Washington, DC – The following is a reaction from Farhana Khera, Executive Director of Muslim Advocates, concerning President Trump’s announcement banning transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military.

“As a nation, we derive our strength from our diversity, and our military is at its best when it mirrors the diversity of the nation it serves.

Military integration has marched forward for generations – allowing African Americans, women, and LGBTQ Americans to serve – until today. On the 69th anniversary of the desegregation of our military, this is a historic rollback to that march toward integration.

President Trump’s hostility towards equal rights in our nation and our military is apparent—from the nomination of anti-Muslim and anti-LGBT Mark Green for Army Secretary and now this revocation of transgender service rights.  We will not cede an inch to this Administration’s blatant attacks on the rights of women, religious minorities, the LGBTQ community, immigrants and people of color.

We stand shoulder to shoulder with our transgender service members and the LGBTQ community in condemning this irresponsible and historic revocation of established rights.”

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Muslim Advocates is a national legal advocacy and educational organization that works on the frontlines of civil rights to guarantee freedom and justice for Americans of all faiths.

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