Navy grants waiver allowing transgender sailor to serve openly

She has been a member of the Navy since 2011.“Dedicated military service members shouldn’t have to bring a lawsuit to be able to continue doing their job,” Levi said.While LGBTQ advocacy groups remain optimistic that this first step could lead to positive developments in the push to reverse Trump’s ban on transgender people serving openly, some felt the move could be an attempt by the White House to neutralize legal arguments against the policy.Peter Perkowski, legal and policy director for the Modern Military Association of America, a nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ military service members and veterans, argued the Trump administration “may attempt to weaponize the decision by falsely claiming the ban isn't a ban.”“MMAA is committed to ensuring the unconscionable … transgender military ban is overturned and any qualified transgender patriot is free to serve openly and authentically,” Perkowski said in a statement.Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and an attorney for Jane Doe, said the plaintiff’s ultimate success in having her waiver approved doesn’t change the fact that the policy discriminates against trans people who hope to serve in accordance with their gender identity.