A poll released last week found that a
large majority of Americans support transgender people serving in the
U.S. military.
According to a new Gallup poll, 71
percent of adult Americans say transgender people should be allowed
to serve in the military.
President Donald Trump reversed course
on an Obama-era policy that allowed transgender people to enlist and
serve openly in the military. Under Trump's policy, which went into
effect in April, transgender people diagnosed with gender dysphoria
may not enlist in the military. While transgender people already
serving may remain in the military, a diagnosis of gender dysphoria
is cause for discharge.
(Related: Trump
defends transgender troop ban: They take massive amounts of drugs.)
The Gallup poll conducted May 15 to 30
found 88 percent of Democrats in support and 53 percent of
Republicans opposed to transgender troops.
“Majorities of Americans across
nearly all key demographic groups, except for Republicans, support
allowing transgender men and women to serve in the U.S. Military,”
Gallup
said in releasing its findings. “Republicans (43%) are far less
likely than Democrats (88%) and independents (78%) to support
allowing trans servicemembers.”
The poll comes just days after the U.S.
House voted to defund Trump's ban.