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A 'blatant insult' to Kansas trans military members

An executive order issued by President Donald Trump claims that transgender people are unfit to serve in the military. That's a "blatant insult and a betrayal," local service members say.

One week into his second term in office, Trump signed an executive order requiring the Secretary of Defense to establish guidance and standards for service members whose gender identities do not reflect their sex assigned at birth. Legal challenges have already been filed against the order.

Maj. Kara Corcoran, an Army infantry officer who transitioned in 2018, told KCUR's Up To Date that even though speaking publicly could jeopardize her career, it's important to speak out for the younger service members who don't have a voice. "I'm going to fight with all my might," Corcoran said.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Olivia Hewitt and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Madeline Fox.

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As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
Olivia is the 2024-2025 KCUR Studios intern. Email her at ohewitt@kcur.org
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