Posted on Oct 22, 2014
Transgender Service Members: Serving in Silence
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Despite the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010', transgender people are still banned from serving in the military. To this day, if it is discovered that any service man or woman identifies as a transgender, he or she would be separated from serving. Do you think this is fair? Should transgendered individuals be accepted for military service?
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 249
The military is the only true meritocracy left. I am concerned with the content of a soldier's character more than the identification of their gender or orientation. That is not my issue to bother with. If this soldier can shoot, move, communicate and carry my injured frame out of harms way - I am content.
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MAJ (Join to see)
The folks who seem to object most are either retirees or folks who for whatever reason never served. I call the latter crowd John Waynes. They talk a good talk and come across as gung ho but somehow managed to sit it out when their nation needed them. Virginia former Gov George Allen is an example of a John Wayne. Dont know what his views are on LGBT soldiers etc.
Still what others find irksome is any type of DoD wide recognition. Already we have various ethnic identifier weeklong celebrations. I'm cool with those. This all volunteer force depends heavily on Puerto Ricans and Chicanos. They have much to be proud of esp in terms of rebuilding the force after the post Viet Nam war hollow army. So far we have no Estonian American week or Slavic American week. And its likely since those have assimilated and do not customarily assert any "apartness" or have a historical grievance against how they or their ancestors were treated we won't see one soon. Asian Pacific week is a reality. They do a great deal. They've achieved much from the Filipino physician serving as a medic in our army to the 6 yr old Vietnamese refugee who grew up to command 1st Cav Div.
The bone in the craw of many will be parades with uniformed personnel marching not beneath old glory but beneath the San Francisco Rainbow parade. We cannot simultaneously demand that everyone be treated the same yet institutionalize practices which reinforce/highlight/glorify differences. What next LGBT NCO of the quarter? Of the year?
Still what others find irksome is any type of DoD wide recognition. Already we have various ethnic identifier weeklong celebrations. I'm cool with those. This all volunteer force depends heavily on Puerto Ricans and Chicanos. They have much to be proud of esp in terms of rebuilding the force after the post Viet Nam war hollow army. So far we have no Estonian American week or Slavic American week. And its likely since those have assimilated and do not customarily assert any "apartness" or have a historical grievance against how they or their ancestors were treated we won't see one soon. Asian Pacific week is a reality. They do a great deal. They've achieved much from the Filipino physician serving as a medic in our army to the 6 yr old Vietnamese refugee who grew up to command 1st Cav Div.
The bone in the craw of many will be parades with uniformed personnel marching not beneath old glory but beneath the San Francisco Rainbow parade. We cannot simultaneously demand that everyone be treated the same yet institutionalize practices which reinforce/highlight/glorify differences. What next LGBT NCO of the quarter? Of the year?
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This issue will never go away. Might as well embrace the concept and support those fellow brothers and sisters in arms.
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I believe it is not fair. If a homosexual or bisexual service member can serve without fear of reprisal, then a transgender should be able to also. Because a lot of times those people that are transgender were born that way as a result of a birth defect and not because of and I quote "body-mutilation".
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SSG (Join to see)
Look at it from this perspective. I have several friends that are gay ..hell one is a Drill SGT...and three are SF,, think of the courage to get up everyday and face a world that would probably turn on you in a heart beat if you didn't believe like they did,.. or going to a strip club with your team to stay normal.. meanwhile inside the fear is growing by the minute that your "secrete" will be discovered.. I honestly believe that as long as you can do your job and not interfere with me doing mine.. I don't who you love, I got your back,,you get mine, if you can't do that because of some prejudice, then move on... I know that we all know who is straight and who isn't in our team.. but they are still our brothers and sisters..
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You know I really don't care if you are gay or transgender. What I don't know won't hurt or bother me. I don't agree with your life style and that will never change. But it doesn't really matter if I do or don't, keep it to yourself and leave me out of it. If you are serving honorably and doing your job everyone should have the opportunity. Now if we start getting crazy like USC then we have a problem Houston. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/09/30/university-of-california-adding-gender-neutral-restrooms-to-become-more-lgbt-inclusive-transgender-bathroom-uc-berkeley-davis-santa-cruz/
University Of California Adding Gender-Neutral Restrooms To Become More LGBT-Inclusive
Responding to concerns raised by gay and transgender students and employees, UC President Janet Napolitano directed the system's 10 campuses to create more gender-neutral restrooms.
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I think its very sad that some people have to hide who they are because they want to serve their country. I think its also sad that the very military who defends freedom and frees others from oppression continues to oppress some of those who serve it.
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I have always been of the mindset that I don't care if you are Man, Woman, Black, Green, Iridescent, Gay, Straight, Bi, Tri, or a dendrophiliac, so long as you can do the job, do it right, and don't hurt anybody then there is no reason you shouldn't be allowed to do it.
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SGT Mark Sullivan
Hey SFC (Join to see) you should give leadership pointers to SSG (Join to see) that leader, I use that term loosely, needs a Cranial Rectotomy. Yours is the best mindset to have as a leader, never sell anyone short on their capabilities
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Screw it. If they can shoot at the enemy, let them say if they are transgender, gay, straight, yellow with pink polka dots for all I care. Either be able to do your job or shut the hell up and get the hell out of the army - that is my idea anyways. Sexual orientation shouldn't be a factor.
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SFC Scott Parkhurst
Really? Is that statement called for here? I know better to not even have answered you...But being have been a top NCO, I feel I must say something. Please rethink what you wrote and re-ask yourself "why" the heck did I post this?" It just isn't a good time nor place to have had that type of question posed. Can you understand? It just doesn't go with the subject matter and it is some what disturbing of the second part of your question ....Move on.
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SPC Daniel Edwards
SSG (Join to see) I don't care how many there are. I just care that they can shoot at the enemy. SFC Scott Parkhurst thanks for the assist.
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SFC Scott Parkhurst
OK, fair enough....Just don't / didn't understand your question OR why the "which sexual orientation's are there and which ones can you name?"...Not important. That's all.
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SPC Daniel Edwards
Actually, SFC William Mask, I do care a whole lot about the Army and the military as a whole. And you are absolutely right. I think everyone should uphold the Army standard in every aspect, no excuses. Everyone should wear the Army ACU's per AR 670-1. I totally over-looked your angle of the situation. Thanks. But I also think that if a person is gay, let them be gay on their own time. When they are on the clock, hey will uphold the standard. If they can't uphold the standard and want to bitch about it claiming some kind of discrimination bullshit, then they should leave.
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I was 23-24 years of age in an airborne combat arms unit when I was put in a position of having soldiers that I was responsible for. That is a lot of pressure for a young soldier, the same pressure being felt by many in today's world. It was at that point that I realized that I didn't want to have to explain to the parents why their son didn't make it back. It was also at that point that I realized I didn't care what gender, color, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religious background, etc. that you were so long as you afforded my soldiers and myself the best opportunity to accomplish the mission and get back home. I believe anyone that would pick a lesser qualified soldier merely because of gender or sexual orientation is not much of a leader.
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PO1 Autumn Sandeen
I believe you need to read up on genetics before making a case on biology. Dr. Eric Vilain, of medical genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, made this statement in a conclusion for an article outlining why a federal marriage amendment limiting marriage to one male and one female was wrongheaded:
"Sex should be easily definable, but it's not. Our gender identity -- our profound sense of being male or female -- is independent from our anatomy. A constitutional amendment authorizing marriages only between men and women would not only discriminate against millions of Americans who do not fit easily in the mold of each category, but would simply be flawed and contrary to basic biological realities."
I'd highly recommend reading at least the rest of that article before making the case that demands conformance with a rigid sex and gender binary.
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/apr/19/opinion/oe-vilain19
"Sex should be easily definable, but it's not. Our gender identity -- our profound sense of being male or female -- is independent from our anatomy. A constitutional amendment authorizing marriages only between men and women would not only discriminate against millions of Americans who do not fit easily in the mold of each category, but would simply be flawed and contrary to basic biological realities."
I'd highly recommend reading at least the rest of that article before making the case that demands conformance with a rigid sex and gender binary.
http://articles.latimes.com/2004/apr/19/opinion/oe-vilain19
This was the moment of truth. The ultimate test before the coronation. A deacon would extend his hand below the robe of the future pope and check for the presence of two testicles. Middle Ages...
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SGT Aras Troy
Thank you PO1 Autumn Sandeen. Biological sex is a thing that isn't neatly answered by the presence of an X or Y chromosome, or a neat all-encompassing standard. In a culture dominated by societal roles of men vs women, this is a shocking concept. The roots of a clearly-defined sex may be ingrained in the laws of our culture, but certainly not in nature or biology.
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I have to say that, reading this forum, I've seen a lot of the typical posts elsewhere - all the "PC is ruining my country" and "dem queers, it's yucky and therefore bad" or of course, "That's against GAAAWWWWDDDD!!!"
But the grand majority of the posts here seem to be along the lines of "If they are willing to serve, let them serve." Thank you guys for gradually restoring my faith in humanity.
But the grand majority of the posts here seem to be along the lines of "If they are willing to serve, let them serve." Thank you guys for gradually restoring my faith in humanity.
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Suspended Profile
It's just a culture shock for all these years that you share your most intimate thoughts and feelings with the men and women beside you, its hard not to get your "personal" views involved. However, they showed us all in boot camp that we can all serve together, regardless of any adversity. The only thing that mattered was accomplishment...accomplishment together, whatever the cost; the only people castrated were those that did not have the heart and strength to continue. Because no one in boot camp had the need to talk about anything other than self-improvement and unit cohesion; these are the same things that are focused on in the Marine Corps with our Leadership Skills and developments.
PV2 Abbott Shaull
Oh no they didn't...in 1988 the sexes were still in separate boot camps. So i can see where some of the cultural shock comes from, but it doesn't give any excuse for some of the bs they have been posting.
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