DOJ Considers Limiting Transgender People's Gun Rights Following Minneapolis Shooting

In the wake of the tragic Minneapolis Catholic church shooting, which left two children dead and 21 others injured, senior Justice Department officials are exploring a proposal to restrict the right to possess firearms for transgender people. This notion builds on an idea that has gained traction in conservative media, despite a lack of evidence linking transgender individuals to mass violence. The potential ban would represent a significant escalation of the Trump administration's fight against the rights of transgender Americans, mirroring previous executive orders that have barred transgender people from serving in the military and restricted their access to medical care.

Key Takeaways:

• The Justice Department is considering using its rulemaking authority to declare transgender people with gender dysphoria as mentally ill and therefore ineligible to own firearms, according to a senior Justice official.
• This proposal would be a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration's efforts to restrict the rights of transgender Americans, including executive orders prohibiting them from serving in the military and restricting access to medical care.
• A significant number of mass attacks in the US have no connection to transgender people, with only five shooters out of over 5,700 mass shootings between January 2013 and the present being confirmed as transgender.
• The potential ban on gun ownership for transgender people could have far-reaching consequences, potentially targeting other vulnerable groups such as veterans with PTSD, according to Alejandra Caraballo, a clinical instructor at Harvard Law School.
• A spokesperson for GLAAD argued that the DOJ is using the transgender community as a scapegoat, noting that they are less than 2% of the US population but four times as likely to be victims of crime.
• Mark Bryant, founding executive director of the Gun Violence Archive, emphasized that the vast majority of mass attacks in the US have no connection to transgender people.
• The proposed ban would contradict federal law, which requires a judge to declare a person mentally incompetent before stripping them of their right to own firearms.

Statistics:

• Over 5,700 mass shootings have occurred in the US between January 2013 and the present, with five shooters confirmed as transgender.
• Transgender people are less than 2% of the US population but four times as likely to be victims of crime.
• The proposed ban on gun ownership for transgender people would be a drastic measure, with millions of Americans living with mental health issues, many of whom are not a danger to society and should not have their rights infringed.

Sources:

• CNN (unnamed officials)
• Alejandra Caraballo, clinical instructor at Harvard Law School
• GLAAD spokesperson
• Mark Bryant, founding executive director of the Gun Violence Archive
• CNN's report on Attorney General Pam Bondi's efforts to target gender-affirming care
• The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)