PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Meet Harpy Daniels, also known as Yeoman Second Class Joshua Kelley. Three years ago, the sailor and drag queen was the Navy's digital ambassador to represent diversity. Now, transgender members of the Navy have a Friday deadline to voluntarily separate from the ser vice. After tomorrow, transgender troops will be forced out. Attorney Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, is representing transgender sailors in two lawsuits challenging the president's executive order to ban trans troops. "I mean, this is really shameful," Minter said. "This is a shameful way to treat people who are serving our country." Signed Jan. 27, the executive order states that "trans military members' identities conflict with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful and disciplined lifestyle." It also states that "a man's assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member." The instructions for sailors to self-report are complicated. Minter said just a fraction of the nation's lawyers have expertise in military law."We and other organizations have asked attorneys to come forward and offer pro-bono help," Minter said. "And they are they are doing that. ... We do have a cadre now of attorneys willing to do that. Now, part of the challenge is that it is a very specialized area of law. And so there's a lot of attorneys out there that would love to help, but they're simply not qualified." Minter said his heart goes out to transgender military members. "There's very little time left, frankly, to make an informed decision," Minter said. "But if you possibly can, consult with an attorney, and there's organizations — SPARTA is one modern military association that is trying very hard to match people up with individual pro bono attorneys to help give you some counsel and advice about what makes sense for you." Federal judge temporarily blocks an order to ban trans military troops As the executive order makes its way through the courts, Wednesday night, a court struck down the president's effort to reverse a court order that blocks the transgender ban. Judge questions motives for Trump’s order banning transgender troops "It's chaos," Minter said. "It's been 100% created needlessly by the military, putting their own people into this untenable situation. So I feel terrible here. I wish I were able to offer some more clear guidance for people. But the truth is, there's not a lot of clarity in this moment." The Navy has promised to double the separation funds for transgender sailors who volunteer to leave by Friday. Minter urged sailors to contact SPARTA, which has attorneys on standby to offer free advice to trans troops. "There's just so much we don't know, including: we don't know for sure whether the military will honor the terms of this voluntary separation agreement," Minter said. "You know, other federal employees were given similar offers outside the military. And those have not always been actually honored. So there are many questions here, and then there are pending court challenges." In Talbott vs. USA Thursday, attorneys representing transgender troops filed a response to the Defense Department's motion for an administrative stay. opposition-to-motion-for-administrative-stayDownload Attorneys for the plaintiffs say that if the administrative stay is granted, that could block a nationwide preliminary injunction that put the brakes on plans to rid the military of transgender troops. Before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Thursday, attorneys representing transgender troops said that "granting an administrative stay would trigger an explosive and harmful trip wire, causing reputational, professional, and constitutional harm that can never be fully undone." 10 On Your Side will continue to monitor new developments concerning the executive order that bans trans troops makes its way through the nation's courts.Note: 10 On Your Side reached out to Kelley to learn the Pennsylvania native's status with the Navy. The story will be updated when we receive a response. ...read more read less