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April 12, 2019

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Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper ruba’s ONLY English newspaper
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Medical association blasts military's transgender policy

By JULIE WATSON and DAV- mental defects."
ID CRARY The new regulation strips
Associated Press transgender troops of rights
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Trump they only recently secured
administration regulation under the Obama adminis-
set to go into effect Friday tration to serve openly and
bars transgender people receive care if they choose
from the military unless to transition to another
they "correct those defi- gender.
ciencies," a description the The Defense Department
American Medical Associ- said its use of the words
ation said Thursday is unfair “deficiencies” is military lin-
and defies science. go for when an individual
The AMA told The Associ- fails to meet standards to
ated Press on Thursday maintain a lethal force. It
the policy and its wording is not a reference to gen-
mischaracterizes transgen- der dysphoria, a condition
der people as having a of extreme distress from
"deficiency." It said it also not identifying with one’s
objects to the Defense De- biological gender, Lt. Col.
partment classifying the Carla Gleason said.
need to transition to anoth- The department says trans-
er gender among "admin- gender people can serve if In this Feb. 27, 2019 file photo, Army Staff Sgt. Patricia King, second from right, together with other
transgender military members, from left, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Blake Dremann, Army Capt. Alivia Steh-
istratively disqualifying con- they remain in their biologi- lik, Army Capt. Jennifer Peace and Navy Petty Officer Third Class Akira Wyatt, testify about their
ditions" that include those cal sex. military service before a House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel hearing on
the Pentagon has labeled Capitol Hill in Washington.
as "congenital or develop- Continued on Next Page Associated Press