After President Donald Trump shocked much of the country, including some of his own staff, by tweeting that transgender solider would be banned from serving in the military, some elected officials stepped forward to stand by them.
Related: This governor just signed an order against Trump’s transgender military ban
One such ally is Mayor Steve Adler, who sent of a series of his own tweets, but more on the right side of history than our president’s poorly-planned missives.
Adler invited transgender soldiers to join Austin, Texas’s police force if they are kicked out of the military.
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If you're qualified to keep our country safe you're qualified to keep Austin safe. Transgender Americans are welcome on our police force. 1/
— Mayor Adler (@MayorAdler) July 26, 2017
Austin is the safest big city in Texas partly because we know our differences make us a stronger community. 2/
— Mayor Adler (@MayorAdler) July 26, 2017
If you get kicked out of the service because you’re transgender, please apply to join our police force. https://t.co/QoO4xWmYk9 3/
— Mayor Adler (@MayorAdler) July 26, 2017
Adler also retweeted an interview with Austin Police Department’s first openly transgender officer.
After @POTUS ban, @MayorAdler invited transgender people to join @Austin_Police. I spoke to the dept's first openly transgender officer. pic.twitter.com/U8nHcIJke2
— Reena Diamante (@reenajade) July 28, 2017
Any actual change to policy concerning transgender soldiers will have to wait for an actual directive to come from the White House. A few hastily thrown together tweets because you’re afraid you might lose your precious border wall turns out to not be enough.
Trump’s tweets were but one of three key moves by the administration on the same day showing that it will take a much different tactic on LGBTQ rights than the Obama administration, under whose direction the Pentagon lifted the ban on transgender people openly serving in the armed forces.
On the same day as the announced ban, Trump chose one of the country’s most anti-LGBTQ politicians, Gov. Sam Brownback, to head up their “religious freedom” initiatives, and the Department of Justice intervened in a case to argue that gay people should not be protected by the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
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