September 22, 2017
The Honorable James Mattis
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000
Dear Secretary Mattis:
I write to urge you to exercise your authority in regard to President Trump's August 25 memorandum on Military Service by Transgender Individuals to recommend the strongest possible protections for current transgender service members and the countless others who aspire to serve their country in the future. I know you are well aware that the proud tradition of success, service, and professionalism of America's military is rooted in the dedication, bravery, talents, and sacrifice of the individuals who choose to serve. Your own career is a distinctive example of this vital tradition, and I want to commend and thank you for your many years of honorable service.
In my time as Harvard's president, I have been privileged to meet many students who have answered or will answer the call to serve, including those who have committed to participate in our ROTC programs. These students show exceptional strength of character and personal courage and, like so many students at Harvard and in colleges and universities around our country, strive to create astrongersociety. Opportunities to serve and to follow these aspirations should be open to all. For that reason, I believe the directive to ban transgender Americans from serving in the armed forces to be deeply offensive, misguided, and harmful, both to those being excluded arbitrarily and to our country.
The challenges we face across the globe are too steep to reject the contributions of talented people-and our ideals of equality and justice are too vital to the strength of our nation to compromise. I am hopeful that through the work of the distinguished task force you have appointed you will be able to identify an appropriate way forward to protect these critical values and to ensure that all qualified Americans in uniform, regardless of gender identity, can continue the honorable pursuit of serving and protecting their country.
Thank you for your consideration. Please feel free to reach out to me if I can ever be of assistance.
Sincerely,
Drew Gilpin Faust
