For Immediate Release – January 22, 2018

Contact: Jerame Davis – jdavis@prideatwork.org

Pride at Work and Union Veterans Council React to Supreme Court Ruling on Transgender Military Ban

WASHINGTON – Today, the Supreme Court lifted injunctions on the discriminatory ban on military service by transgender people. The Court ruled it will allow the ban to temporarily be instated while the various cases work their way through the lower courts. While there is still one injunction in place, this move by the Supreme Court puts the honorable service of thousands of military personnel at risk and creates uncertainty and instability in the ranks of our armed services.

Pride at Work and Union Veterans Council spoke clearly and with one voice when the ban was originally announced: “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.”

Today, we again speak as one:

“The Supreme Court’s action today puts the careers of the approximately 15,000 transgender people serving our country at grave risk and is an insult to our values as Americans. Our military is a direct expression of those values and any form of arbitrary discrimination in the ranks is destabilizing to our readiness and unit cohesion.

“This President’s disrespect for our military is evident. From sending troops to the border in a political ploy to influence the midterm elections to this ban on transgender service, Trump has shown utter disdain for those who bravely serve our nation.

While we are certain that, in time, the right of transgender Americans to serve in the armed forces will be upheld by the courts, the uncertainty created by Trump’s policy and this ruling by the Supreme Court will have ripple effects throughout our military.

“Transgender Americans deserve the same dignity and respect as everyone else who heeds the call to serve in our armed forces. We call upon Congress to take up this matter and settle it once and for all.”

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Pride At Work is the only national organization that builds power for LGBTQIA+ working people. We organize mutual support between the organized Labor Movement and the LGBTQ Community for social and economic justice. We seek full equality for LGBTQIA+ working people in our workplaces, our unions, and the public square. 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