Happy Veterans Day 2012 Trans Vets!

Today is Veterans Day in the US in which we remember the service of all our men and women who served or are currently serving in our nations military

I wanted to particularly remember a segment of the tran population that doesn't get much love shown their way, but will always get it on the TransGriot pages in terms of our trans vets.

The trans vets I have had the pleasure of meeting in the years I've been involved in the trans human rights fight have served in every conflict from the Korean and Vietnam Wars to Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Many has moved on from their military service to become leaders in our trans human rights movement and our communities such as Monica Helms and Angela Brightfeather of TAVA, Dionne Stallworth, Dawn Wilson, Angelica Ross, Autumn Sandeen, Phyllis Frye and now Allyson Robinson as the Executive Director of the newly merged Out Serve-SLDN.

Trans veterans not only served our nation, they have and continue to provide principled and solid leadership for our community.   They have not only helped to fight for human rights laws for all Americans, but things that help make the lives of the trans community and veterans like themselves better. 

Trans veterans are also front and center in the fight to ensure that the DADT repeal that they worked for but didn't include us will be expanded.   They want transpeople who wish to openly serve our country to have the ability to do so.

If it's not acceptable for LGB military personnel to have to hide who they are to serve our nation's military, it damned sure isn't acceptable for transpeople to have to hide to serve in the military either.  Neither is it okay for those transpeople who wish to join our nation's military to automatically be excluded from doing so when they walk into an armed forces recruiting center to do so. 

It's why I not only have much love for trans vets, but support their fight to openly serve our country. like transpeople in eight nations including Canada can do right now. 

Happy Veterans Day transvets!   Thank you for you service to our nation and our community.