report arguing that transphobia and discrimination against intersex people existed within the U.S. military. In November 2008, the official policy of the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines was that intersex individuals, along with those who were transgender, or had other reported "disorders", had medical or psychological problems, meaning that they were ineligible to serve. In the U.S. Navy and Air Force, individuals were disqualified because of assumed "medical treatments". In May 2017, scholar Kelly L. Fisher stated that U.S. military policies prevented intersex, and transgender, people from serving openly. In April 2019, U.S. military policy stated that intersex is a rare exception to a "person’s biological status". Previously, in March 2017, a pamphlet from the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center mentioned intersex individuals. In a September 2020 study of transgender soldiers in the U.S. military, 0.5% identified as intersex. Policies and treatment People born with non-standard genital anatomy or ambiguous genitalia are largely excluded from military service. This practice is believed to have been first introduced in 1961, alongside a ban on transvestites. According to a 2007 report from the Michael D. Palm Center, there is a long list of disqualifying genital differences that are used to bar individuals from service. For example, having one undescended testicle can make a man ineligible for service. Enclosure 4 of "Induction in the Military Services; dated April 10, 2010" instruction, entitled "Medical Standards For Appointment, Enlistment, Or Induction", is the one that identifies the preclusion of some intersex people from serving in the military. According to The Crimson, the military's policy on genital differences is explicitly discriminatory. Despite the steady increase of other previously excluded members into the military since the repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell", there has not been much change with respect to the status of intersex people. Military medical policies still prevent intersex people from serving uncloseted. However, the military does provide some surgeries for intersex people which they deem 'medically necessary' as opposed to 'cosmetic'. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) does distinguish between surgeries for transgender individuals and intersex persons. In 2015, this allowed intersex persons to receive medically necessary treatment that was still prohibited for transgender people. This was because of the belief that intersex surgery caused "fewer practical concerns". However, a history of genital surgery prior to service is considered an acceptable reason to discharge a service member. The acceptance of transgender individuals in