President Trump’s surprise announcement that transgender people would no longer be permitted to serve in or join the U.S. military surprised many, including Congressional Republicans and the Department of Defense, and drew immediate criticism from veterans and others in the transgender community.
The real reasons behind the President’s decision are murky, but the White House is going all out to broadcast any and all positive coverage of the decision. Thursday’s West Wing Reads, a daily email newsletter of articles and columns the White House finds interesting, included recommendation of a column titled “I Was Once Transgender. Why I Think Trump Made The Right Decision For The Military.”
The White House just sent out email blasts and tweets recommending you read an article about how transgender is a psychological disorder. pic.twitter.com/zHUwX8dwXX
— AJ+ (@ajplus) July 26, 2017
The White House’s email specifically highlights the phrase, “paying for transition-related surgeries for military service members and their families is beyond comprehensible.” In an unrelated note, the military spends ten times as much on erectile dysfunction drugs as it does on transgender medical costs, according to The Military Times.
As questionable as the White House touting a back-pat-filled column on the issue is, they chose one of the least abhorrent parts to quote. In the column, the writer says that “people are not born” with gender dysphoria, which stems from “prolonged anxiety and depression.” Further:
The “proof” for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria is having strongly held feelings — but feelings can and often do change over time.
The military is expected to prepare its members in warfare: to kill, destroy, and break our enemies. The most important factors in preparing a strong military are not hormone therapy, surgical sex changes, or politically correct education.
We need psychologically fit, emotionally sound, highly trained troops to protect our nation from its enemies.
There you have it, the White House supporting the retrograde thought that sexual or gender identity is a psychological disorder.
(Via AJ Plus)