MTV invites transgender military members to VMAs
MTV is opening its arms to transgender military members and inviting them to Sunday's Video Music Awards. The company said in a statement that they consider them heroes.
"MTV has invited transgender members of the U.S. armed forces to the 2017 Video Music Awards and we would be honored if they could attend," said Chris McCarthy, president of MTV, in a statement. "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."
The news comes less than a month after President Donald Trump announced that transgender people will not be allowed to serve in "any capacity" in the United States military.
On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration will send guidelines to the Pentagon in the coming days on implementing the ban. The new directives would allow for Defense Secretary James Mattis to consider a service member's ability to deploy in deciding whether to remove them from the military or not. The Journal also reports that the guidelines direct the Pentagon to deny admittance to transgender individuals and to stop spending on medical treatment regimens for those currently serving.
It is not the first time the VMAs have faced controversial issues head-on.
Last year at the VMAs, Beyonce joined the mothers of police shooting victims Mike Brown, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and Oscar Grant on the red carpet. Brown, Martin, Garner and Grant are some of the most important names to catalyze the Black Lives Matters movement.
The 2017 VMAs will take place Aug. 27 at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Katy Perry will host, and other performers include Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran, Pink, Miley Cyrus, the Weeknd, Lorde, Shawn Mendes, Fifth Harmony. Pink is set to win the prestigious Vanguard Award.
