Right-Wing Media Come Unglued Over Pentagon Repealing Ban On Transgender Military Service

Special Programs LGBTQ

Written by Bobby Lewis

Published

On June 30, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced that the Department of Defense would lift its ban on transgender individuals openly serving in the military. Some right-wing media figures were quick to attack the Defense Department’s decision as an “insane PC” move that allows “men with mascara” to serve.

Defense Department Lifts Ban On Openly Transgender Servicemembers

Pentagon Ends Transgender Ban. On June 30, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced that the Department of Defense would no longer forbid openly transgender individuals from serving in the military. From The Washington Post:

Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter repealed the Pentagon’s long-held ban on transgender people serving in the military Thursday, ending a year-long process that was bogged down by internal conflict and concerns among senior service officials about how the change could be made.

Carter said at a news conference that the policy change will take place over the next 12 months, beginning with guidance issued to current transgender service members and their commanders, followed by training for the entire military. Beginning Thursday, however, service members can no longer be involuntarily separated from the services solely on the basis of being transgender, he said. [The Washington Post, 6/30/16]

Right-Wing Media Lament “Promoting Transgenderism” “While The World Is Blowing Up”

Iowa Radio Host Steve Deace: “Men With Mascara -- Sure To Frighten Your Friendly Neighborhood Jihadist Right Out Of Their Sandals.”

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16]

Conservative Commentator Steve McCann: Lifting Transgender Ban “Mak[es] Certain The Battle Cry” Will Become "'Remember The Whigs'"

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16]

Anti-LGBT Hate Group Leader Tony Perkins: “Another Example Of Obama Using America's Military To Fight Culture Wars Instead Of Real Wars Against Our Enemies."

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16]

Fox’s Jeanine Pirro: “While The World Is Blowing Up, Sec Carter Is Spending Time On The Rights Of Transgender Troops Who Make Up Less Than 1% Of Our Military.”

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16]

Conservative Review’s Daniel Horowitz: “There Is No Worse Outcome Of Insane PC Than Promoting Transgenderism In Our Military In A Time Of War. Where Is @realDonaldTrump?”

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16]

The Blaze’s Matt Walsh: “‘Transgenders’ Need To Be In Psychological Counseling, Not Marine Corps Boot Camp.”

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16]

Fox Business' Charlie Gasparino: “#Priorities.”

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16]

The Blaze’s Dana Loesch: “Gov’t Has Done More To Satiate Identity Politics Than Assist Our Troops By Easing Up [Rules Of Engagement].”

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16]

Loesch: “While Ash Carter Was Announcing Military's #Transgender Policy, Turkey Was Busy Raiding #ISIS Safe Houses.” 

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16] 

Daily Wire's Ben Shapiro: “Guys, We Just Won The War.”

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16]

National Review’s David French: “The Pentagon’s New Policy On Transgender Soldiers Is Pure Social Engineering.”

[Twitter.com, 6/30/16]