For Sunday night's Video Music Awards, MTV invited transgender members of the military and transgender veterans to walk the red carpet, making a big statement against President Trump's decision to ban them from the armed forces.
Transgender service members Sterling James Crutcher, Logan Ireland, Jennifer Peace, and Akira Wyatt—along with trans veterans Laila Ireland and Brynn Tannehil—walked the carpet with GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis and August Getty, a fashion designer who worked on Miley Cyrus's VMA dress. They posed with celebrities like Jack Antonoff, Billy Eichner, Heidi Klum, and Tyler Posey.
There are our friends @TheGigiGorgeous and @raymondbraun standing with trans service members and veterans. 💗 #VMAs pic.twitter.com/m9mceAfyXDAugust 27, 2017
According to GLAAD, MTV invited the service members and veterans after President Trump announced he was working on banning them from serving in the U.S. military. "MTV continues to be a pioneer and fierce advocate for the LGBTQ community by giving one of the most visible platforms to voices that need to be heard," Ellis said in a statement. "Throughout all the tweets, memos, and speculation, brave transgender Americans are still serving their country and defending the freedoms of this nation while meeting the same rigorous standards of their peers. We are proud to stand with them."
In a series of tweets on July 26, President Donald Trump said he would reinstate a ban on transgender troops."The United States government will not accept or allow transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military," he wrote. On Friday, Trump officially issued a directive to the Pentagon to cease recruitment of transgender people into the military and to stop paying for current transgender troops' medical care. It's unclear as of now if troops currently serving will be forced to leave active duty.
The White House directed the Pentagon to "deny admittance to transgender individuals and to stop spending on medical treatment regimens for those currently serving," the Wall Street Journalreports. There are between 1,320 and 6,600 transgender individuals serving in the active component of the military, according to a study commissioned last year by the Pentagon.
Follow Marie Claire on Facebook for the latest celeb news, beauty tips, fascinating reads, livestream video, and more.
-
21 Spring Essentials in Madewell, Banana Republic, and Shopbop's Flash SalesDon’t let these can’t-miss sales pass you by.
-
'Shōgun' Is a Masterpiece—Will There Be More Episodes?With those ratings, never say never.
-
32 Child Stars Who Have Aged Like Fine WineThey made the notoriously bumpy transition to adulthood look easy.
-
36 Ways Women Still Aren't Equal to MenIt's just one of the many ways women still aren't equal to men.
-
Clarissa Ward on What It's Really Like to Report Live From Ukraine Right NowThe network's chief foreign correspondent on pivoting from Kabul to Kharkiv and Kyiv.
-
EMILY's List President Laphonza Butler Has Big Plans for the OrganizationUnder Butler's leadership, the largest resource for women in politics aims to expand Black political power and become more accessible for candidates across the nation.
-
Want to Fight for Abortion Rights in Texas? Raise Your Voice to State LegislatorsEmily Cain, executive director of EMILY's List and and former Minority Leader in Maine, says that to stop the assault on reproductive rights, we need to start demanding more from our state legislatures.
-
Your Abortion Questions, AnsweredHere, MC debunks common abortion myths you may be increasingly hearing since Texas' near-total abortion ban went into effect.
-
The Texas Abortion “Snitch” Site Is Having a Bad WeekendFirst it gets flooded with sexy Shrek memes, then the web host tells it to get lost.
-
The Future of Afghan Women and Girls Depends on What We Do NextBetween the U.S. occupation and the Taliban, supporting resettlement for Afghan women and vulnerable individuals is long overdue.
-
How to Help Afghanistan Refugees and Those Who Need AidWith the situation rapidly evolving, organizations are desperate for help.
