Early Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump announced a ban on transgender military service members via Twitter, effectively sending the internet, activist organizations, and politicians into a frenzy over the social media-instituted policy.
Some critics of Trump’s message pointed out that his argument—that the military would suffer a financial “burden” from the medical costs of transgender service members—was deeply flawed, as the Department of Defense had already determined that such costs would account for less than half of 1 percent of its healthcare budget.
Others, however, shared their own stories of being active duty service members during “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a policy that, prior to its repeal in 2011, allowed gay armed forces to serve as long as they weren’t openly gay. One Twitter thread from author Saundra Mitchell has gone viral, in which Mitchell explains what it was like being generally discharged from the military for being queer, and what that, in turn, could mean for trans service members targeted by Trump’s pseudo-policy.
Under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” this included getting a general discharge, aka being deemed “mentally unfit for service,” and not qualifying for veteran benefits, grants, or scholarships.
I'm queer and I served under Don't Ask, Don't Tell. If you got caught, if someone reported you– you didn't get a court date, you got a
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
separation date. They gave you a general discharge (instead of an honorable one,) usually on a Section 8: "mentally unfit for service." This
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
meant you never qualified for veteran benefits of any kind: no VA service, no grants or scholarships as a veteran, no veteran housing
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
Then there is how that status and lack of options impacted your civilian life.
assistance, nothing. And it was on your transcripts forever: GENERAL DISCHARGE, MENTALLY UNFIT FOR SERVICE. Imagine what that does when you
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
have to apply for civilian employment. So you joined the military because you were patriotic, or because you wanted to learn a career, or
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
you were poor and wanted to get the GI Bill, or because you truly, genuinely believed that you were working in service to the American
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
people and to the ideals of creating a more perfect union. But if you were queer, they sectioned you out and stained you for life. I cried
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
For Mitchell, it seemed the military’s approach and relations with the LGBTQ community had come so far—only to take a million detrimental steps back today.
at Pride a few years ago, when I saw those out and proud servicepeople marching in the parade. We had come so far, THEY had come so far, and
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
it healed in me the hurt I held in my heart from being sectioned out under DADA. Today's pronouncement from Trump cuts a new wound, deeper
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
because it sets us BACK. We aren't moving forward; we're moving back to shame and censure and erasure from public life and public service.
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
Tens of thousands of transgender servicepeople are now on the verge of being separated from their service. Some may lose pensions, many will
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
speak the truth of their unjust discharge, because I never did. Not until today; I always told people that I got hurt. Which I did, but it
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
would have healed. But I was never going to stop being queer, and somebody asked– and somebody told. Support your #transServicepeople. What
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
comes next could be unimaginable. #LamdaLegal #ACLU #TransRightsAreHumanRights
— Saundra Mitchell (Account Retired) (@SaundraMitchell) July 26, 2017
Since the president tweeted this morning, the Trump administration and Department of Defense haven’t addressed what they will do about the thousands of transgender people already serving in the military. For them, the “unimaginable” could soon become a horrific reality.