Another ban was issued this month surrounding transgender individuals serving in the military, based on a February report signed by James Mattis. (See: https://news.usni.org/2018/03/23/pentagon-report-recommendations-transgender-troops-serving-military.)

Those diagnosed with gender dysphoria will apparently be subject to the ban. (See: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/03/23/new-trump-transgender-military-policy-bars-those-gender-dysphoria.html.) The ban will apply to “persons with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria — including individuals who the policies state may require substantial medical treatment, including medications and surgery — are disqualified from military service except under limited circumstances.”

The Pentagon is making the argument that traditional criteria for mental health and stability should apply here. This raises the clinical ethics question as to whether “gender dysphoria” be treated as a mental health issue or an endocrine issue? According to the American Psychiatric Association, gender dysphoria is what distinguishes whether distress is associated with questions about one’s gender identity. (See: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/what-is-gender-dysphoria.)

According to the White House “The experts’ study [in the February report] sets forth a policy to enhance our military’s readiness, lethality, and effectiveness…[and] concluded that the accession or retention of individuals with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria — those who may require substantial medical treatment, including through medical drugs or surgery — presents considerable risk to military effectiveness and lethality.”

Ultimately, the U.S. military is closing its doors to transgender individuals. Eventually, it will probably need to be addressed by the courts, with endocrinologists needing to serve as the experts.