing to sacrifice life and limb from serving their country.

We call on President Trump to rescind this shameful ban so every transgender patriot can serve proudly and openly.”

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Pride At Work organizes mutual support between the organized Labor Movement and the LGBTQ Community for social and economic justice. We seek full equality for LGBTQ Workers in our workplaces and unions and we organize in the spirit of the union movement’s historic motto, “An Injury to One is An Injury to All.” Learn more at www.prideatwork.org

The Union Veterans Council brings working class veterans together to speak out on the issues that impact us most, especially the need for good jobs and a strong, fully funded and staffed VA. Additionally, we hold private enterprise and elected officials accountable for their words and actions.  We believe wholeheartedly that the ability for someone to self-identify as “pro-veteran” isn’t determined by what lapel pin they don or what catchphrase they employ; veterans face real issues that require real actions—constructive actions that lead to positive solutions. Learn more at www.unionveterans.org