U.S. Supreme Court allows Trump's transgender military ban to take effect

Big news over in the U.S. that's going to shake the country's LGBT community...The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed President Trump to ban certain transgender people from joining the military. Ro Aram has this story. Several courts nationwide had backed LGBT activists by issuing injunctions that barred the Trump administration from pursuing its policy. It was those injunctions that the U.S. Supreme Court put on hold Tuesday. It was a close decision, with justices split five to four in allowing the plan to take effect.They, however, took no stance on the legality of the ban, which continues to be challenged in lower courts. Trump's first announced the policy two years ago in a tweet and was later officially announced by then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis. It blocks individuals who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria - a discomfort with their birth gender - from serving with limited exceptions.It also requires that military personnel serve as members of their biological gender. After Tuesday's decision, the Pentagon sought to clarify that the policy does not ban all transgender persons from the military.The Defense Department can also issue waivers on a case-by-case basis.Before beginning to implement its policy the Trump administration is expected to need to make a procedural filing in one case in Maryland challenging the plan. That request could be made this week.Ro Aram, Arirang News.