I got a letter in the mail today saying that I'm "a man who has not registered with the selective service." My mood immediately dropped hard. I work so hard keeping away the "im not really a girl" thoughts and something like that completely shatters my resolve so i just collapsed on the couch and stared at the letter for a long time. It said not registering can be punishable by fine and imprisonment and i really dont need that right now. The second page was a registration form and part of it was like, a form to say "im not eligible please leave me alone" and one of the check boxes was "I am a female." I thought about checking that one and sending it back but I'd have to have a copy of my birth certificate to prove it and my birth certificate says male so that would be useless. Eventually i just registered online as male. Theres not gonna be a draft and if there is theres a million reasons they wouldnt take me anyway so it doesnt really have any significance other than my annoyance. I wish EVERYONE had to register so I wouldnt have this gender crap to deal with. the government is stupid
You risk compromising your ability to get federal student loans, by not signing up.
I understand the issue and the triggers of it all. But, you did yourself a favor.
You did the right thing. As Jaime mentioned there are consequences for not registering. Like you said they will not take you anyway, so don't worry about it. We just have to learn to play the game in life so relax and remember who you really are! ;)
it really depends on a matter of opinion on what "doing the right thing" is in this case. I felt pretty insulted too when that came in the mail so i never did, my mother did it for me but that doesnt matter. I personally view it as a waste of taxpayer paid resources and a bit sexist too if not antiquated and obsolete. I mean, if a situation got bad enough to enact a mandatory draft, they would take any able body, and not just cisgendered men. and tying eligibility for federal benefits to it that have nothing to do with the military is overstepping two completely different areas.
Quote from: veritatemfurto on February 28, 2014, 03:08:36 PM
it really depends on a matter of opinion on what "doing the right thing" is in this case.
I was simply saying it is the law right now. We have so many fights ahead of why add one more to the mix. Cant you imagine the laws that could be created to hurt us even more if all Trans people started to rebel against the Government's Selective Service law? I don't agree with the law myself and hopefully some day it will be over turned, but like I said, It is the law right now. It may offend us and we don't agree with it, but it beats being prosecuted and possibly imprisoned. How would you transition then? This is why I think she did the right thing. :)
If your birth certificate says male you are required to register - as has been said not doing so can hurt your eligibility for financial aid, government jobs. etc. (and could technically get you a fine or jail time, although no one has been prosecuted in MANY years). Under current military guidelines being trans* would automatically get you classified as 4-F (unfit for service due to medical reasons) in the (unlikely) event the draft is reinstated, so there is virtually no chance that you'd be forced to join the military.