Pentagon Restores Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Troops

The Department of Defense will resume providing gender-affirming care, including surgical procedures and hormone therapy, for transgender service members and their dependents, reversing Trump-era restrictions. This decision follows recent court rulings that blocked enforcement of the Pentagon’s transgender service ban and found the prior restrictions unconstitutional. The new policy, outlined in a memo signed by acting assistant secretary of Defense for health affairs Stephen Ferrara, reinstates access to care for those diagnosed with gender dysphoria, including mental health counseling and voice therapy. Waivers for off-base care that had been paused or canceled will also be reinstated. The move marks a return to the more inclusive Biden-era policies and represents a setback for efforts to restrict transgender participation in the military. Legal challenges to the ban continue, with the Supreme Court being asked to consider the administration’s position.