Can we after hrt,srs,and all the document changes?
My group spoke about that a few weeks ago and from what everyone understood as of now transgender people pre or post op/hormones cant. :( Sorry, maybe someone else knows something different. I wish I were able once I finish transition.
In 1981 a TS could not serve.
CID found out about me, I was isolated and discharged with in 2 weeks.
I did get a DD 214 though...
I served 24 years but securely in the closet.
The best way to get an answer to your question is to talk to a recruiter. I doubt that you could hide your past thoroughly enough to go into the military - and stay there - totally stealth, what with their background checks and all.
- Kate
Even though a court struck down DADT, it's possible they could disqualify you on medical grounds, similar to those with asthma. I could be way wrong.
Due to recent changes, I could serve with the Australian military forces - except I'm too old now..
No (as regards the US military). Any form of genital surgery is a disqualifier.
DADT is irrelevant to trans people except as regards closeted trans people and non-transitioning genderqueers/androgynes whose sexual orientation is "gay" as classified by birth sex.
~The short answer is
NO... >:( The U.S. Federal Government classifies us (Women Or Men Born Transsexual) as mentally disturbed, defective and fetishistic. We have company though; our "deviant" intersexed comrades can't serve either.
From the U.S. Army Medical Department's (AMEDD)
Standards of Medical Fitness:
Quote3–35. Personality, psychosexual conditions, transsexual, gender identity, exhibitionism,
transvestism, voyeurism, other paraphilias, or factitious disorders; disorders of impulse control not
elsewhere classified
a. A history of, or current manifestations of, personality disorders, disorders of impulse control not elsewhere
classified, transvestism, voyeurism, other paraphilias, or factitious disorders, psychosexual conditions, transsexual,
gender identity disorder to include major abnormalities or defects of the genitalia such as change of sex or a current
attempt to change sex, hermaphroditism, pseudohermaphroditism, or pure gonadal dysgenesis or dysfunctional residuals
from surgical correction of these conditions render an individual administratively unfit.
b. These conditions render an individual administratively unfit rather than unfit because of physical illness or
medical disability. These conditions will be dealt with through administrative channels, including AR 135–175, AR
135–178, AR 635–200, or AR 600–8–24.
Source: http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/r40_501.pdf (http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/r40_501.pdf)
~Presuming DADT is soon repealed, it might be interesting to challenge this disgusting bit of military policy in the courts. Naturally, we'd claim discrimination on the basis of our 'Homosexuality'... ;) ~ After all, that is what the Blanchard-loving dumb-asses over at AMEDD
really think. >:-)
Why not make stupidity work for us, for a change?
You can in Canada, and I believe there was a lawsuit a few years ago, and the armed forces lost. The Canadian Forces will pay your medical expenses (at the very least for HRT and SRS). I knew that if I got thrown out for being me (this did not happen), I could always go and join the forces, and even get a university education out of it before going into paid yet somewhat indentured service for 5 years. I always thought the Navy would be the best choice since it would give me the least chance of being killed in service.
I don't think you can serve here, though I know you can still work for the government even if you're trans (at least in the US) but you'll be a civilian (which gets some decent health benefits and if you go overseas, you'll get a housing stipend to help pay for a house and bills).
Thanks for the feed back.I don't want to go into the military.It's just hearing about the California judge who repealed DADT and all the other things going on with that made me question whether we had the same problem or not.
Even if you could join, it might be important to keep in mind the risk that you'd be taking. The military seems to attract (by no means exclusively) a certain crowd that tends to be less than fond of what they consider to be sexual deviants. There's also the concern of regular access to meds on the front line. My cousin's fiance had trouble getting his Asthma drugs while serving in Afghanistan, I can't imagine how difficult it would be for someone with what's deemed a "nonessential" medication.
Quote from: In Limbo... on October 17, 2010, 08:36:04 PM
You can in Canada, and I believe there was a lawsuit a few years ago, and the armed forces lost. The Canadian Forces will pay your medical expenses (at the very least for HRT and SRS). I knew that if I got thrown out for being me (this did not happen), I could always go and join the forces, and even get a university education out of it before going into paid yet somewhat indentured service for 5 years. I always thought the Navy would be the best choice since it would give me the least chance of being killed in service.
Yeah, Canada Rocks. :) ~Transsexuals can also serve in the Spanish Armed Forces as of 2009, and in the Australian Defence Force as of 2010.
...Actually, according to the Palm Center, there are 25 countries presently which definitively allow the open service of LGBT people:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and Uruguay.