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PRIDE Month may have ended in June, but I reflect on the incredible gift that occurred five years ago.
Five years ago, the Secretary of Defense Ash Carter stepped to the podium and announced open service for transgender individuals. I cried. Big crocodile tears. I was so overwhelmed with the breakthrough of freedom at that moment.
In an instant, I no longer had to hide. I no longer had to fear who might find out my secret. To whom can I trust this? What about my kids and might they inadvertently say something innocently to a friend, and in that innocence, end my career? When I was investigated for my security clearance, the investigator and I danced around whether or not I would reveal this (at the time) career-ending information in order to be honest. I did and waited with fear, apprehension, and uncertainty. As it turned out, in that case, my fears were unfounded - yes, the investigation had sussed out my secret, but to answer whether I could be blackmailed with that secret, they were satisfied that I could not.
Five years.
With that announcement, everything got easy, right? Certainly! and... no. In some ways, it became more difficult. I went from one of a crowd to an example. There were standards, and then there were standards to ensure that I didn't let my transgender advocates and comrades down. That I didn't lend voice to vile rumors and lies about the capability of transgender individuals to serve their country.
I had no way to know that in just thirteen months, I and all of my fellow transgender Servicemembers would be 'fired' by my Commander-in-Chief. By Tweet. I remember how that felt in a campground deep in rural Minnesota as I learned that the fear was back. Did I have a job? Did I have a future? What awaited me when I returned from vacation?
And so that hung out there... those of us already 'out' were allowed to hang on to our jobs, while no more could come in. The message to the Force was clear - just wait, and eventually, they'll all be gone.
A few years later, I still had my job. Not everyone did, including one notable superior.
Lawsuits were filed. Policies argued. Targets felt clearly upon one's back, and in some cases, even more assuredly on one's forehead. Hatred was given permission. It became *more* of a struggle to be out in the hostility than perhaps it had been to be closeted in the first place.
Which fear is more gripping?
And then, open service was restored. First, by Executive Order 14004. That was a magnificent day. It was an amazing feeling, and Servicemembers know this, to *know* that your leadership 'has your six'. Over the ensuing months, the policies were developed, and soon, by June 2021, we were able to successfully return to where we'd started - five years previous.
In that time, I have made many more connections, grown in my personal and professional lives, and my area of influence has grown demonstrably. I've developed a new sense of mission to ensure that as my time in the military comes to an end, that those who follow behind me will have fewer issues and be more able to concentrate on the mission embedded in our oath - "to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
I couldn't be prouder.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?412040-1/defense-secretary-ashton-carter-lifts-ban-transgender-service-members
Five years ago, the Secretary of Defense Ash Carter stepped to the podium and announced open service for transgender individuals. I cried. Big crocodile tears. I was so overwhelmed with the breakthrough of freedom at that moment.
In an instant, I no longer had to hide. I no longer had to fear who might find out my secret. To whom can I trust this? What about my kids and might they inadvertently say something innocently to a friend, and in that innocence, end my career? When I was investigated for my security clearance, the investigator and I danced around whether or not I would reveal this (at the time) career-ending information in order to be honest. I did and waited with fear, apprehension, and uncertainty. As it turned out, in that case, my fears were unfounded - yes, the investigation had sussed out my secret, but to answer whether I could be blackmailed with that secret, they were satisfied that I could not.
Five years.
With that announcement, everything got easy, right? Certainly! and... no. In some ways, it became more difficult. I went from one of a crowd to an example. There were standards, and then there were standards to ensure that I didn't let my transgender advocates and comrades down. That I didn't lend voice to vile rumors and lies about the capability of transgender individuals to serve their country.
I had no way to know that in just thirteen months, I and all of my fellow transgender Servicemembers would be 'fired' by my Commander-in-Chief. By Tweet. I remember how that felt in a campground deep in rural Minnesota as I learned that the fear was back. Did I have a job? Did I have a future? What awaited me when I returned from vacation?
And so that hung out there... those of us already 'out' were allowed to hang on to our jobs, while no more could come in. The message to the Force was clear - just wait, and eventually, they'll all be gone.
A few years later, I still had my job. Not everyone did, including one notable superior.
Lawsuits were filed. Policies argued. Targets felt clearly upon one's back, and in some cases, even more assuredly on one's forehead. Hatred was given permission. It became *more* of a struggle to be out in the hostility than perhaps it had been to be closeted in the first place.
Which fear is more gripping?
And then, open service was restored. First, by Executive Order 14004. That was a magnificent day. It was an amazing feeling, and Servicemembers know this, to *know* that your leadership 'has your six'. Over the ensuing months, the policies were developed, and soon, by June 2021, we were able to successfully return to where we'd started - five years previous.
In that time, I have made many more connections, grown in my personal and professional lives, and my area of influence has grown demonstrably. I've developed a new sense of mission to ensure that as my time in the military comes to an end, that those who follow behind me will have fewer issues and be more able to concentrate on the mission embedded in our oath - "to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
I couldn't be prouder.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?412040-1/defense-secretary-ashton-carter-lifts-ban-transgender-service-members
LGBTQ+
Equality
Pride
Veterans Affairs (VA)
Transgender
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 54
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Funny how marxists, anti-warriors and lgbtq always line up together to try and undermine US military capabilities. No different than Al quandary?
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Yeah stop the non stop drumbeat and force feed. If you push it expect pushback. Simple cause and effect
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Problem is they never let it end they keep trying to shove it down our throats
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I see these people who claim to be anything except what they were born to be as people with demons and mental health issues. Plenty of people leave the military with mental issues, do we really need people starting their service with known issues? Pride month is a facade of political gain and is truly nothing to be proud about. It’s all about being accepted for who they are but they put targets on their own backs. I get that they are tired of being outcasts or bullied and the people who bully are wrong as well. There are going to be bullies everywhere and the military is not going to be a safe zone for those who want everyone to know just how different they are. I could care less about people sexual orientation until they put it in my face. Keep your sexual immorality to yourselves. This is literally a month for people to brag about how guys like to take it up the butt and girls that like to carpet munch. A pride of sexual perversion, it makes no sense whatsoever.
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The military is not an equal opportunity employer. The original post proves the argument that the lives of people with gender dysphoria revolve around their personal issues. So much so, that they must force everyone to accept their lifestyles to make them feel better about themselves. Even to the point of grooming children which makes them psychologically unstable.
The medical “treatments” only serve to make them weaker psychologically and physically which is not compatible with military service.
The medical “treatments” only serve to make them weaker psychologically and physically which is not compatible with military service.
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WE ARE LAUGHING STOCK TO OUR ENEMIES !!! How about cutting all the bullshit and get back to being the Badasses we're supposed to be !! When it comes to defending your country.. who gives a shit about your feelings !!
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I fully accept that around 0.3% of people sincerely believe they were born in the wrong body. I see no reason to treat these individuals badly. As a matter of courtesy I will address them by their preferred name and use the usual pronouns I would use for a person in dressed as they are. What I do not accept is that I should join in their delusion. That I should celebrate their delusion or their pride in it. I especially object to transgender individuals being allowed to compete in sports with biological females and access to bathrooms, dressing rooms etc on the basis of their delusion. It is in my mind one thing to accept people as they are, members of different races, religions and genders. It is another matter entirely especially in the military to give people special privilege's on the basis of who/what they are. It would not be acceptable to force everyone to learn to speak Spanish because one member of the organization is Mexican. I could well have some street corn with him and buy him a beer on Cinco de Mayo sharing a little pride in his heritage and his culture but expecting me to pretend to be a Mexican all the time is an insult to my heritage and my culture as is expecting me to pretend anyone is something they are not.
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Again, there is no such thing as transgender. It is a mental illness. DNA, Chromosomes, genes, and hormones can’t transition. What does that leave you with? Mental illness and body mutilation, no more, no less. Let’s try to be honest for once.
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