On March 17, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued a press release announcing the cessation of gender-affirming care for transgender veterans to conform with the Trump administration policy of institutionalized transphobia. The statement clearly demonstrates this administration's shameful indifference to the wellbeing of veterans. In a blatant attempt to sow division amongst veterans, the policy is framed as a cost-saving action whose proceeds would be directed to severely injured and disabled veterans. This framing ignores the existence of disabled trans veterans and obfuscates the greed and corruption that actually impedes access to quality care for veterans. Trans veterans are not responsible for the deterioration of services at VA facilities; in fact, these gaps of critical services are due to the same budget cuts and disastrous layoffs rolled out by the Trump administration.

These services are not aberrant or unique to trans veterans. Cisgender veterans have—and will continue—to receive gender-affirming care that will now be denied to their trans peers. From HRT for cisgender men experiencing low testosterone to gender-affirming prosthesis like wigs for cisgender women experiencing alopecia, we know that all people avail themselves of gender-affirming care.

Additionally, this sets a dangerous precent in healthcare policy that could have devastating impacts for all Americans seeking care. Government policies are often used as the standard across industries and if it is legal to strip access to healthcare from one minority group of people, it is possible to strip it from any group for almost any reason. Every major health organization in the U.S. recognizes gender-affirming care as lifesaving for trans people. Doctors must be free to provide any and all healthcare that their patients need.

VA Secretary Doug Collins defended the inhumane policy, stating, “I mean no disrespect to anyone, but VA should not be focused on helping Veterans attempt to change their sex” which is his crude (and disrespectful) way of saying he believes the VA should not be focused on preventing suicide among veterans or ensuring that all veterans get the care they need. More than 100,000 Trans Veterans and thousands more who served alongside them disagree. Doug Collins doesn't speak for us and this petition is a way to make our positions clear.

In this crucial moment, as we witness the increasingly authoritarian moves of the Trump administration–from brutal crackdowns on free speech regarding the liberation of Palestine to the erasure of trans and non-binary people from public life, as Veterans we recognize that boldly standing alongside our trans comrades is an imperative to defeating fascism.  

If you are a veteran in need of support and find yourself disgusted by this administration’s disregard for human rights, join us in this grassroots movement of anti-fascist Veterans at www.aboutfaceveterans.org.