Uniting to challenge what they deem unconstitutional, Attorney General Kwame Raoul alongside a collective of 20 state attorneys general, has taken a definitive stand in support of transgender military members in opposition to the Trump administration's executive order which seeks to prohibit transgender Americans from military service.
The coalition has thrown its weight behind an amicus brief to halt the executive order's enforcement, put forth the argument that not only is the order unconstitutional, but it also undermines national security by discriminating against committed transgender individuals serving in the military, this includes members of the National Guard present in every state, an action that simultaneously disrupts state emergency and disaster readiness and excludes experienced and qualified soldiers in a time when recruitment is a stiff challenge.
"The president's order attempting to implement a transgender military service ban is misguided and discriminatory," stated Raoul, reinforcing his advocacy for the rights of transgender people, as reported by the Illinois Attorney General's Office. Raoul's pledge to work in unison with attorneys general across the nation underscores his commitment to protecting gender expression and identity rights.
The current legal discourse is not about whether transgender individuals can serve but rather about the constitutional ethics of reversing a 2016 policy that already acknowledged their capability and value in the armed forces, the attorneys general maintain that allowing transgender individuals to serve consistent with their gender identity is not just a matter of equality but aligns with the nation's best interest, a fact that the military itself has recognized on two separate occasions rejecting any justifications based on cost, unit cohesion, or overall readiness as baseless.
This recent filing includes the attorneys general from states California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, forming an alliance reflective of a broader national dialogue on transgender rights within the military sector.
