Why LGB People Should Care about Trans Bias in the Military

[Shana A]

Why LGB People Should Care about Trans Bias in the Military

Filed By Guest Blogger | October 24, 2012 2:30 PM

http://www.bilerico.com/2012/10/why_lgb_people_should_care_about_trans_bias_in_the.php

Editors' Note: Attorney and former Marine Captain Tom Carpenter has been writing about the bias against trans servicemembers for a very long time. This essay hopes to serve as a reminder of the pain of serving in silence.

I recently blogged about the unfinished mission after repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law (DADT). Most of the blog dealt with well known issues related to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), family benefits, and instituting a non-discrimination policy to prevent hostile workplace issues. I also brought up transgender service - which has been allowed in the United Kingdom even before they were forced to permit lesbian, gay and bisexuals to serve - as one of the remaining challenges. One of my readers, Sharon W, vehemently disagreed with my support of the transgender community, and the opportunity to be in the armed forces.

Sharon W wrote:

    If the "LGBT" ideologues had had their way, our side would have had to insist upon the right of cross-dressers to serve openly before any repeal could happen. Thus, there would have been no DADT repeal, just as there has been no ENDA and will be no ENDA any time in the near future.

[suzifrommd]

Commonalities between gay and transgender:
* We each have differences from the main population that we didn't choose and cannot change.
* Our differences often show up at a young age when we lack resources and experience to advocate for ourselves.
* These difference mean that to live a fulfilled life requires governing institutions to cooperate with our plans for our lives.
* We face discrimination and marginalization especially from religious communities.
* It is difficult to for the general population to understand us because they usually don't give a moment's thought to the reasons why they live the way they do.

[Sagebrush]

It seems fairly common to me for one group to try to throw a similar group under the bus when attempting to gain acceptance. Gay men did it in the 60s and 70s distancing themselves from the lesbian community, and when there was finally a G-L integration, they both pissed on the B for a while before that started to gain acceptance. It takes time, but there are a lot of good LGB people out there, who want to help us. We just need to make sure we're not drowned out by the noise.