MTV has reached out to the military to invite transgender military service members to the Video Music Awards on August 27, CNN reports. The invitation comes a month after Donald Trump called for transgender individuals to be banned from serving in the military.
Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Paul Haverstick confirmed on Wednesday that "MTV has requested service member participation for this year's VMAs."
"At this time the Department of Defense is reviewing the parameters of the request," Haverstick added.
When it comes to high-profile public events, there are certain restrictions for whether or not active duty military members can attend. And, although the VMAs isn't a political event, performers have previously used the awards show as an opportunity to make political statements.
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In 2010, Lady Gaga expressed her opposition to the military's since-repealed"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy when she walked the red carpet with four servicemen and a servicewoman who had been dismissed due to their sexuality. During last year's show, which was held several months before the 2016 presidential election, Lance Bass wore a "Love Trumps Hate" jacket and Beyoncé brought four mothers from the Black Lives Matter movement as her guests.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the White House is expected to issue directions to the Pentagon on how to implement the ban within the coming days. However, BuzzFeed News correspondent Chris Geidner emphasized in a Twitter thread that action hasn't been taken and there have been false alarms before.
STILL NOT ISSUED.
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) August 24, 2017
Earlier this month, Trump told reporters that he still wants to instate the ban. "It's been a very confusing issue for the military, and I think I'm doing the military a great favor," he told reporters at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club.
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