The U.S. Army confirmed this week that it will begin paying for gender transition surgeries for transgender service members after President Joe Biden repealed a Trump-era policy that prevented the military from doing so.
Maj. Gen. Douglas Stitt said on Friday that if a soldier is diagnosed with gender dysphoria, military medical personnel will be authorized to facilitate transition surgeries so that soldiers can access the showers and bathrooms that align with their chosen gender.
“Every soldier is different,” Stitt said. “When a military medical provider gives a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, that soldier will need to sit down with their chain of command and medical provider to determine what is medically necessary for an effective transition.”
Stitt said the success of the military was reliant upon tending to the psychological and medical needs of its soldiers and other personnel.
“People are the strength of our Army,” he said. “Our ability to assess and retain qualified personnel provides a more diverse and stronger Army, enhancing readiness.”
This updated policy applies to all active-duty service members, including the National Guard and military cadets.
Once a gender-transition surgery is complete, a transgender soldier can officially change his/her/xir gender in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System.
When Biden repealed former president Donald Trump’s military transgender ban in January, he claimed it would have a “minimal impact on military readiness and healthcare costs.” However, health officials estimate that a sex reassignment procedure can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000.
The Department of Veterans Affairs also announced earlier this month that it will pay for the gender reassignment surgeries of transgender veterans in order to create a “safe and caring” environment for all veterans.
“America is stronger, at home and around the world, when it is inclusive,” Biden said back in January.
“The military is no exception,” he continued. “Allowing all qualified Americans to serve their country in uniform is better for the military and better for the country because an inclusive force is a more effective force. Simply put, it’s the right thing to do and is in our national interest.”
