By the Numbers: 16 December 2025
3,853
The number of "active duty and activated National Guard or Reserve service members [who] received a documented diagnosis corresponding to gender dysphoria from January 2015 to August 2022," according to an article published online in BMC Health Services Research -- Oscillating US Department of Defense policies and medical record documentation of gender dysphoria in service members: an observational time-series analysis.
Clinical documentation of gender dysphoria oscillated with changes to policies and public statements by government leaders, which may in turn, impact military recruitment and retention. This study highlights the need for equitable policies that optimize the strength of a diverse military force. Equity-oriented monitoring is needed to continually examine the impact of military service policies on readiness and retention to support actionable, data-driven improvements to policies and their implementation.
3,853
The number of "active duty and activated National Guard or Reserve service members [who] received a documented diagnosis corresponding to gender dysphoria from January 2015 to August 2022," according to an article published online in BMC Health Services Research -- Oscillating US Department of Defense policies and medical record documentation of gender dysphoria in service members: an observational time-series analysis.
Clinical documentation of gender dysphoria oscillated with changes to policies and public statements by government leaders, which may in turn, impact military recruitment and retention. This study highlights the need for equitable policies that optimize the strength of a diverse military force. Equity-oriented monitoring is needed to continually examine the impact of military service policies on readiness and retention to support actionable, data-driven improvements to policies and their implementation.