After a long weekend of moving in and driving back down for Thursday, summer classes have officially begun. Though this week has been quite an eventful one in my own world, there have also been some major changes in the political world. Everyone seems to be talking about the transgender ban in the military and as someone who has a thing for bandwagons, I’m going to add a little more noise to it.

So let’s talk.

They say that there are two sides to every story, but this one may have several. There are a lot of things to consider in this one. As Americans, there are certain ideals we live by no matter our political stance as individuals. Life, love, and the pursuit of happiness– number one in the bill of rights. Then you’ve got the right to bearing arms, a controversy in its own, freedom of speech, and several others that we all may or may not remember. Over the years, the country has developed a penchant for freedom and personal rights, the question now is how far it all may go.

That is the question this ban concerns.

On one hand, there is the idea that any person who wants to fight should be allowed to. As hypothetical as Captain America was, it still upheld a soldier’s right to enlist. It is something many people both believe in and are very proud of. From family to friends, I know many who are part of the armed forces that have grown and become better people through it. There are several branches of the military and often a good position can be found for anyone who seeks it, that is not the issue. The issue comes up when someone’s ability to fulfill that position is compromised.

Because on the other hand, the ability to fight without hindrance is not something people always have a say in.

The right to fight is a privilege, and unfortunately, one that cannot be given to some people. Did you know that a person cannot enlist if they are anemic, diabetic, or an addict? Though each of these conditions are different, they do have one thing in common: each requires medication to keep the person going. Unfortunately, transitioning can be seen the same way. Though I cannot boast a full knowledge of the process, there is some logic to the reasoning. With a dependence on hormones and intense medical treatments to complete the transition, it would be unsafe for someone in this position to end up overseas unable to get what they need. Look at someone with diabetes, if they were to run out of insulin or their blood sugar dropped too low without anything to treat them, their life would be instantly on the line. For this reason, I also understand the practicality of this side if the ban. It’s not about the people at all; in the end, it’s about safety.

These are the two main sides of the argument, both the freedom to fight for someone people believe in as well as the inability for a person’s body to allow them to. This US alone holds 326.4 million people, each and every one who ideally holds the same 33 rights in the constitution. Whether these rights are upheld is another story, as in this case, equal opportunity is not possible. There are other sides to this situation however, more than I can count, but I invite you to take a look into it if you would like because it is part of the policy our country runs on.

President Trump has been in office for 189 days so far and in that time we have all seen some major changes within our country, from immigration to signing 24 executive orders. This new change announced on Twitter is one more thing to add to that list. With the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” in 2011, a major step forward in the LGBT community, this new development raises the question: is this a step forward or backward?

Only time can tell us how this situation will play out with the hope that we arrive at a better tomorrow.

And though this has nothing to do with politics but rather humanity, I will say it louder for the people in the back:

Transgender individuals, like any other group of people in this world, are never a burden to those who care about them. That is absolutely true. And that will never change.