GLAD, NCLR Statements in Response to Maryland Court Lifting Injunction in Trans Military Ban Case

Injunction in Doe v. Trump still remains in place, blocking ban from enforcement

Washington, D.C. – GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) released the following statements in response to today’s Maryland district court ruling lifting an injunction on the Trump-Pence transgender military ban:

“The Trump administration keeps pushing to enforce a senseless and harmful ban,” said Jennifer Levi, GLAD’s Transgender Rights Project director. “There is no question this ban weakens our military by excluding from service transgender people who meet all of the military’s rigorous readiness and medical standards. With the Doe injunction still in place, we will continue fighting this discriminatory ban.”

“As testimony in last week’s congressional hearing demonstrated, transgender service members are ably serving their country. Enforcing this ban would do nothing but deprive our military of needed talent, weaken military readiness, and harm national security. We are confident it will ultimately be struck down for good,” said Shannon Minter, NCLR’s legal director.

Today’s ruling has no effect on the injunction issued in Doe v. Trump, the first of four cases filed against the ban, which continues to prevent the Trump administration from enforcing the ban against any transgender individuals. That injunction will remain in place at least until 21 days after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals releases its signed ruling in that case, following the court’s preliminary ruling on January 4. GLAD and NCLR have been at the center of the legal fight challenging the Trump transgender military ban since filing Doe on August 9, 2017.