Pentagon 'cherry picked' studies to support transgender service member ban, judge says

My oh my, that was a satisfying read.

"Let's just use the Secretary of Defense [Pete] Hegseth's own words: Transgender people lack warrior ethos, are liars, lack integrity, are not humble, are selfish and can't meet physical mental fitness requirements," Judge Reyes said during Wednesday's hearing. "You would agree with me that calling people liars and lacking integrity and not able to meet rigorous standards for discipline is insulting -- yes or no, or you can't say?"

"Maybe," the attorney responded, arguing that Trump's executive order and Hegseth's directive don't use that exact language.

"So, people with gender dysphoria can't be honest, humble, or have integrity. You think that's demeaning to people with gender dysphoria?" Judge Reyes later asked.

"I can't answer that question," the attorney responded.

…and….

Judge Reyes similarly pressed the government to explain the Pentagon's concerns about transgender soldiers facing a higher risk of suicidal ideation, saying the government fundamentally misunderstood the studies that were cited to defend the policy. At one point in the hearing, she considered ordering the attorneys to read the studies, which the attorneys admitted they had never read.

"Do you know why people with transgender, with gender dysphoria, have higher rates of suicide ideation?" she asked. "It's because they face such stigma and discrimination in society. All the studies show that transgender people and people with gender dysphoria are not more inherently subject to suicide or likely to have suicide ideation. That's not it. It's not biological, it's not inherent."

"I assume you would agree with me with the following: The answer to suicide ideation caused by discrimination is not further discrimination, right?" the judge asked.