I recently listened to a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) program on NPR. One segment of the program was an interview with a transgender person who had just graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy. After spending four years training to become an officer in the service, this person could not be commissioned, by order of the Trump administration.

My heart went out to this young person, and I was moved to tears by their response to the question “What will you do now?” They replied, “I will make them kick me out by giving me an involuntary discharge, and then I’ll have to find another way to serve my country.” I was so moved by this person’s continued desire to serve a country that had so cruelly betrayed them. I have no idea how many recent graduates of U.S. military academies are in the same situation. My guess is that there are some.

In addition to my profound sadness over this young person’s situation, I feel so angry at the cruelty and lack of humanity displayed by this administration. It should take more than a literal “stroke of a pen” to withdraw human rights that have been granted by law. The fact that it was a Canadian radio program that brought this to my attention just adds to the shame.

I’m expressing my outrage in as many ways as I can. I hope others are as well.

Louise Gephart
Brunswick