As the Department of Defense begins enforcing a controversial new policy banning transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military, attention is turning to soldiers who appear to be taking advantage of regulatory gray areas—particularly when it comes to grooming and uniform standards tied to biological sex.
One example drawing fire on social media is Army Sergeant Rodriguez, a biologically female noncommissioned officer who identifies and presents as male but continues to follow Army appearance standards authorized for female soldiers.
In a series of TikTok videos posted to her public account, Rodriguez brags about not having to shave her facial hair—grown due to testosterone use—because Army regulations only require male soldiers to remain clean-shaven. She also wears diamond earrings in uniform, which are permitted for females but not for males under current Army policy.
@_s_k_y_e__ Im not shaving my chin until deers changes my gender to male idc 🤣 #fyp #military #militarytiktok #transman #transgender ♬ sonido original – .
Rodriguez, who still has a female gender marker in the Army’s personnel system, uses this classification to justify her appearance, stating in her videos that she’s following the regulations as written.
Transgender Ban Now In Effect
Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memorandum giving active-duty transgender service members 30 days to voluntarily self-separate from the military. Members of the National Guard and Reserve have 60 days. The policy follows the January 27, 2025 Executive Order 14183, titled “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” signed by President Trump.
The Pentagon estimates that approximately 1,000 self-identified transgender troops will begin the voluntary separation process. A total of roughly 4,240 personnel across the active duty, Guard, and Reserve components have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and may ultimately be affected by the policy.
The May 8 implementation guidance reinstated previous DoD policy memos asserting that a diagnosis of gender dysphoria—or a history or symptoms consistent with it—is incompatible with the standards required for military service. The Pentagon cites concerns about medical readiness, mental health, and the cohesion and uniformity of military units.
Service members who voluntarily separate are eligible for separation pay, but those who are involuntarily separated may be required to repay bonuses or other incentives received during their service.
Policy Gray Zones and Appearance Standards
Rodriguez’s case highlights an ongoing gap between Army regulations and evolving gender identity policy. Grooming and uniform standards are currently enforced based on biological sex, not gender identity. As a result, transitioning service members who have not legally changed their gender marker can remain in compliance with the appearance standards for their sex assigned at birth—even if they present and live as the opposite gender.
This regulatory gap is now drawing greater attention as the Pentagon begins implementing the new transgender separation policy. Critics argue that inconsistencies in how standards are enforced damage unit discipline and morale, while supporters of transgender service emphasize that policy confusion is a product of poorly defined and inconsistently applied rules over the past several years.
As the military begins the process of identifying and separating transgender service members, cases like Rodriguez’s underscore the complex legal and cultural challenges still facing the Department of Defense.
The coming weeks are expected to bring more visibility—and more controversy—as leadership balances policy enforcement with public scrutiny and ongoing litigation over the transgender ban.
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