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Transgender troops walked MTV VMAs 2017 red carpet

'Any patriot who is putting their own life at risk to fight for our freedom is a hero at MTV'

Jack Shepherd
Monday 28 August 2017 12:35 BST
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Transgender troop at VMAs: 'It's a great opportunity to build awareness'

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Last week, Donald Trump made an executive order demanding the Department of Defense stop allowing transgender individuals to serve in the US military.

As a result, no transgender person can be accepted, the army currently coming up with a plan to withdraw serving transgender troops within the next six months.

Huge numbers of people, including military members, have criticised the move, finding no reason for the executive order to be made.

On Sunday (27 August), just two days after the order, the MTV Video Music Awards took a stand, inviting six transgender military members to the event, all of whom walked the blue carpet.

"Any patriot who is putting their own life at risk to fight for our freedom and stand for equality is a hero at MTV, and to young people everywhere," said MTV president Chris McCarthy in a statement, according to Billboard.

Brynn Tannehill, Laila Ireland, Akira Wyatt, Jennifer Peace, Logan Ireland and Sterling James Crutcher were those in attendance, alongside GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis.

"Historically, the VMAs have been a huge platform for social issues that are currently happening, so being able to have that platform and share our stories is important to us," Ireland told the publication before the ceremony began.

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, recently spoke out against the ban, saying it is "going to create this situation where there is a complete inequality in how transgender troops are treated."

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