Court: Military must take transgender service members by Jan. 1

[Laurie]

I just heard this tonight on CNN and looked it up. The lawsuit is still underway but the military has to start taking transgender troops by the original Jan 1st deadline.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/362062-court-military-must-take-transgender-service-members-by-jan-1

The Hill/by Olivia Beavers   11/27/2017

[Deborah]

Expect a twitter assault at any time.


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[Jenntrans]

Look. We have always served and usually with dignity and honor while hiding it. Those in the military especially the women will know what a "Dog Turd" is. Hair cannot touch the collar so the women used to make their longer hair into something that looks like a "dog turd".

But what are they going to allow for trans women in the military? That is the question that I want answered. I mean if we can do and follow the same rules as the females then good. If it is just because we are trans but get the same treatment as males and probably in real life worst, then I wouldn't even say anything about it. Then instead of female and male basic training then you have to have trans specific basic training.

Not everyone is like me and I joined to specifically test myself. For six years I was totally miserable but found an outlet. That outlet was way off post though.

As much as it sounds like this will suck, maybe that is what some need. when I got out I never  looked back. I know how bad it sucked for me but I chose to do it just to see and then reupped for two more years. I guess that was to make totally sure.

I just really don't know. If we can be totally feminine with the same rules that cis women and vice versa have to follow then good. But if you have a penis and are feminine but have to go through basic as a male then that sux. It would be the same with FTMs too. So inacutality instead of two basic training units on a post you would need four. Male, female, MTF and FTM. Then you would have to add classes to accept everyone as a fellow soldier, airman or "squid". Then you have PT and the famed PT test. So a MTF will have the same qualifications as a cis female? Will a FTM have the same qualifications as a cis male? Then you have billeting issues. In Garrison it would be no problem but what about the "field"?

So there is a little more about everything than most people want or are willing to acknowledge. Yes we have serve throughout History and will and still are. We always will. For some it is a test and for others just an escape and others yet just a job. For me personally it was just another test. I was OK as a soldier but when I was in Korea sucked really hard playing Flag Football. I was benched and then called a "bitch" and that was just another test.

I really have no opinion one way or the other but... For me it was just another test when I was young and dumb. I ended up working for mama san in one of her nightclubs far away from where I was stationed as a blonde "round eyed" bar girl. Since the bar was way off post and a couple of hours away from where my duty station wa, the Military was off limits but they still came.

So I am torn on this subject honestly. Mama San told me that I was not the only one. She gave me time off on the weekends to pull CQ or in the field and I made a lot of money. So I am torn on this subject of whether to serve openly or not and I am being totally honest.

[Deborah]

The rule is that there are only two genders.  Male and female, each with their own PT and grooming standards.  Once a person transitions and  changes their gender marker they fall under the new standards entirely.

The rules actually seem pretty enlightened to me.


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[Jenntrans]

The rule is that there are only two genders.  Male and female, each with their own PT and grooming standards.  Once a person transitions and  changes their gender marker they fall under the new standards entirely.

The rules actually seem pretty enlightened to me.


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Yeah but they shouldn't though. What about all the other markers especially when it comes to non binary genders?

So if someone chooses to be a woman but doesn't choose SRS, what barracks? Should they not join? It is way more complicated than the M or F markers. What if you don't have SRS and still are a F or M on your gender markers regardless of genitals? So see that is what I was trying to relate. I think everyone should be able to serve but should have the proper facilities and so on available.

OK so what is the big deal because there are a lot of trans that served and still serve. gender markers should not be that hard to change. If you have a penis and testicles and vice versa see a doctor for at least a year and then let them sign off to change. Seriously what guy is going to go through all the shaving BS, plucking BS, have enough patience to grow long hair and fix it BS if they are not MTF for one year? It is the same with the "guys". I am MTF so I don't want short hair, I don't want hair on my legs or under my arms. But if someone choses to go through HRT but not SRS then where should the be housed? That is where the complication kicks in and needs to be thought about a little more. Not every trans woman wants to have SRS but if you have a penis then which barracks do you billet in?

Personally since this is totally new I would say give it a year or two and totally figure it out for those that identify now serving and those that want to serve down the line and how the identify and go from there. That to me would be the logical first step. The second step would be in initial training and then the third would be billeting and so on.

Personally I don't want SRS and that would leave me with a penis. I would not want to be in the same barracks or room with other guys. I also would not want to be billeted with cis women either. I would feel more comfortable with other trans women.

This is just my opinion but there should be a lot of planning and education that goes into it because I am small. A guy can overtake me in a heart beat. So if I was a feminine woman and I choose not to have SRS and the military classifies me as a man then my two room mates could overpower me and rape me. It is the same with women. If they think I have a penis and instead of toys and yes they are found during wall locker inspections they may decide the same thing and two against one?? So just that needs to be panned and counted for.

Then you have the education on transgenders that need to be eased in. If I am a transgender female and hold the rank of E5 then how would I be challenged by cis men that are of lower rank? What if I still served and then came out? Yes you have to respect the rank but not the person that holds the rank. So there is a learning curve that needs to be initiated.

So there should be a lot of planning to phase it in instead of just knee jerk reactions. Remember that a lot will accept but a lot won't either so phasing it in a little at a time would be the better option. First with commissioned officers and then NCOs. Officers and I hate to say this, have a little more knowledge because most have been to college and probably have dealt more with LGBT people. Most enlisted have not been to college or a University setting so they may be straight from the streets or backwoods. I can kind of sort of talk about the backwoods but not so much the streets. Country folks seem to be open or don't really give a F*** depending on upbringing in regards to religious convictions.

Then don't get me started about Basic Training. So if a FTM went to male BT what would happen when they figured the guy had a vagina? When I experienced it, it was only eight weeks. Then AIT was only eight weeks. OMG. The freaking showers. Do you know how many times I saw someone's junk? For some reason half were at least half stiff. I am lucky because I could not but...

But seriously there are a lot of things that need to be addressed and dealt with.  I always hated the "guy talk" BS but had to chime in from time to time. That was really uncomfortable for me. So there is a little more to it than just serving. If I would have went through Female Basic Training being nonop I would have probably had a dysphoria breakdown.

So some of these things need to be a dressed instead of just F and M. There needs to be gender specific training across the whole spectrum at least. Then billeting needs to be gender specific regardless of trans or cis and all of it needs to be phased in.

Seriously though Gays and lesbians can openly serve now. Well they were when I served. That took almost ten years when DADT was replace to serving openly? So there are a lot of things and education that needs to be planned out and then phased in.

Yes we should be able to serve openly I believe but safely and with our dignity too. And the M or F don't mean nothing other than just another marker. I would not want to be house with cis males or cis females either. I would rather other trans women pre op or post op. And cis men? If you look a certain way then...

This is just my opinion but... Don't put someone in a situation that makes them too uncomfortable and/or feel bad about themselves. Just give it a little time and a little education by those that are smarter and then phase it in with all the logistics that needs to be done.