According to a new Gallup poll, 71 percent of adult Americans say transgender people should be allowed to serve in the military.
President Donald Trump reversed course on an Obama-era policy that allowed transgender people to enlist and serve openly in the military. Under Trump’s policy, which went into effect in April, transgender people diagnosed with gender dysphoria may not enlist in the military. While transgender people already serving may remain in the military, a diagnosis of gender dysphoria is cause for discharge.
(Related: Trump defends transgender troop ban: They take massive amounts of drugs.)
The Gallup poll conducted May 15 to 30 found 88 percent of Democrats in support and 53 percent of Republicans opposed to transgender troops.
“Majorities of Americans across nearly all key demographic groups, except for Republicans, support allowing transgender men and women to serve in the U.S. Military,” Gallup said in releasing its findings. “Republicans (43%) are far less likely than Democrats (88%) and independents (78%) to support allowing trans servicemembers.”
The poll comes just days after the U.S. House voted to defund Trump’s ban.
