Alivia Stehlik, an Army major who came out as a transgender woman in 2017, was nervous about how her colleagues would react, especially since she was a physical therapist. However, she has been pleasantly surprised by the acceptance she has received. President Trump recently signed an executive order barring transgender individuals from openly serving or enlisting in the military, citing concerns about troop readiness and honesty. This order has caused uncertainty for transgender service members like Stehlik and Lt. Nicolas Talbott, who are planning to fight the ban. Talbott fears that the ban could force all transgender service members out of the military, negatively impacting readiness. Talbott and others have joined a lawsuit against the ban. Navy Cmdr. Emily Shilling, the highest-ranking openly transgender person in the Navy, has also faced challenges due to previous bans but has thrived since Biden allowed transgender individuals to serve openly. Shilling is now advocating for transgender service members and wants to educate officials on the positive impact that transgender individuals have in the military. Trump has issued several executive orders targeting transgender rights, including freezing passport applications requesting a sex-marker change. The future remains uncertain for transgender service members as they navigate through these policy changes and fight for their right to serve openly in the military.
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