Trump's Transgender Military Ban Receives Local Backlash
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- President Donald Trump's reinstatement of the ban on transgenders in the military is getting strong reaction locally.
"This is about much more than military service," said Amber Hikes, Executive Director of Philadelphia's Office of LGBT Affairs.
She says the city is standing with the trans community, and views the ban on transgender military service as government sanctioned bigotry.
"We're going to continue to fight back and make sure people of trans experience have every possible right and protection under the law," Hikes said.
"This decision raises constitutional issues," said Angela Giampolo, an LGBT civil rights attorney
She says the ban violates the equal protection clause because there is no evidence supporting the president's claim that trans soldiers' medical treatments cost more.
"This will have to be litigated, because Don't Ask Don't Tell was voluntarily repealed so we haven't seen this go all the way up to the Supreme Court," Giampolo said.
Trans woman and activist Deja Lynn Alvarez says the transgender community is ready for whatever comes.
"We just have to brace ourselves and gear back up for another fight," she said.
A recent study estimates that anywhere from 1300 to 6000 trans people serve in the military.
