Transgender Service Members: Serving in Silence

I say we worry about ISIS and stop worrying about chicks with dicks.. IMHO

I am 50/50 in this debate. My issue would be having to go into a locker room with someone transgendered and have a ding dong flopping around. Would they have their own showers? Living quarters? The questions could become endless.

Regardless of your sexual orientation, no service member should be discussing his/her sexuality in any capacity during the execution of their duties and capacities. Does it happen? Yes, all the time. That does not make it any less inappropriate. I have never understood why this garnered the attention that it has. It seems pretty straightforward; what one does on their own time, as long as it does not violate any laws or cause harm to others, is their own business. Don't bring it to work! Back in the late 80s, I flew with a lieutenant NFO. Outstanding shipmate, rock solid when it came to the mission. The squadron learned he was gay and he was gone within days. No one had a clue and many were upset to see him go. He kept his business to himself and we were ok with that. The navy lost an excellent officer.

I get that some are uncomfortable in that it could create awkward situations (in communal showers). But I also get that there are those, who are the way they are by no fault of their own, that want to serve their country. I can respect all sides of the argument.

I am still unclear as to how the breeding inclinations of any sailor soldier, airman or marine has any real bearing on the execution of one’s duties in any capacity of their military service. "Don't ask , don't tell" should have been changed to "don't discuss your private business at work... gay or straight". I will also concede that my thoughts and opinions are my own and are flawed at best!

If it's ok to be gay, then it should be ok to be transgender? What people do in their off time is not important to me, as long as they can shoot and stand their ground when the time comes.

Hopefully the US military will follow lots and lots of other militaries who have found it pretty simple to accommodate gender diversity and even gender changes. Having the wrong gender is a complicated mental and physical issue, but it's not worse than a lot of the conditions covered under military medical insurance. And the benefit is a happy and healthy service member.

Political Correctness IS destroying this country.

no they should not be allowed if your transgender u obviously have mental issues with self identification so sever as to outwardly change the very nature the core of your being and if your that unstable your not needed and all the issues that would stem from this how are you gonna do basic with a guy whos a girl or a girl whos a guy there is enough sexual harassment issues allready

If they can't make up their mind about their sexuality I don't want to be in combat with them. They should NOT be accepted for military service. If I find one out I will report them within the hour. No, No, No! Can't believe no one has replied to this original post in a year! And male to female is 90%? So they had their _ _ _ _ cut off to do this? Shudder! And Command Post, remember that you asked for comments. Let them go enlist in Denmark, probably no social stigma there at all....
Thanks,
Rick

Tell ya what...start coming up with how we fund and logistically support separate showers, latrines, and barracks for each individual and I'll support anything.

Can they serve with honor and be as capable as anyone else? Absolutely.

Do they have rights? Absolutely.

My biggest argument about the repeal of DADT was privacy. Ignorance was bliss, but now you get to know and if you as a straight person are uncomfortable sharing a tent, shower, or latrine with a gay person - too f'ing bad, as we are told.

Now I know I'm an ugly SOB...but if I don't get to look at breasts (what I find to be sexually appealing to me, a straight man)...why do we open the peep show to homosexuals? Are you going to sit there with a straight face and tell me that every single one of them absolutely will not look...ever?

Now keep in mind...I frankly don't care who I am bunking with. If I end up in a two man hut with a gay guy....fine. I'm straight, you're gay...we're rooming together, it's professional and I sleep here, you sleep there. I frankly don't care. I'm confident in my sexually to not care. If he wants to talk about his husband back home - fine. I no doubt will be talking about my wife back home. Hell, I'll even change from PT to ABUs in front of him...because I really don't care. But is it fair? Is it right? *IF* he found me attractive, does him seeing me in the shower give him something to think about? Why can't I shower with the gals in this case.

"But MSgt Mac...I don't want some dude checking out my wife/mom/gf/sister when she deploys!!!" So it's ok for a lesbian but not a straight dude?

And that brings up the point of the post. TG/TS individuals will either get to pick, or someone has to foot the bill to give them their own facilities. If they get to pick, suddenly a bunch of straight guys are going to claim to be TG/TS for two reasons: 1) To get out of the men's showers and into the women's showers, and 2) To get out of the men's showers when TG/TS are in there.

Separate facilities? Great. Just take that Exchange candy and soda and "pieces of home" off the plane and load it up with extra tents. Tear down a gym, the USO, and any other morale tents so we can have room to set up these extra facilities. And that's just for separate latrines/showers/barracks for groups of TG/TS individuals. So if one identifies as a woman and one identifies as a man on the FOB - do we bunk them together or barrack them separately? Or do we put the man that id's himself as a woman in with women and the one that id's herself as a man in with the men?

Or just co-ed everything and be done with it.

Frankly, that last option is the option I elect. We're so uptight about sex and sexuality anyways. Just be done with it. Since that won't happen in the next century, the only other option is to frankly just draw the line and say "We get it, but it can't be done. Sorry. Move on". Harsh, but hey - life ain't fair.

In conclusion: it doesn't matter in the end. If our leaders say it happens, it happens. We follow and support the policy to the letter, and we make it work. The missions get done, the wars get won, and the more that come home in tact is all I care about. I'd rather see smiling, happy families when the plane touches down on US soil, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, then to ever have to escort another flag draped box or hold a dying brother or sister's hand again.

Soapbox rant that went all over the place. Sorry.

In the Marines, as we move closer to a more Uniform standard across the board, this issue becomes moot.

1) Universal Dress Blues are currently being previewed

2) PFT standards are coming closer

That said, Men & Women are different physiologically. This is not an opinion. It is a fact, and that is why there are different standards. This includes Grooming, Physical, and Uniform standards.

Once you get past the "I identify as a X" bit, which is irrelevant to the military function, you are left with the Can X person do Y task, and will this person be more beneficial than detrimental to the military.

The current concern would be "Good order & discipline."

If someone is physiologically male, but identifies as female, how does that work in uniform and out?

In my opinion, you go by birth sex. Therefore, while IN uniform all standards have to be adhered to as though you are your birth gender. That means no relaxed grooming, or modified uniform standards.

However off duty.... if someone wants to dress as their 'identified' gender, then so be it.