Can trans women be drafted? Everything you need to know

Yesterday (April 9), it was announced that all American citizens and immigrants eligible to reside in the United States will automatically register for the draft starting in December 2026.

The Selective Service System (SSS), the government agency responsible for maintaining military draft records, has changed its rules. Previously, eligible men had to register within 30 days of turning 18 years old. Now, eligible men are automatically enrolled instead.

Google searches for the phrase “Will trans women be drafted into the military” spiked in response to the news, as concerns about the Iran war and the draft continue to grow in the United States.

The answer to that question is… Yes, in theory. Trans women are eligible for military service, despite the Trump administration’s well-documented hostility toward transgender military service.

According to reports lady bullThe following persons are considered eligible for military service:

• Most men with disabilities (even if they are later found to be unfit for military service)
• U.S. citizens between the ages of 18 and 25 (including dual citizens)
• Male immigrants aged 18-25 living in the United States
• U.S. citizens of the same age group living abroad
• People assigned male at birth, including transgender women

However, trans men assigned female at birth are not expected to register.

However, being eligible for military service does not automatically mean you will be drafted into war. The draft process works like a lottery, with those eligible being assigned a number and selected at random. If your number is known, you will be expected to serve in the military. The last time this draft system was used was during the Vietnam War.

This appears to contradict a ban on transgender people with a “history of gender dysphoria” from registering for U.S. military service, implemented last year by Secretary of Defense and anti-woke activist Pete Hegseth, although a Pentagon memo filed in court declares that transgender service members will be “identified” and isolated from the U.S. military unless they receive a waiver.

Waivers will reportedly only be granted if there is evidence that “there is a compelling government interest in retaining service members who directly support combat capabilities” and that “the service member’s gender has remained stable for 36 consecutive months without clinically significant distress.”

So how does this work in practice? Will trans women actually be drafted? Well, if a ban on transgender military service is implemented during future drafts, trans women would likely be classified as 4F (not eligible for military service) and could be dismissed or denied entry during the evaluation process.

In other words, current rules create a contradiction: Trans women are technically required to register for military service, but current policy means they are ineligible for military service.