New York – In response to the news that a Federal Court issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump Administration’s attempt change military policy to ban service by transgender people, Stosh Cotler, CEO of Bend the Arc Jewish Action, released the following statement:

“The court’s decision is a victory for American and Jewish values of fairness, justice, and equality and pluralism.  As this case demonstrates, the tens of thousands of transgender people courageously serving our country right now are at ever greater risk of physical harm and discrimination because of the Trump Administration's appalling attempt to ban their service. Transgender troops are not a ‘disruption’ as Trump would have our nation believe--it is his actions that are a disruption. Because this announcement also follows the Obama administration’s declaration that transgender service members could openly serve, prompting many to openly declare their identities, it also represents an enormous betrayal of trust.  Letting transgender troops serve openly is both a strategic advantage and the right thing to do. As this case--and others challenging this un-American ban--continue moving through our court system, American Jews remain in solidarity with all our servicemembers, cis and trans alike.  And Bend the Arc will continue to advocate for policies that reflect our shared values and serve everyone in our nation, regardless of identity.”