Friday, July 28, 2017

How About Using Pics Of Real Trans Service Members To Support Trans Troops?

Image may contain: 1 person
I was a fan of the show M*A*S*H* until it went off the air in February 1983.  One of the characters on it was Maxwell Q. Klinger, who spent much of the series trying to get out of the Army on a Section 8 discharge.  One of the ways he tried to do that was by crossdressing, but it never worked because his superior officers saw right through it

In the wake of 45's misguided tweet announcing a ban on trans military service, which the Joint Chiefs of Staff quickly stated isn't happening, there are some folks who have been posting pics of Cpl. Klinger in drag to allegedly support trans service members.

Image may contain: 1 person
If you are doing that, stop it immediately.  

It is not only disrespectful to our trans veterans and the 15,500 trans service members currently serving in various capacities across all branches of our armed forces, it is reinforcing some harmful stereotypes.

And our right wing enemies are already using the Klinger memes to attack trans military service.

Image may contain: 1 person
Trans folks proudly served, and post military have been taking the leadership skills they learned in our military and using them to provide leadership in our community.

Some of trans trailblazers like Phyllis Frye, Monica Helms, Christine Jorgensen and Kristin Beck all have in common they served our nation in the armed forces

Women with transgender background from five different air forces around the world.If you really wish to support trans service members, then use pics of real peeps like SSgt Logan Ireland, Sgt. Shane Ortega, and Col. Sheri Swokowski just to name a few.

And note to the unhinged haters, transgender people serve in the armed forces of 18 nations on this planet, many of which are our NATO allies.

Being a trans service member is not a joke.   So how about reinforcing that point if you sincerely wish to support trans service members by sharing pics of actual trans people in the military?  

1 comment:

Jami said...

One of the countries with transgender service members is Israel, generally regarded as one of the baddest asses on the block. For those ignorant haters who are spouting the "it will weaken our military" lie.