Gerald Hanks
The leaders in two of Texas’ most diverse cities each made announcements that transgender military veterans who may be dismissed from the service due to a change in policies are welcome to apply to their respective departments.
Videos by Rare
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and Austin Mayor Steve Adler announced through Twitter that transgender military veterans with honorable discharges would be invited to serve in the police forces of their cities.
If you served honorably @USArmy, @USNavy, @USMC, @USCG or @usairforce & want 2 continue serving, join us @houstonpolice. We're about heart!
— Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) July 26, 2017
Houston has had a small number of transgender officers over the last decade, one of the few police departments in the state to hire transgender individuals.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler also posted a series of tweets supporting the idea of transgender officers on his city’s police force:
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 | Get vaccinated! (@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 | Get vaccinated! (@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 | Get vaccinated! (@MayorAdler) July 26, 2017
RELATED: Here’s the real reason why President Trump’s transgender military ban is stupid and pointless
The statements come in reaction to recent tweets from the current U.S. president involving the removal of transgender individuals from active duty military service. Texas law enforcement officials have also come out against the so-called “bathroom bill” in the state legislature that would require individuals to use the public restroom associated with the gender on their birth certificate, rather than their current gender identity.
