U.S. Army orders systematic erasure of transgender troops’ gender identity

The U.S. Army has ordered commanders to revise all personnel records for transgender troops to reflect their sex assigned at birth, according to internal guidance obtained by Reuters. The move formalizes the Trump administration’s ongoing purge of transgender service members and expands efforts to erase their identities from military systems.

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The 14-page Army directive mandates that pronouns and salutations like “sir” or “ma’am” now correspond to the service member’s birth sex. Shared spaces must also be restricted accordingly, including showers, sleeping quarters, and bathrooms. “Commanders will take immediate measures to update personnel records and administrative systems to reflect biological sex for all individuals,” the memo states, according to Reuters.

Related: Pentagon says it will start kicking transgender people out of military this month

The Department of Defense earlier this month issued guidance instructing commanders to review medical records of troops suspected of being transgender and to refer them for individualized health evaluations. The administration is relying on vague criteria like “symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria” — despite having previously admitted in court, it does not actually know how many transgender people are serving, since the military has never systematically tracked gender identity.

The Trump administration’s order, backed by a U.S. Supreme Court decision lifting an injunction earlier this month, bars enlistment and mandates the expulsion of all trans troops. Those who do not resign by June 6 will face involuntary discharge. Discharged troops will receive RE-3 reentry codes, effectively ending their military careers and limiting civilian job prospects.

Lt. Nicolas Talbott, a transgender Army officer and lead plaintiff in Talbott v. United States, told The Advocate he refuses to resign. “I do not have any plans to pursue voluntary separation,” he said.

Related: Federal judge blocks Trump's transgender military ban

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has referred to trans troops as “dudes in dresses,” defends the policy as restoring discipline. Critics say it’s driven by bigotry, not readiness.

“This isn’t just a ban—it’s a purge,” Iraq War veteran Paul Rieckhoff recently said on MSNBC.

A bill from Alabama U.S. Rep. Barry Moore would make the ban permanent and revoke the security clearances of trans veterans. Gay California U.S. Rep. Mark Takano, chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, called it “a hate-fueled campaign.”

While a majority of Americans still support open service by transgender troops, that backing has declined. A Gallup poll published in February found that 58 percent of Americans favor allowing transgender people to serve openly in the military, down from 71 percent in 2019.

SPARTA Pride, which supports transgender people in the military and veterans, said no directive can erase their service.