Image credit: Spencer Platt / Getty
This morning, the US president decreed that the country’s military “will not accept or allow” transgender people to serve (fact check: they already do), citing “tremendous medical costs and disruption.” So, hang on a sec, what’s the dollar amount there?
“The tremendous medical costs” of supporting transgender service members VS. DoD spending PER YEAR on erectile dysfunction pills pic.twitter.com/ClvIWMBrhQ
— Jenna Ruddock (@natlsciservice) July 26, 2017
The military has been paying for medication and surgeries for transgender service members for almost a year, with the upper end of the cost estimate at $US8.4 ($11) million dollars per year. If that sounds like a lot, remember that it’s less than the cost of:
- Viagra for soldiers ($US42 ($53) million on name-brand Viagra, $US84 ($106) million on erectile dysfunction drugs in general), as Jenna Ruddock points out
- Three of the president’s government-funded golf trips ($US3.6 ($5) million each)
- Two cents, per year, of US taxpayer dollars.
Just to put things in perspective.
Comments
4 responses to “The US Military Spends More On Viagra Than On Transgender Soldiers’ Medical Expenses”
Reports are coming out it was a back room 11th hour deal by the President to satisfy a few conservative votes for his budget that includes his election promises like the Border Wall.
its pretty clear what the real reason for this ban was and that is to get votes for his wall
the hardcore republicans wanted to stop funding medical treatments for transgender troops and they basically wouldn’t vote for trumps wall unless he gave them that so he went one better and straight up banned them from serving.
silly americans
who cares if they spend millions on viagra… ? I dont get your point.
If they were also spending millions on drugs to help females fall pregnant, it wouldnt be an issue.
Viagra is used to treat heart conditions too, in both men and women.