Earlier today, Donald Trump released a statement in a series of tweets stating that the U.S. military would no longer allow transgender people to serve.
"After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military. Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail. Thank you."
After the initial shock, trans activists, veterans, and outraged citizens took to Twitter to express their concerns. Queer veteran Saundra Mitchell shared her story as an active soldier before "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was repealed, and brings insight on what could happen to the thousands of transgender soldiers who are currently serving, as well as transgender veterans.
\u201cI'm queer and I served under Don't Ask, Don't Tell. If you got caught, if someone reported you-- you didn't get a court date, you got a\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201cseparation date. They gave you a general discharge (instead of an honorable one,) usually on a Section 8: "mentally unfit for service." This\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201cmeant you never qualified for veteran benefits of any kind: no VA service, no grants or scholarships as a veteran, no veteran housing\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201cassistance, nothing. And it was on your transcripts forever: GENERAL DISCHARGE, MENTALLY UNFIT FOR SERVICE. Imagine what that does when you\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201chave to apply for civilian employment. So you joined the military because you were patriotic, or because you wanted to learn a career, or\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201cyou were poor and wanted to get the GI Bill, or because you truly, genuinely believed that you were working in service to the American\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201cpeople and to the ideals of creating a more perfect union. But if you were queer, they sectioned you out and stained you for life. I cried\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201cat Pride a few years ago, when I saw those out and proud servicepeople marching in the parade. We had come so far, THEY had come so far, and\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201cit healed in me the hurt I held in my heart from being sectioned out under DADA. Today's pronouncement from Trump cuts a new wound, deeper\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201cbecause it sets us BACK. We aren't moving forward; we're moving back to shame and censure and erasure from public life and public service.\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201cTens of thousands of transgender servicepeople are now on the verge of being separated from their service. Some may lose pensions, many will\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079855
\u201close the GI Bill. All will be marked GENERAL DISCHARGE, MENTALLY UNFIT FOR SERVICE. But I hope that they will have the strength to tell the\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079926
\u201cspeak the truth of their unjust discharge, because I never did. Not until today; I always told people that I got hurt. Which I did, but it\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501079994
\u201cwould have healed. But I was never going to stop being queer, and somebody asked-- and somebody told. Support your #transServicepeople. What\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501080044
\u201ccomes next could be unimaginable. #LamdaLegal #ACLU #TransRightsAreHumanRights\u201d— Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus) (@Saundra Mitchell (On Hiatus)) 1501080093
