It's the Banniversary today.

It's been a year since the policy went into place that bans any new diagnosis of gender dysphoria (and as a result any gender affirming medical or surgical therapies) for U.S. service members.

It also forces Trans service members to adhere to their gender as it was in the system on 4/12/2019. This policy is disgusting, not evidence-based, and harmful, personally and nationally.

If I were to push for a gender dysphoria diagnosis right now with the ban in place, I would risk my place in residency as well as my military career. So I don't, and I wait, hoping for change.

I'm a doctor and yet I can't access medical therapies shown to improve mental health, due to fear and ignorance, but still I wake up and keep going.

I do my job, because I am a doctor, a professional, and while I did sign up in a different time, I did make that choice and I stand by the decisions I've made.

I am proud to be among the Transgender active duty service members who still honorably serve their country despite the ban. We're still here, still serving.

And we're still succeeding, despite the Ban.

#TransBan #TransHealth #LGBTQinMedicine https://spartapride.org/transban-update/?fbclid=IwAR0aS-kWZbNDWm15TXQqfqor7u7RGsimWVxJm1fFGkVr8mFOdkqGp3u3XgE