We’ve just received tremendously good news!
U.S. District Court Judge Ana Reyes issued a nationwide preliminary injunction in Talbott v. Trump, NCLR’s challenge to President Trump’s cruel ban on military service by transgender people. Judge Reyes heard arguments on the motion for preliminary injunction in Washington, DC last Wednesday, March 12th and issued her decision today, blocking enforcement of the ban while our case goes forward.
Judge Reyes held that the ban violates the Constitutional guarantee of equal protection because it discriminates based on a person’s transgender status and sex, and because “it is soaked in animus.” As Judge Reyes found: “Its language is unabashedly demeaning, its policy stigmatizes transgender persons as inherently unfit, and its conclusions bear no relation to fact.”
The decision is a complete victory. It protects not only the plaintiffs in the case, but all transgender service members and transgender people seeking to serve.
In a long and powerful decision, Judge Reyes noted the connections between discrimination against transgender troops and past discrimination based on race, sex, and sexual orientation:
“The President has the power—indeed the obligation—to ensure military readiness. At times, however, leaders have used concern for military readiness to deny marginalized persons the privilege of serving. “[Fill in the blank] is not fully capable and will hinder combat effectiveness; [fill in the blank] will disrupt unit cohesion and so diminish military effectiveness; allowing [fill in the blank] to serve will undermine training, make it impossible to recruit successfully, and disrupt military order.” First minorities, then women in combat, then gays filled in that blank. Today, however, our military is stronger, and our Nation is safer for the millions of such blanks (and all other persons) who serve.”
We are grateful to our brave plaintiffs, who have put themselves and their families on the line to bring this challenge despite being under almost unbearable pressure. Getting to know these accomplished, dedicated, and self-sacrificing individuals has been the honor of a lifetime. Their endurance, resolve, and unfailing grace under pressure have been a constant source of inspiration not only to our legal team, but to our country.
There is much work ahead, but today’s victory gives us strength.
We could not do this critical work without your partnership and support.
On behalf of our plaintiffs and our entire staff, and from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
