Celebrities, politicians take aim at Trump in transgender ban backlash
A TRANSGENDER US Air Force officer is refusing to comply with President Donald Trump’s controversial ban on trans men and women serving in the military.
The president announced the sweeping change on Twitter overnight to a barrage of criticism from politicians, celebrities, and past members of the military.
Now serving trans men and women have admonished the decision, and one highly respected officer is refusing to budge.
“I would like to see them try and kick me out of my military,” Sergeant Logan Ireland told Air Force Times.
“You are not going to deny me my right to serve my country when I am fully qualified and able and willing to give my life.”
The prominent trans airman, who is also married to a trans woman who serves in the Army, and has become a respected voice for the US military’s thousand of transgender members.
Sgt. Logan said he thought the ban would hurt not only the transgender community, but the nation’s military too.
“For the President to deny an able-bodied, fully qualified person the inherent right to raise their right hand and serve their country, potentially giving their own life for our freedoms, is doing this country and injustice,” he said.
“I would personally love for my president to meet me so I can tell him about myself, and the 15,500 honourably-serving transgender military members that are fighting right now for their liberties and their country.”
Trans men and women who have previously served in the US military have also joined the backlash against the controversial ban.
“I’m a former Marine, tech seller for a big tech company, and transgender,” Connie Rice, 58, told Broadly. “I served; Trump never did ... He is a self-absorbed narcissistic f***wit. His decision hurts thousands of serving people and their family. It’s based on ignorance and bigotry.”
