News and Events => Opinions & Editorials => Topic started by: Shana A on November 11, 2011, 10:36:55 AM Return to Full Version
Title: When Will American Transpeople Be Able To Openly Serve?
Post by: Shana A on November 11, 2011, 10:36:55 AM
Post by: Shana A on November 11, 2011, 10:36:55 AM
Friday, November 11, 2011
When Will American Transpeople Be Able To Openly Serve?
Posted by Monica Roberts at 12:00 AM
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2011/11/when-will-american-transpeople-be-able.html (http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2011/11/when-will-american-transpeople-be-able.html)
Today is Veterans Day, when we take a moment to honor the people who have served in our nation's military during peacetime and in combat situations. In some cases, they have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
I wanted to take a moment to especially show some love to transgender vets today. There are those who proudly served, and those who unlike their GLB brothers and sisters must stay in hiding because DADT repal didn't cover them.
While the afterglow has faded from the celebrations of DADT being repealed back in September for our gay, lesbian and bisexual brothers and sisters in the military, we transpeople are now burdened with what they they had to deal with in terms of living with the fear of being outed or not being able to openly serve our country.
When Will American Transpeople Be Able To Openly Serve?
Posted by Monica Roberts at 12:00 AM
http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2011/11/when-will-american-transpeople-be-able.html (http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2011/11/when-will-american-transpeople-be-able.html)
Today is Veterans Day, when we take a moment to honor the people who have served in our nation's military during peacetime and in combat situations. In some cases, they have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
I wanted to take a moment to especially show some love to transgender vets today. There are those who proudly served, and those who unlike their GLB brothers and sisters must stay in hiding because DADT repal didn't cover them.
While the afterglow has faded from the celebrations of DADT being repealed back in September for our gay, lesbian and bisexual brothers and sisters in the military, we transpeople are now burdened with what they they had to deal with in terms of living with the fear of being outed or not being able to openly serve our country.
Title: Re: When Will American Transpeople Be Able To Openly Serve?
Post by: Devlyn on November 11, 2011, 10:52:59 AM
Post by: Devlyn on November 11, 2011, 10:52:59 AM
Yes, when? I know the Army just lost a top notch soldier. She left the service in order to be herself.
Title: Re: When Will American Transpeople Be Able To Openly Serve?
Post by: Sailor_Saturn on November 11, 2011, 12:16:07 PM
Post by: Sailor_Saturn on November 11, 2011, 12:16:07 PM
To put things into perspective a bit, it's not like this is a new burden of fear. American trans veterans have already been under the threat of discharge, they haven't recently come under that threat.
That said, it's morally reprehensible that something utterly irrelevant to one's ability to work should keep them from serving. Opponents who scream unit cohesion often forget that not every post in the military sees live ammunition being thrown back and forth. There are intelligence positions, recon positions, information security positions, police positions, research positions...look, let's just skip a step. Name a civilian job and there's probably a military equivalent. There are military librarians, for Heaven's sake! God knows unit cohesion is critical to maintaining files.
Believe it or not, the military is a hell of a lot bigger than just the combat personnel. Not everyone in the military even carries a freaking gun to work, let alone gets shot at! I'm just saying, I don't see how being a transman or a transwoman somehow disqualifies one from doing any and every single job the military has available. Briefly summarized: the unit cohesion argument doesn't hold up universally.
That said, it's morally reprehensible that something utterly irrelevant to one's ability to work should keep them from serving. Opponents who scream unit cohesion often forget that not every post in the military sees live ammunition being thrown back and forth. There are intelligence positions, recon positions, information security positions, police positions, research positions...look, let's just skip a step. Name a civilian job and there's probably a military equivalent. There are military librarians, for Heaven's sake! God knows unit cohesion is critical to maintaining files.
Believe it or not, the military is a hell of a lot bigger than just the combat personnel. Not everyone in the military even carries a freaking gun to work, let alone gets shot at! I'm just saying, I don't see how being a transman or a transwoman somehow disqualifies one from doing any and every single job the military has available. Briefly summarized: the unit cohesion argument doesn't hold up universally.