Posted on
Advocate.com September 21, 2011 05:00:00 AM ET
Trans American Military Stories
Nearly 300,000 transgender people may have served in the military — even though the government won't officially allow it. Here are their stories.
By Diane Anderson-Minshall
http://www.advocate.com/Politics/Military/Trans_American_Military_Stories/As lesbian, bisexual, and gay soldiers (not to mention future recruits) celebrate the end of "don't ask, don't tell," the transgender community will continue to serve in silence — if at all. The repeal is, according to many transgender people, the community's bridesmaid moment.
The Transgender American Veterans Association reports there could be up to 300,000 transgender military veterans in the U.S. today. In 2005, when the TAVA put a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, there was a transgender person representing every U.S. military conflict since WWII.