Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Transgender Navy SEAL 'Warrior Princess' Comes Out

By LEE FERRAN
June 3, 2013

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/transgender-navy-seal-warrior-princess/story?id=19314231#.Ua0k3rVfHIY (http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/transgender-navy-seal-warrior-princess/story?id=19314231#.Ua0k3rVfHIY)

A former member of the elite U.S. Navy SEALs has come out to say she's now a woman.

Kristin Beck, formerly Chris, served 20 years as a SEAL and fought on some of the most dangerous battlefields in the world, but after she left the service she realized she wasn't living the life she wanted.

"Chris really wanted to be a girl and felt that she was a girl and consolidated that identity very early on in childhood," said Anne Speckhard, co-author of Beck's biography "Warrior Princess," which was published over the weekend. Speckhard told ABC News Beck suppressed that secret for decades, however, through the trials of SEAL training and the harrowing missions that followed, growing a burly beard as she fought on the front lines of American special operations.

Brandon Webb, a former SEAL who served on a different SEAL team than Beck, said that Beck's reputation in the SEALs was a good one and said she was, by all appearances, the "consummate guy's guy."

But the book says that Chris "had considered living as the woman he felt himself to be for a very long time, but while he was serving as a SEAL he couldn't do it."

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The Latest Navy SEAL Book Could Impact the Military's Transgender Rules

J.K. Trotter

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/06/transgender-navy-seal-memoir/65823/ (http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/06/transgender-navy-seal-memoir/65823/)

In every Navy SEAL is a memoir, it seems lately. Retired SEAL Kristin Beck's new memoir, published on Tuesday and titled Warrior Princess, is a bit different, though. In it, Beck describes how, over the course of her 20 year military career, including thirteen deployments over the globe, she slowly became more and more aware that was she meant to live life as a woman — a vexing and often tormenting realization for a long-time member of an elite all-male unit that went on to capture and kill Osama bin Laden. Beck, who identified as a man (and went by the name Chris) while in the Navy, explains that she decided to undergo hormonal therapy some time after retiring in early 2011, and eventually came out to colleagues by posting a picture of herself dressed as a woman on LinkedIn earlier this year:

    That night Kris put up a new photo to her LinkedIn profile — the one taken by Christy of Kris standing in front of the American flag. This time Kris wrote, "I am now taking off all my disguises and letting the world know my true identity as a woman." Kris also changed her name on her profile page to Kristin Beck.

Thanks for posting this, Shana! Hugs, Devlyn

Saw this on Yahoo front page. How cool is that! She's my hero.

Former Virginia Beach SEAL Chris tells story as Kristin (http://hamptonroads.com/node/679441)

Her military file has her listed as Christopher Todd Beck, a retired 46-year-old Navy SEAL who spent five years in Virginia Beach, earned a Bronze Star with valor and a Purple Heart and served in three different SEAL commands - including the exclusive SEAL Team 6.

What it doesn't say is that Christopher now lives openly as Kristin Beck, a woman who never would have been allowed to serve had she been honest about her transgender identity....

In one excerpt, Beck describes the irony of being dressed as an Afghan man to blend in with Taliban men who'd expressed a deep hatred of women.

"It was weird that I could grow a beard and trick them into thinking I was one of them - and really I'm an Amazon woman in disguise as a U.S. military guy in disguise as a Pashtun!"

It wasn't until after retiring in 2011 as a senior chief petty officer that Beck came out as a transgender woman, identifying as Kristin.

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.hamptonroads.com%2Fcache%2Ffiles%2Fimages%2F1107321.jpg&hash=0c4a02bef07a9035d4c01ea52c7554f1623fd5b9)

Geez, look at all that chest candy.

The level of ignorance, fear, and unbridled rude attitude in the comments section of this msn.com article on the same topic here:

http://now.msn.com/kristin-beck-transgender-navy-seal-announces-she-is-a-woman (http://now.msn.com/kristin-beck-transgender-navy-seal-announces-she-is-a-woman)

Is utterly astounding. Just another reason why I remain stealth as much as possible. If a 20 year Navy Seal vet that transitions get's this sort of response... what hope do us mere mortal transitioners have of wide-spread acceptance? Just staggering really.

U.S. Navy...a global force for good...no evil shall escape her reach...

BZ Warrior Princess !!!

Best wishes and good luck to her,not one of these keyboard warriors would dare say any of the crap they write to the warrior princess!

Quote from: big kim on June 05, 2013, 03:21:00 AM
Best wishes and good luck to her,not one of these keyboard warriors would dare say any of the crap they write to the warrior princess!

+1

The funny thing is, most of them wouldn't say those kinds of things to any of us, either. Yes, a few would...but most? Not even.

Yes JennX,

Your right, my best friend who is special ops today, and who I served in the usmc back in the last 80's, just does not accept my fem side, eventually womanhood. Its kinda scary who a spec ops warrior, at the top of her former game, is now heckled. Reason I remain stealth as much as possible, sorry but I'm not much of an activist or into the limelight, more like low key, I did come out to an extent back in the early 90's, but back in the shell I went. Some say chicken->-bleeped-<- on my behalf, I say prudent in not transitioning until so late now in my mid 40's and having the courage now, anyways, Badd Arse for Kristin :)

Lucia,

Comments are as usually "astonishing"... What hurts the most is that many posters are women. Unless they they are radical feminists - not necessary lesbians - and big fans of Janice Raymond and her "book" - then I dunno why they are writing that BS.

There are many "Warrior Princesses" in this forum. Ladies who served with Honor and Pride. Most have a few scars  -both physical and p[sicological- to remind them that it was not a dream....

Still I know of a few of our members who still go down range in or out of uniform...so yeah...to all of you I Salute You!!

June 6th, 2013
10:18 PM ET
Part I of @andersoncooper's exclusive interview with transgender former Navy SEAL Kristen Beck

http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/06/part-i-of-andersoncoopers-exclusive-interview-with-transgender-former-navy-seal-kristen-beck/ (http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/06/part-i-of-andersoncoopers-exclusive-interview-with-transgender-former-navy-seal-kristen-beck/)

Christopher Beck served as a U.S. Navy SEAL in some of the most dangerous battlegrounds in the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan and earnedmedals and commendations including the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart

But for 20 years while Beck was fighting for his country, he was also fighting an inner battle over his identity. He wanted to live his life as a woman.

After retiring in 2011, Beck did just that. Chris Beck is now Kristin Beck.

Tonight Kristen spoke with Anderson Cooper about the transition from being a masculine Navy SEAL to a feminine woman.

   THANK YOU  PEKY  RVN 1970-1971     We all still suffer it never goes completely away. The SEALS
are truly the best of the best and Kristen with SEAL tradition had the courage to come out as her true female self. I SALUTE HER both for her bravery and courage on and off the battlefield.

Me, personally, I think we should all be able to live our lives how we want. Kristen was willing to give the ultimate sacrifice and in actuallity sacrificed more than most folks do or are willing to especially the negative comment crowd. She deserves to live her life how she wants without squat being said. I for one am proud to belong to a community with so many members willing or have offered to lay down their lives for the freedom that I experience and will experience in mine. I myself am ex-millitary and it is never a question of if you would but rather where is the plane and let's go.

This woman is my hero! In every possible way she meets and exceeds every reasonable defenition of the word 'brave'.

My only thought when I read the negative comments she's getting is . . .

Wait wait wait . . . Let me get this straight.

This is a woman who was in special ops, who was deployed at least 13 times, learned how to escape from, hide from, and kill enemies in every terain on the planet, has knowledge on how to use military grade weaponery, knows more uses for boot shoe laces than you can possibly imagine, probably knows how to improvise a few more weapons on her own, and almost certanly learned how to kill people with her bare hands . . . And you want to insult or threaten this person?

Yeah . . . Good luck with that..

Seriously though . . . it is very sad that after 20 years doing what is probably one of the most psychologicaly and physicaly demanding and dangerous jobs in the world, that, because she transitioned, now she is afrade for her life. It's terrible the way people are ridicueling her for persuing life liberty and the persuite of happyness . . . which she was even wounded in action defending her right and ours.

I do hope that, despite the what I hope is just a loud minority heckling her, that maybe her story, and the story that ran recently about the AFA woman's champ maybe gets people to stop and think. Even if they dont post anything. Maybe, just maybe her story will change people's minds. If it makes just one person stop and think about how there's nothing wrong with this, her speaking out has accomplished something.

Good for her! I never got around to reading the comments on the articles, that were referred to - I reckoned it was well enough to read about the encouraging remarks she received from her fellow SEALS: good on 'em! 

Quote from: Jess42 on June 07, 2013, 08:19:07 AM
Me, personally, I think we should all be able to live our lives how we want. Kristen was willing to give the ultimate sacrifice and in actuallity sacrificed more than most folks do or are willing to especially the negative comment crowd. She deserves to live her life how she wants without squat being said. I for one am proud to belong to a community with so many members willing or have offered to lay down their lives for the freedom that I experience and will experience in mine. I myself am ex-millitary and it is never a question of if you would but rather where is the plane and let's go.

I'm not too sure about that. I used to post on a pro-gun board, where members boast of their military time (and this particular board has an icon for verified military service; some of the biggest boasters were ex-mil)...and they are all, to a man, homophobic and lividly trans-phobic. Most of them are also hard-core Christian.

I tend to not make blanket statements about the "honor" of former military (or anyone) because of the back-stabbing that goes on should a former member cross the line into "enemy" territory. It's one thing to hang someone for turning traitor in war; it's a totally different game when it's "just" an individual thing.

I'm reading her book "Warrior Princess" now. The grammar is bad at times but the material is pretty compelling. Even the parts where she recounts her experiences being a SEAL on missions has her feelings mixed into it.

Reading it I almost don't feel like I've earned the right to be a woman compared to those accomplishments. But the cost she has paid has been staggeringly high.

Wow... Just WOW. I know what kind of stuff these people go through (SEALS) as my brother was a S.A.S. serviceman. His training was intense, the work even more-so, but SEALS are no exception either.
What bothers me is - she must have been holding in all of her feelings whilst at war for those 20-odd years or so. That must have been
incredibly hard to do.

This woman is a true warrior princess indeed!

I just finished the book. It's Kris has lead an a pretty incredible life. It definitely left me with a thirst for more in life.

So proud of her. :)

And I loved Anderson Cooper's interview. Somebody needs to send that clip to Fox News, so that they can see how you should do a story about a transsexual woman. Not that they'd care, but anyway.

Brava!

Quote from: Beth Andrea on June 07, 2013, 05:38:43 PM
I'm not too sure about that. I used to post on a pro-gun board, where members boast of their military time (and this particular board has an icon for verified military service; some of the biggest boasters were ex-mil)...and they are all, to a man, homophobic and lividly trans-phobic. Most of them are also hard-core Christian.

I tend to not make blanket statements about the "honor" of former military (or anyone) because of the back-stabbing that goes on should a former member cross the line into "enemy" territory. It's one thing to hang someone for turning traitor in war; it's a totally different game when it's "just" an individual thing.

Yeah, your right Beth. I am ex military, pro gun and extremely spiritual too but I just happened to be transgendered but I think I would not have the same attitudes that other's seem to have. I guess we will never rid ourselves of the judgmental, better than you crowd from any niches in society. I have long hair, wear two earings and sort of skinny now and even in guy mode in which I look comletely like a slob, I get wierd looks and have always gotten the remark of, "is that a woman or a man?". Kinda' like in Bob Segar's song. But since I have a thick southern accent, wear nothing but jeans, tshirt and hiking shoes in guy mode I get the "stupid, dumb redneck" reaction from the LGBT community.

I just wish and hope someday that a person can live ther lives truly how they want to live it without judgment or negative reactions from other's.

Quote from: Jess42 on June 08, 2013, 09:42:08 AM
Yeah, your right Beth. I am ex military, pro gun and extremely spiritual too but I just happened to be transgendered but I think I would not have the same attitudes that other's seem to have. I guess we will never rid ourselves of the judgmental, better than you crowd from any niches in society. I have long hair, wear two earings and sort of skinny now and even in guy mode in which I look comletely like a slob, I get wierd looks and have always gotten the remark of, "is that a woman or a man?". Kinda' like in Bob Segar's song. But since I have a thick southern accent, wear nothing but jeans, tshirt and hiking shoes in guy mode I get the "stupid, dumb redneck" reaction from the LGBT community.

I just wish and hope someday that a person can live ther lives truly how they want to live it without judgment or negative reactions from other's.

+1 I will add my resounding amen to that Jess!

I'm not the least bit surprised at the reactions to Ms. Beck by both camps. I think she's got major kahones for that interview, I wouldn't be capable of doing it because I know that even if I looked like Marilyn Monroe at her best, there would still be the howler monkeys on the side of the road of life pointing and hopping up and down in derision. This is why so many complete their transition and quietly disappear for good, I can't say that I blame them. Having served in the paratroops in a war zone myself I became curious and discovered that there are a surprising number of former special-ops warriors who transition later. I met one who retired after 20 years who was a 1st Sgt of a ranger company at Ft. Lewis-McCord. She is now living her dream as a complete woman and has likewise disappeared to another city to assume her new role in life.

I can't blame anyone for dropping out and assumming a different Identity either. Actually I knda' admire and envy them for doing so.

There are always "monkeys" throwing the crap at you. The best I even dare to hope for is that they miss or if they hit me, it doesn't stick. Kind of a digusting analogy, I know.

A surprising number of special ops? That really doesn't surprise me. It is one of the most macho jobs that there is. It is also why we, more often than not, choos the most masculine reeking professions that there is. We lie and then try to prove our masculinity, especially those of us that grew up in certain eras and for self preservation or psychologically assurity, tried to prove that masculinity that we tried so hard to find within ourselves. And then we figured out that the masculinity was just a farce we tried to have in ourselves for a self image that ended up being a lie. I ain't no exception to this because I have chosen ultra masculine jobs,ultra masculine hobbies in which I had no interest in or out and out hated doing and lot womanizing in my younger days. Crap, I have lied my butt off. This is just a psychological explaination and one that seems to be true in a whole lot of cases.

But either way, I won't and can't condem, judge, belittle or critisize anyone choosing to live their life how they want. All I ask is the same freedom, comfort and lack of critisism toward me to live mine. We all know this ain't ever gonna' happen without a lot of discourse from a lot of people that see themselves as "normal" and are extremely willing to point out other people's "abnormalcy" in order to validate their sense of ill concieved "self importanc.

Quote from: Jess42 on June 08, 2013, 11:21:25 AM
A surprising number of special ops? That really doesn't surprise me. It is one of the most macho jobs that there is. It is also why we, more often than not, choos the most masculine reeking professions that there is. We lie and then try to prove our masculinity, especially those of us that grew up in certain eras and for self preservation or psychologically assurity, tried to prove that masculinity that we tried so hard to find within ourselves. And then we figured out that the masculinity was just a farce we tried to have in ourselves for a self image that ended up being a lie. I ain't no exception to this because I have chosen ultra masculine jobs,ultra masculine hobbies in which I had no interest in or out and out hated doing and lot womanizing in my younger days. Crap, I have lied my butt off. This is just a psychological explaination and one that seems to be true in a whole lot of cases.

I agree with this 100%! And I also wanted to add that despite that all being lies and farce, many of us outperforms men in those professions and hobbies. Sad, but true.

Quote from: Jess42 on June 08, 2013, 11:21:25 AM

We all know this ain't ever gonna' happen without a lot of discourse from a lot of people that see themselves as "normal" and are extremely willing to point out other people's "abnormalcy" in order to validate their sense of ill concieved "self importanc.

There it is, that's the very crux of the whole thing, you nailed it!

One word... Awesome! She has courage, class, brains. She'll go far!  :eusa_clap:

Quote from: Sammy on June 08, 2013, 11:36:21 AM
I agree with this 100%! And I also wanted to add that despite that all being lies and farce, many of us outperforms men in those professions and hobbies. Sad, but true.

It's really not that sad Sammy. True yes but not sad. This is just my opinion and my view of things but I think a lot of women are more or less jelous of us because we, M2F, wholeheartedly, without guilt, embrace femininity and actually revel and thrive in it where cis females seem to have started feeling guilty or shameful of their femininity because of the femininst movement. This could also be why a lot of women are posting negative comments about Kristin. I, in turn, also think that when we are living the "Great Lie" we are about the toughest most macho S.O.B.s out there. I know that's what I strived for with barroom brawls and womanizing and countless other things. As a matter of fact, I would be willing to bet that a transwoman is more feminine than a cis woman on a lot if not all levels. Why not, we were more manly when we were trying to be men. Just something to think about.

Quote from: Shantel on June 08, 2013, 11:58:24 AM
There it is, that's the very crux of the whole thing, you nailed it!

Shantel. Even as complex as the human mind is, humans are one of the most predictable animals on Earth due to self image. When a person tries to make another feel bad about themselves, it gives them a sense that they themselves aren't wrong in their own lives. I have seen gaybashers and trashers turn out gay or bi themselves later on.

Quote from: Jess42 on June 09, 2013, 11:52:49 AM
It's really not that sad Sammy. True yes but not sad. This is just my opinion and my view of things but I think a lot of women are more or less jelous of us because we, M2F, wholeheartedly, without guilt, embrace femininity and actually revel and thrive in it where cis females seem to have started feeling guilty or shameful of their femininity because of the femininst movement. This could also be why a lot of women are posting negative comments about Kristin. I, in turn, also think that when we are living the "Great Lie" we are about the toughest most macho S.O.B.s out there. I know that's what I strived for with barroom brawls and womanizing and countless other things. As a matter of fact, I would be willing to bet that a transwoman is more feminine than a cis woman on a lot if not all levels. Why not, we were more manly when we were trying to be men. Just something to think about.

Shantel. Even as complex as the human mind is, humans are one of the most predictable animals on Earth due to self image. When a person tries to make another feel bad about themselves, it gives them a sense that they themselves aren't wrong in their own lives. I have seen gaybashers and trashers turn out gay or bi themselves later on.

I ended up avoiding the real military by telling myself that it wasn't the best route to reach my career goals, but I ended up as a Cadet Commander in the Army's JROTC program during high school, an Eagle Scout, and among anyone I know I make the best "that's what she said jokes." :/ I'd say I was pretty good at being a "man". To be fair I still love uniforms but my high school was one heck of a homophobic man's man environment.

Quote from: Jess42 on June 09, 2013, 11:52:49 AM

Shantel. Even as complex as the human mind is, humans are one of the most predictable animals on Earth due to self image. When a person tries to make another feel bad about themselves, it gives them a sense that they themselves aren't wrong in their own lives. I have seen gaybashers and trashers turn out gay or bi themselves later on.

Undoubtedly true! There are several known instances of preachers who were most vitriolic about GLBTI types and it later turns out that they harbor those same skeletons in their own closet. When they do protest too much it is a dead giveaway that something is invariably amiss!

Quote from: Naomi on June 09, 2013, 12:03:08 PM
I ended up avoiding the real military by telling myself that it wasn't the best route to reach my career goals, but I ended up as a Cadet Commander in the Army's JROTC program during high school, an Eagle Scout, and among anyone I know I make the best "that's what she said jokes." :/ I'd say I was pretty good at being a "man". To be fair I still love uniforms but my high school was one heck of a homophobic man's man environment.

Naomi, I really can't tell you the military was a bad thing for me because it is one of the greatest times of my life. It is kinda bittersweet in that I had to supress a whole lot of self expression and so on. If you saw me you would see why, but still it was one for the record books.

Uniforms, yuuuuccccckkkk. This is one of the biggest problems I had with the military because I can't stand looking like everyone else. In other words Uniformity isn't my thing. I actually like being different.

Quote from: Shantel on June 09, 2013, 12:10:15 PM
Undoubtedly true! There are several known instances of preachers who were most vitriolic about GLBTI types and it later turns out that they harbor those same skeletons in their own closet. When they do protest too much it is a dead giveaway that something is invariably amiss!

You're right Shantel. I knew some gaybashing aquaintances in school. I also played in a band with some school friends in the eighties and with Motley Crue and Poison being the big groups, we wore feminine make up, teased our hair to make it big and wore skin tight skimpy clothing to keep up with the Glam Rock look. We pretty much looked like girls, even somewhat strangely dressed ones, and we would go from a gig to whatever party was happening in our gig looks. Come to think of it, maybe all of my bandmates were secretely trans because we would reapply the makeup after sweating all of it off during a gig before we got to ther party.  Everyone knew us and no one had even a hint that I was trans but one of the infamous gayhaters tried hitting on me at the keg while he was drunk. Thinking back, it was really a compliment that I looked like such a girl, even a badgirl. >:-) One of my bandmates took pictures, with a Poloroid camera and as it turns out, the gay hater never had another bad thing to say about gays again. Eventually the guy that hit on me, opened up and admitted he was gay and actually thanked me in our senior year. I thanked him too, even though he didn't really understand why at the time, and we were good friends until I joined the Army. Later, after we graduated school and moved on to "bigger and better" things, I confided to him as to why I thanked him and we both had a good laugh over it. Even his SO laughed and jokingly called me a tramp. Just goes to show that the loudest voices against something turn out to be that which they show the most hate and contempt for.

Quote from: Naomi on June 09, 2013, 12:03:08 PM
I ended up avoiding the real military by telling myself that it wasn't the best route to reach my career goals, but I ended up as a Cadet Commander in the Army's JROTC program during high school, an Eagle Scout, and among anyone I know I make the best "that's what she said jokes." :/ I'd say I was pretty good at being a "man". To be fair I still love uniforms but my high school was one heck of a homophobic man's man environment.

I avoided forced conscription and became a student. Then, during the my first year I almost joined the voluntary paramilitary forces (kinda like National Guard in the US) - I signed up but then I did not show up, because the schedule did not fit my my studies... Yeah, and before I settled with law studies, I almost joined the Military Academy - but when I thought about barrack regime realistically - I dropped that idea immediately :P. Still, during the studies I continued practicing martial arts, completed the basic small arms course - just in case, cliffhanging for one year, archery, fencing, which turned into swordfighting, which turned into historical re-enactment (medieval period), black powder artillery and equestrian... :P I was not the best, but I was considered very good in what we did and also kind-spirited - not Your macho type, but someone, who can and will calm things down, but once the s..t has hit the fan, will join the frail without hesitation :P. I was often scared, but that adrenaline rush was awesome :P. And those moments, when You send horse into gallop and lower Your lance to hit the target dummy... Or when You are facing a shield wall of guys full of adrenaline and testosterone, their armor shining, visors closed, You dont see any faces, just halberds on the second row, knowing as soon as they clash with Your lines all that heavy steel goodness is going to rain upon Your head... The charge, brace, impact, fear and then Your thoughts just shut down and Your body starts "doing business"...  I dunno if I must be ashamed, but I have to admit that it felt good...

I have discussed this with friends who are ex Navy Seals and Special Ops. They told me to be careful about mentioning this to others with that background because of their fierce pride for what they went through. I told them she was all that and more because she sacrificed more because of her stealth about her true self. The day after I first read about her I told my barber to give me a high and tight flat top to show my respect for her. She is my new hero. I am transmale.

I have no problem with a former SEAL being trans, I do however have a problem with braggarts who break the SEAL code for personal gain

Part of the SEAL code is to never speak of it to anyone at any time for any reason, it is appalling to observe various folks breaking this code, Whither you are selling pizzas or selling a book, there should be no reason to exploit services rendered

It is the exploitation for personal gain that disgusts me



Anyway, that's how I feel, sorry if anyone is offended

Quote from: Shantel on June 09, 2013, 12:10:15 PM
Undoubtedly true! There are several known instances of preachers who were most vitriolic about GLBTI types and it later turns out that they harbor those same skeletons in their own closet. When they do protest too much it is a dead giveaway that something is invariably amiss!

Since I am a bitch and a THTT...I am going to say that I did have second thoughts after seeing the video for a second time...what is with the "peace sign" earrings...political statement????

Quote from: V M on June 10, 2013, 06:18:18 AM
I have no problem with a former SEAL being trans, I do however have a problem with braggarts who break the SEAL code for personal gain

Part of the SEAL code is to never speak of it to anyone at any time for any reason, it is appalling to observe various folks breaking this code, Whither you are selling pizzas or selling a book, there should be no reason to exploit services rendered

It is the exploitation for personal gain that disgusts me

Anyway, that's how I feel, sorry if anyone is offended

It shouldn't offend anyone, it's an excellent point and something that was nagging in the back of my mind since I first read about this event, you are right on many levels and also because it undermines the organization as well as the nation. She should have gone about this quietly and just moved on with her life as so many others have. There are a few who are close and supportive but most will consider her a pariah and a dark blot on their organization. We can say well that's not fair and it high time that we are recognized more universally, but we all know that life's not fair and it will never happen as long as people are human.

"In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation's call; a common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America's finest special operations forces to serve his country and the American people, and to protect their way of life. I am that man."

Chris Beck was that man.  Kristin Beck is still fighting for us as a civilian woman.

Quote from: Jamie D on June 11, 2013, 05:21:50 AM
"In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation's call; a common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America's finest special operations forces to serve his country and the American people, and to protect their way of life. I am that man."

Chris Beck was that man.  Kristin Beck is still fighting for us as a civilian woman.

I take it that quote is out of her bookJamie? I will go as far as to say that anyone willing to give up what these people do in Spec Ops are anything but common. They are willing to lay down their lives for God knows what agenda a government has or for the good of their countrymates. I figure it could go either way there when it comes to governments. Lost intimacy with their significant others in that what they do they can't really talk about. So the "how was your day?" conversation is out the window. They have to be prepared to deploy anywhere on the face of the planet in a moment's notice without telling their significant others where or when they will be back, if they aren't killed in action.

This goes for any Spec Ops in any country around the world. Just completing the training alone, in my opinion, makes them special. Their significant others, whether military sanctioned or not, are also special because that particular job also affects their lives too. If you think about it, what if you came home one evening and your mate didn't because of a deployment? You don't know where, if they are killed, you will probably never know why and you have no idea when you will see them again if ever? It takes a lot of intestinal fortitude for these folks to have a relationship with these Spec Ops soldiers and in some ways more than the soldier themselves. I know I would rather be in the heat of battle with adrenaline flowing and things moving really fast than sitting at home experiencing anxiety and hoping for the best outcome but preparing yourself for the worst. The anxiety would be brutal.

Quote from: V M on June 10, 2013, 06:18:18 AM
I have no problem with a former SEAL being trans, I do however have a problem with braggarts who break the SEAL code for personal gain

Part of the SEAL code is to never speak of it to anyone at any time for any reason, it is appalling to observe various folks breaking this code, Whither you are selling pizzas or selling a book, there should be no reason to exploit services rendered

It is the exploitation for personal gain that disgusts me


Anyway, that's how I feel, sorry if anyone is offended

Nah, I don't think you've offended anyone, V M. It's a good, valid point.

... But at the same time . . . we need people who we can point to and say "We're good, hard working people, who care about our nation, and wish to contribute to society just like you." You being, Cis people. Who better than a Navy Seal? Think of the respect many people in and outside the military, even politicians, give special ops personel.

Is it exploitation? Yeah, maybe, especialy a political one. But you know what? It's a resource I think we need to exploit.

So long as she doesn't give out secret information in her book (and it shouldn't, most books written by military personel tend to be looked at before being published) I'm happy with her using her status to scream to the world that we deserve just as much respect as any other person in society. Her book is just as much about any one of us, as it is about herself.

I think people need to hear her story.

Quote from: AmyBosch on June 11, 2013, 11:02:17 AM
I'm happy with her using her status to scream to the world that we deserve just as much respect as any other person in society. Her book is just as much about any one of us, as it is about herself.

I think people need to hear her story.

I love your enthusiasm Amy, but there is a big segment of society who are turned off by screamers. I think of the gay guy that had his name changed to Sissy->-bleeped-<- who along with a small army of like minded people invaded private and civic functions to spread the word that being gay is Ok, the intended effects were totally negative. People don't want their shell cracked and serenity disrupted by outsiders in whom they have no interest. Changes in the attitudes of the heart come incrementally through the crucible of long suffering patience. It isn't going to happen quickly as long as people are human beings.

I applaud Kristen for the book she wrote. Its people like her that need to be known, Calpernia Addams was another one, in a positive light. Nothing wrong with making it known that transgender people also serve and are law abiding citizens. I showed this book to one of my best friends who is in the spec ops community and his reaction, "holy crap", I mean, comon on, for me its old hat, as long as she doesn't reveal military or national intelligence secrets like other infamous people. Lots of bios by military cisgender people, it seems like some people view being transgender as being a "crime", like in the 90's and before being "gay" was a crime  up until 2003(ie.repeal of sodomy laws all across the U.S. by Supreme Court Decision is what I meant too), just ten years ago.

Lucia,
My 2 cents.

Quote from: SonadoraXVX on June 11, 2013, 09:01:54 PM
I applaud Kristen for the book she wrote. Its people like her that need to be known, Calpernia Addams was another one, in a positive light. Nothing wrong with making it known that transgender people also serve and are law abiding citizens. I showed this book to one of my best friends who is in the spec ops community and his reaction, "holy crap", I mean, comon on, for me its old hat, as long as she doesn't reveal military or national intelligence secrets like other infamous people. Lots of bios by military cisgender people, it seems like some people view being transgender as being a "crime", like in the 90's and before being "gay" was a crime  up until 2003(ie.repeal of sodomy laws all across the U.S. by Supreme Court Decision is what I meant too), just ten years ago.

Lucia,
My 2 cents.

How true you are. The only way society' s perceptions will ever change is by letting everyone know that we are just as normal as everyone else.

Thought you all would love to hear about this one.

"Chris Beck spent 20 years operating in secret behind enemy lines as an elite US Navy Seal. But the highly-decorated serviceman was always hiding a deeper, personal secret - since early childhood, he felt he was a female born into a male body."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23464947 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23464947)

Great story.

I've seen some of the videos on Youtube and it seems she completely transitioned (hormones, facial hair removal, FFS, maybe SRS as well) before she came out in public. Too bad the U.S. military doesn't seem to be impressed about this.

Quote from: aibeecee on August 02, 2013, 01:57:08 AM
Great story.

I've seen some of the videos on Youtube and it seems she completely transitioned (hormones, facial hair removal, FFS, maybe SRS as well) before she came out in public. Too bad the U.S. military doesn't seem to be impressed about this.

They never are. It ruins their "manly" image.

There was another story about a Brit soldier and her unit seemed much more accepting about it.

Yup, I read the story with the British soldier, too. That was a couple of years ago.

As about the military: In Germany it's basically the same as in the U.S. but they do not openly admit it. Instead one of their requirements is that the hormone system must be "intact". That's another way to say that transgender individuals are not employed in the service as soldier or in the police. There are transgender people in these ranks but like in the U.S., they do not serve openly.

I was counselling a striking woman. Very confident, very nice, very feminine.

Her story?

She was ex-SAS (Australian)

In her last mission in Afghanistan, before she left, she (as a 'he') reversed a large truck down a gully firing automatic weapons held over her shoulders as she went to help her comrades who were under fire. Rescued the lot.

I asked how she could be so - reckless (poor comment from me) . She replied that she has always wanted to die (because of GID ) but she was never brave enough to kill herself.

I cried before she did. I'm a crap therapist (but only starting)

Sorry

Quote from: Cindy on August 02, 2013, 05:21:55 AM
I was counselling a striking woman. Very confident, very nice, very feminine.

Her story?

She was ex-SAS (Australian)

In her last mission in Afghanistan, before she left, she (as a 'he') reversed a large truck down a gully firing automatic weapons held over her shoulders as she went to help her comrades who were under fire. Rescued the lot.

I asked how she could be so - reckless (poor comment from me) . She replied that she has always wanted to die (because of GID ) but she was never brave enough to kill herself.

I cried before she did. I'm a crap therapist (but only starting)

Sorry

You're such a sweetheart, you can be my therapist any day and we'll cry together, crying is ok with me because it shows empathy. I know therapists avoid any emotional attachments and remain distant and aloof, the last one I had was like having a conversation with a cigar store indian. I wanted to knock on his forehead and ask if anyone was home! The light was on but he never spoke, I did all the talking.

LOL... My therapist has a tendency to nearly doze off, it kinda cracks me up when his eyes start to flutter and he jolts himself awake looking somewhat disoriented

Quote from: V M on August 02, 2013, 01:50:25 PM
LOL... My therapist has a tendency to nearly doze off, it kinda cracks me up when his eyes start to flutter and he jolts himself awake looking somewhat disoriented

It's kind of disconcerting when you are paying for it and they're sleeping on your dime!

Quote from: Cindy on August 02, 2013, 05:21:55 AM
I asked how she could be so - reckless (poor comment from me) . She replied that she has always wanted to die (because of GID ) but she was never brave enough to kill herself.

Totally makes sense. Unfortunately :(

Quote from: Shantel on August 02, 2013, 01:54:16 PM
It's kind of disconcerting when you are paying for it and they're sleeping on your dime!

Yeah, I'm often thinking "Nice to know you care" when I go to my appointments... I've been looking into finding someone else