Obama Remark Leaves Out Transgender Soldiers

The president says “all Americans” can serve.

Although President Obama and others celebrated the one-year anniversary of the end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” on Thursday, some of the statements — including from Obama — overstated the current reality.

Current military regulations prevent transgender Americans from serving openly, and a celebratory tweet from Obama got a response from the head of the group OutServe because of that ongoing regulatory prohibition. Earlier this year, OutServe highlighted the ongoing bar on out transgender service in its magazine.

Barack Obama @BarackObama

All Americans can now serve their country without hiding who they are: pic.twitter.com/WpfS3ySu

12:27 AM - 21 Sep 12

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Josh Seefried @JoshSeefried

@BarackObama We cannot forget we still have our trans brothers and sisters at arms to help #secondterm #Forward

2:18 AM - 21 Sep 12

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