Trans Navy Seal challenges Trump: ‘Tell me I’m not worthy to my face’
Transgender former US Navy Seal Senior Chief Kristin Beck speaks during a conference entitled “Perspectives on Transgender Military Service from Around the Globe” organized by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Palm Center in Washington on October 20, 2014. Transgender military personnel from 18 countries who allow them to serve openly, gathered to talk about their experiences and discuss whether the US military could join them. It is estimated that more than 15, 000 transgender personnel currently serve in the US military, but policy requires their separation if they are discovered, according to the ACLU. AFP PHOTO/Nicholas KAMM (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)
A transgender Navy Seal has challenged President Trump to tell her that she’s “not worthy” to her face after he banned trans people from serving in the military.
In June of last year, President Obama asked the Pentagon to liftĀ its long-held ban on transgender soldiers serving openly in the military.
The Department of Defense was given until July 1 of this year to implement the policy, with LGBT advocates hopeful that transgender soldiers would finally beĀ able to serve openly.
The decision was delayed by Trumpās Defence Secretary James āMad Dogā Mattis ā and the President confirmed today that he would reverse the decision put the ban back in place.
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Navy SEAL Team 6 member Kristin Beck responded to Trump to say: āLetās meet face to face and you tell me Iām not worthy.ā
She was the first transgender US Navy SEAL to come out back in 2013.
The 51-year-old served for 20 years.
āBeing transgender doesnāt affect anyone else,ā she told Business Insider.
āWe are Liberty’s light. If you canāt defend that for everyone thatās an American citizen, thatās not right.ā
Beck left the navy in 2011 and published her memoir ‘Warrior Princess: A US Navy SEALās journey to coming out transgender.’
āI was defending individual liberty,ā she said. āI defended for Republicans, I defended for Democrats. I defended for everyone.ā
She later launched a bid for Congress.
It is not the first time Trump has gone out of his way to reverse a decision on LGBT rights made by Obama.
The GOP leader hasĀ already scrapped protections for transgender school kids, ceased government opposition to state-level anti-LGBT laws, and sought to slash HIV aid funding.
The decisions sour Trumpās previous claims during his election campaign to be a āfriendā of LGBT people.
In a speech directly after the Orlando massacre he had claimed: āAsk yourself, who is really the friend of women and the L-G-B-T community, Donald Trump with his actions, or Hillary Clinton with her words.ā
He also won endless praise from gay Republicans forĀ waving a Pride flag on stage, while making no pledges on LGBT rights.
