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?
Policy
Transgender
LGBTQ+
Command Post
Edited 11 y ago
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 260
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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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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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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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The military is not a social club, university, or just another employer. It's purpose is to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and execute the national military policy, in many cases, by killing people and breaking things. One can be denied entry into the service for just being overweight, too tall, too short, underweight, bad teeth, psychological conditions, excessive tattoos, body mutilations, etc.. Transgender individuals still have the original DNA basis which identifies the individual as a male or female. Taking hormone supplements and significantly altering your appearance via surgery can create conditions which the military finds unfitting for admission into the service.
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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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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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Are we seriously getting to a point where we won't have any lines we won't cross?! I really don't care how much flak I'll get for this, but I still don't believe in homosexuals serving at all, let alone openly. Besides my personal belief that it is wrong, it isn't socially acceptable in an environment that has been riddled with sexual harassment, political correctness, and an attempt to be a kinder, gentler military. Is it socially acceptable for a heterosexual male to take a shower with heterosexual females? No. So, why should it be acceptable for homosexuals to shower and berth with people of the gender they sexual prefer. I'm sorry you feel you were born that way but so were people with mental disorders and we don't let them in. No, I'm not homophobic (to indicate I'm afraid of gay people), I just believe it is not morally right nor natural. As for transgender people, (my understanding, people who believe they were born the wrong sex) whether it be hormonal, psychological, or any other -al we don't need another element of confusion in the mix. There's enough as it is.
There's my 2+ cents...
There's my 2+ cents...
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SFC (Join to see)
PO1: it's the ever popular gay apologist "you're secretly gay" meme. If any of us heterosexual "breeders" dare to say that we find homosexuality distasteful or incompatible with our morals, then it "must" be because we're hiding a desire for gay sex. it's intended to shock and embarass you, and put you on the defensive, which makes you seem like you are hiding something.
SPC mulder:this is an old tactic, and it works much better in person.
SPC mulder:this is an old tactic, and it works much better in person.
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SGT Aras Troy
Biologically, the suffix -phobia doesn't necessarily indicate a fear, but rather an aversion or dislike. It can also refer to a hate. It may seem an affront to your pride to be called "homophobic" because it implies you are afraid, but based on your comments, you described yourself as meeting the definition.
I've had to shower with gay people while in the army, and no, it didn't cause any confusion, nobody was screwed up, and miraculously, nobody was hurt. Somehow it seems that gay people and most straight people want to mind their own business and not worry about what someone does with their personal life when if affects nobody else around them. I'd really like to believe those who say they don't "fear" being around gay people, but why are you afraid?
I've had to shower with gay people while in the army, and no, it didn't cause any confusion, nobody was screwed up, and miraculously, nobody was hurt. Somehow it seems that gay people and most straight people want to mind their own business and not worry about what someone does with their personal life when if affects nobody else around them. I'd really like to believe those who say they don't "fear" being around gay people, but why are you afraid?
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SSG Tim Everett
So out of curiosity, and this is only mildly related to the discussion at hand...
How many people here will say something like "I can't stand to see two men kiss" or variations on that theme, but then have no issue with girl-on-girl physical interactions? Because that's just as gay, to bend a hackneyed quip to my own will.
I don't see any reason why this continues to be a big deal. The military has been given its marching orders with regards to gays serving openly. And prior to that, before it was accepted to be out, all of us served with gay people. We served with them in our permanent duty stations, we served with them in training, and we served with them in Basic/boot -- I don't know about any other branch of service, but when I took a shower in Basic, it was in a single large room with a bunch of other dudes. Oh look, we accomplished our mission! So yeah: I showered with gay men, and the military is still the same ol' ass-kicking machine.
How many people here will say something like "I can't stand to see two men kiss" or variations on that theme, but then have no issue with girl-on-girl physical interactions? Because that's just as gay, to bend a hackneyed quip to my own will.
I don't see any reason why this continues to be a big deal. The military has been given its marching orders with regards to gays serving openly. And prior to that, before it was accepted to be out, all of us served with gay people. We served with them in our permanent duty stations, we served with them in training, and we served with them in Basic/boot -- I don't know about any other branch of service, but when I took a shower in Basic, it was in a single large room with a bunch of other dudes. Oh look, we accomplished our mission! So yeah: I showered with gay men, and the military is still the same ol' ass-kicking machine.
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Cpl Franz Buhlmann
Just remember one thing, those marching orders were unlawful since the violated the UCMJ! I don't know if the UCMJ was ever changed or not, nor do I really care since I am out. But when the CIC disrespects everything military and its laws, we are a broken machine!
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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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