On May 7 Queer News Tonight covered the story of the Supreme Court allowing the Trump administration to enforce its sweeping ban on transgender military service. The order expels all transgender service members, regardless of their record or performance. It also stays a previous nationwide injunction in Commander Emily Shilling et al. v. United States, allowing the policy to take effect even as legal challenges continue.
Commander Emily “Hawking” Shilling, a decorated Navy aviator who has flown over 60 missions, is one of the plaintiffs. Civil rights groups argue the administration’s actions are rooted in bigotry, not national security. In a joint statement, Lambda Legal and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation condemned the decision as a devastating blow that “has nothing to do with military readiness and everything to do with prejudice.”
The Advocate posted on May 9 that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued an ultimatum to transgender service members advising them to voluntarily resign by June 6, 2025, or face eventual involuntary termination. He made the deadline in the Pride month to add insult to injury.
The Secretary released the statement in a post to social media two days after he denigrated trans service members in a speech to special forces operators, saying, “No more dudes in dresses. We’re done with that [expletive deleted]. The Queer God Squad has a few thoughts on the matter.
