(Photo: Yonhap News)
U.S. President Joe Biden reversed on Monday a Pentagon policy that largely barred transgender individuals from serving in the military.
The White House said in a statement, "Simply put, transgender servicemembers will no longer be subject to the possibility of discharge or separation on the basis of gender identity."
The move undoes a controversial decision made by former President Donald Trump in 2017 to bar such personnel from serving "in any capacity" in the armed forces, nixing a plan implemented by his predecessor Barack Obama for
the military to do otherwise.
Trump claimed such a policy was disruptive, expensive and eroded military readiness and camaraderie among troops.
According to the White House, Biden's order cites a 2016 study that found "enabling transgender individuals to serve openly in the United States military would have only a minimal impact on military readiness and health care cost."
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