Military Standards Apply to Transgender Individuals

I have ADHD and OCD. That alone would disqualify me from serving in the U.S. military should I try to enlist. It doesn’t matter that I’ve learned to manage my symptoms, that I’ve found ways to stay focused, or that I’d be willing to give everything to serve my country. The military has decided that persons with my conditions pose a potential risk under extreme stress, and that’s the end of the discussion. It’s not discrimination — it’s a standard.

Yet, the Left argues that transgender individuals, most of whom experience anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts at far higher rates than the general population, should be given an automatic pass to serve. Why?

If ADHD and OCD, which are far less likely to lead to severe mental health crises, would be enough to keep me out, why should gender dysphoria — a condition that often requires ongoing medical treatment and psychological support — be treated any differently?

The U.S. military does not — and should not — operate on the basis of fairness or inclusion. It exists for one reason: to create the strongest, most effective fighting force in the world. That’s why it has strict medical, physical, and psychological requirements. If you have epilepsy, diabetes, asthma, or severe allergies, you’re disqualified. Not because you’re incapable of leading a successful life, but because those conditions could compromise combat readiness.

The same logic applies to mental health. People with ADHD, OCD, depression, or anxiety disorders are disqualified from serving unless they can prove, through a difficult waiver process, that they are stable, require no ongoing treatment, and can handle the extreme stress of military life. Even then, most waiver applications are rejected.

So why should gender dysphoria be treated differently?

The Trump administration’s first transgender military policy, which took effect in 2019, did not impose a total ban on transgender individuals serving in the military. Rather, it set specific medical and psychological criteria for service, similar to those applied to other conditions that could affect combat readiness.

Transgender individuals were not barred from serving outright, but those diagnosed with gender dysphoria were generally disqualified unless they could meet the standards required for all service members. Trump’s policy stated that those requiring ongoing hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgery would be disqualified, as would those with a history of severe anxiety or depression linked to gender dysphoria.

These standards were based on medical assessments of combat readiness, not ideological opposition to transgender individuals.

Similarly, in January 2025, President Trump reinstated policies restricting transgender military service, reversing the Biden-era directive that allowed transgender individuals to serve openly. This executive order directed the Pentagon to begin separating service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria from the military.

Transgender sailors and Marines were given the option to voluntarily leave with benefits or face discharge. Legal challenges have emerged in response, with transgender rights groups seeking to block the policy’s enforcement, arguing that it unfairly targets transgender individuals rather than applying a uniform medical standard.

However, the policy maintained that transgender individuals could serve if they did not require transition-related medical care and were willing to serve in their biological sex. Those who had already transitioned before the policy went into effect were allowed to remain. Waivers are possible but rare, as is the case with any other disqualifying medical condition.

The military does not take chances on conditions that require ongoing care, whether it’s diabetes, ADHD, or hormone therapy. If your condition requires regular doctor visits, medication, or psychological treatment, you’re a liability. That’s not discrimination; that’s common sense.

The Left Is Not Concerned With Military Preparedness

Most people arguing for unrestricted transgender military service aren’t actually concerned about national security. They see the military as another battleground in the culture war, a place to demand inclusion rather than to ensure military effectiveness. But war doesn’t care about feelings. It doesn’t care about pronouns or representation. It only cares about strength, strategy, and the ability to win.

The Left wants to pretend that restricting transgender service is discrimination. It’s not. It’s the same medical standard applied to everyone. If you can’t function without constant medical intervention, you don’t belong in the military. If you’re prone to severe anxiety, depression, or mental instability, you don’t belong in the military. If you need accommodations that could interfere with combat effectiveness, you don’t belong in the military. That applies to me. That applies to transgender people. That applies to everyone.

The Trump administration’s transgender reaffirms that gender dysphoria, like any other medical condition, could disqualify someone from serving unless they could prove they were stable. That’s the same rule applied to thousands of other conditions. If you’re stable and require no ongoing care, you can apply for a waiver. If you’re not, you can’t.

I would like to serve my country if I could. But I accept that my conditions make me a liability. That’s not wrong; that’s the price of maintaining the strongest military in the world. The same standard should apply to everyone. If I can’t serve because of ADHD and OCD, then someone with gender dysphoria shouldn’t be able to either—unless they can meet the exact same mental and physical standards.

READ MORE:

Let’s Just Say It: Transgenderism Is a Mental Illness

Is the Transgender Movement Really Backing Down?

Gregory Lyakhov writes on the topics of U.S. politics and Israel. His work has appeared in the Jerusalem Post, New York Post, The American Spectator, and various Jewish publications. He has made appearances on Fox & Friends and Newsmax.

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