After President Joe Biden was sworn into office on January 20, one of his first executive orders was the reversal of a transgender military ban. In January of 2019, the Trump administration had put in place a policy that prohibited anyone with diagnosed gender dysphoria from joining the military.  The ban placed nearly 6,000 people out of a job, and stopped thousands from enlisting. 

Former President Trump’s reason for this was that permitting transgender people in the military would be a “complicated issue,” according to NBC News. 

Many people who wanted to serve their country were prohibited from doing so because of their gender identity. Under the Trump Administration, several discriminatory policies were put into place, many aimed at harming the LGBTQ community. However, many of these laws could be reversed in the next four years under Biden’s administration.

While joining the military may not seem like a path that some transgender people may go down, it is a place where many may feel more at ease with themselves. Because the military does not utilize suffixes such as Mr., Ms., or Mrs. and there are little to no differences in the male and female uniforms, a transgender person can find it easier to pass.  

A large concern that many people have is the military’s ability to cover a transgender member’s transition fees, which often includes surgery and HRT.  However, leaders from all four military branches and the Coast Guard have said thousands of transgender people who were serving before Trump’s ban have not made a major impact on funding and that there is nothing to worry about.

TriCare, the military’s insurance, covers health costs for enlisted members and their dependents, such as  spouses and children. After a child turns 18, they can still use Tricare until they are 21 and 23 for full time college students. Even while the ban on the military was still in place, TriCare still covered a dependent’s transition.

In an official statement President Biden said, “All Americans who are qualified to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States should be able to serve,” according to The White House. He aslo has made an executive order combating discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.