WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Lavender Green Caucus of the Green Party of the United States has released a statement responding to the ban on military service by transgender people that was announced by President Trump on July 26.

The statement, which represents the Green Party's position, strongly condemns the ban. The text follows below.

The Lavender Green Caucus is the party's advocacy group on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual issues. The Green Party, in its national platform, supports full legal and political equality for all persons, regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity, characteristics, and expression.

Green Party of the United States

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For Immediate Release:

Friday, July 28, 2017

Contact:

Scott McLarty, Media Director, 202-904-7614, scott@gp.org

Gini Lester, co-chair of the National Lavender Green Caucus, ginilester@fullcivilrights.net

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Statement by the Lavender Green Caucus

Thursday, July 27, 2017

The Lavender Caucus of the Green Party of the United States condemns the recent announcement by the Trump administration instituting a comprehensive ban on military service by transgender Americans.

"The Green Party of the United States ... supports the rights of defense personnel and volunteers to serve their country openly without penalty irrespective of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity." (Green Party platform)

This new policy directly violates these rights while making the false claim that the United States would "be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption" of transgender service. Transgender soldiers have served since at least the Civil War and there may be as many as 15,000 today in active duty and reserves. Any medical costs are negligible at best. Politicians and high ranking military commanders from all over the political spectrum dispute this myth of disruptiveness.

"As we overcome continued conflicts and violence, we realize the difficulties inherent in encouraging democracy and of advancing the cause of peace. We face a more complex set of challenges in how our nation defines its national security. Greens support sustainable development and social and economic justice across the globe. Reducing militarism and reliance on arms policies is the key to progress toward collective security." (Green Party platform) Transphobia is not.

Timeline of Trump Administration's Assault on LGBTQ Rights

1.20.17 - Minutes after Donald Trump was sworn into office, any mention of the LGBTQ community were erased from White House, Department of State, and Department of Labor websites.





2.22.17 - With help of Attorney General Sessions, President Trump rescinded Title IX protections for transgender students in our nation's schools.





3.28.17 - The Trump Administration cancels plans to add the LGBTQ community to its upcoming 2020 U.S. Census





6.1.17 - President Trump declines to issue a presidential proclamation designating June as LGBTQ Pride Month.





6.15.17 - Department of Commerce removes sexual orientation and gender identity from the agency's Equal Employment Policy.





7.26.17 - The Justice Department files a brief opposing workplace nondiscrimination protections for the LGBTQ community under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

The National Lavender Green Caucus (NLGC) is the Green Party's advocacy group on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual issues. NLGC works for the elimination of cis heteronormativity and all its manifestations such as homophobia, violence, prejudice, and injustice against Lavender communities.

NLGC also works for the elimination of racism and sexism and all their manifestations in Lavender communities and in society as a whole. Our work is centered in the ten key values and four pillars of the Green Party of the United States. We recognize that freedom and social justice for Lavender individuals will only come with the liberation of all people, and we actively view ourselves as a part of a broader movement for social justice.



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