Allyson Robinson's Statement To OS-SLDN Members, Families and Supporters

TransGriot Note: Here's the statement from OutServe-SLDN magazine of Allyson Robinson to the members, families and supporters of the organization.   What I said in my earlier post still stands. Allyson got screwed, this stinks, and I detect the rotten stench of transphobia in this situation.   TAVA, step up, salute and handle your business, please.

On 24 June 2013
This weekend’s events were most unfortunate and deeply troubling for many of us, but for my part, as from the beginning of my tenure with this organization, I am fully and firmly committed to our LGBT service members, veterans, and their families and to their fight for equality. For that reason, and to honor those who’ve shared those values with me, it is my intent to continue to lead OutServe-SLDN in the near term as we approach an historic moment for our community and our country. After that, at a date to be determined, I have decided of my own accord to step down, and will work with our members to ensure an orderly transition to the next phase of this organization’s life.


Very few people ever get the opportunity in this life to hear from those whose lives they’ve touched just how much they are loved and respected. I have no words to express my gratitude for the hundreds who have reached out to me privately or stood up for me publicly over these last 24 hours to show their support: from the military community, the LGBT community, and most especially, most dear to me, the troops of OutServe-SLDN and their families. For that, I am blessed beyond measure.

In light of the momentous events the coming days hold for us all, I intend to put this matter behind us and look forward to shifting the focus back to where it belongs: our LGBT service members, veterans, and families, who sacrifice so much every day, and their ongoing fight for full equality.
— Allyson Robinson, Executive Director, OutServe-SLDN

TAVA Wants You For A New Mission

TransGriot Note:  There were people in the community alarmed when I posted the comment on the TAVA 10th anniversary post from founding TAVA president Monica Helms that consideration was being made to shut down the organization.

Here's a guest post by TAVA founding Vice President Angela Brightfeather.

At present, TAVA is tacking to the right and looking for new help and resetting it's course. The more we talk about all this, the better of and faster we can get on course.

The one thing that has really irked TAVA from the start has been the big elephant in the room every time that anyone puts the words, Transgender, military, serving, together in one sentence. That is the uneasy and unspoken fear and feeling that Trans people will join the military so that they can get their GRS for free. This strawman argument has historically been easy to prove wrong and only a fear that has it's basic foundation sunk deeply in the transphobic beliefs of the unkowing, dating back to the 1960's and that still hangs in the air like a bad smelling and outdated saucer of sour milk, is keeping us from obtaining equality on every front.

The truth is best viewed in the light of day. The new mission and primary cause for TAVA should be to acquire full and equal rights for our Trangender Veterans and that includes GRS. It is wholly unfair and totally judgemental to think that GRS should be the only thing that is specifially pointed out in the White House Directive issued about fair treatment for Trans Vets, that GRS is something that will not be contemplated. No reason was given for the exception to our equal treatment, but the suspicion is that it is bred in the same illogical thoughts about Transgender people specified in the DSM, which also by the way, specifically states that no Transgender person should be discriminated against due to their "condition".

The case FOR Transgender Vets being able to obtain GRS in the VA system, needs to be noted as the bellweather case and proof of discrimination against Transgender people in general created by the DSM and shoved right down their throat as the "real life" test of their definitions and their affect on people and how hypocritical and hurtful their judgment really is.

The VA's and DOD's use of the DSM as a reason to discriminate is a convenient yet unjust example of cowardice in the face of reality, by those who are supposed to be our most supportive and brave people in a system dominated by the directive for protecting all of us.

If TAVA is to grow and be led by our best and bravest people in this fight, the battle starts with the recognition that GRS is not cosmetic surgery, but that it can be a cure. As a priority, this fight is equal to or more important even than being able to serve in the military because those of us who already have served know and understand that when we devoted that part or time of our lives to defending our country, we did so based on the need, love and pride we had as Americans and that because we are Transgender Americans, the commitments and promises we proudly made and kept, must be met fairly by the VA and DOD.

TAVA is looking for a few good people to fight this new fight and if they don't show up, the odds are that we will not win the war.

TAVA Turns 10

This year also marks the 10th birthday of the Transgender American Veterans Association  which was founded in January 2003 by Monica Helms and Angela Brightfeather out of growing concerns for the fair and equal treatment of transgender veterans and active duty service members.

When the June 2010 VA directive came out, TAVA was in the position of seeing their major policy objective achieved.  Even more gratifying to the board members, the feedback they received from their constituents is that it worked.  

Now they are at a critical crossroads as to whether to build on that success or fold the organization.  

As TAVA founding president Monica Helms stated on her Facebook page:

Yesterday was TAVA's 10 year anniversary. Sadly, it may be our last. We did accomplish our primary mission when in June 2010, the VA initiated a directive that shows how to treat trans veterans properly. Two days after that came out, we received E-mails and calls from transgender veterans who said it worked. You don't know how wonderful that felt.

But, all the board members (the ones who are left) are all over 60 and we are tired. Other organizations, such as OutServe and NCTE are taking up the slack. TAVA's board is in the process of deciding how we need to "fade out," and there is some contention on how it should be done. All we ask of our friends is to understand and support our decision, whichever direction it goes. We appreciate all your support over the years. YOU are the ones who helped us fulfill our primary mission. We love you for that.

And thank you Monica and TAVA for your past and continuing service to this nation and the trans community.   But I would submit to you that TAVA's mission isn't done in terms of advocacy for fair and equal treatment of transgender veterans and active duty service members, especially since patriotic transpeople cannot join our military.

Don't Ask Don't Tell still exists for us.

Yes SLDN-OutServe has now added the issues of trans vets to their mission.  They have a transwoman in Allyson Robinson running it that I have much respect for.   But compared to TAVA, the merged SLDN-OutServe are newbies at advocating for trans veterans, understanding our issues and it's still marriage-centric in terms of its advocacy.  We are still dealing with the fallout of DADT not ending for us so GLB peeps could openly serve.  

I haven't forgotten how that organization refused to consider lifting transpeople as they climbed and made excuses for not advocating for transpeople to also be able to openly serve when Don't Ask Don't Tell repeal was being worked on during the Democratically controlled lame duck Congress in 2010 and eventually became a reality for the GLB community in September 2011.

So yes, I'm wary of SLDN-Outserve based on how military transfolks got thrown under the Humvee in the runup to DADT repeal.

I know you TAVA board members are tired after fighting this battle for so long and you want to move on to your well deserved rest and retire.  If you need to recruit younger peeps and train them to handle those issues, fine. 

But I submit TAVA needs to survive.  An organization of, by and for trans veterans is needed, especially when we have returning vets that will be coming home from service in Iraq and Afghanistan.  They will need an org that understands their needs, has the expertise to deal with trans veterans and the unique issues that crop up for them.
But thank you all for what you've done to help advance trans human rights in this arena for the last 10 years..

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.  

Remember Why We Celebrate Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day, in which we celebrate all of our fellow Americans who served in the armed forces to defend this nation and protect the freedoms we enjoy, and memorialize those who gave their lives in doing so.

I also need to point out as the Transgender American Veterans Association does on a regular basis that some of those Americans who proudly served our country in its various military branches are trans.

Christine Jorgenson, one of our pioneering trans women was a World War II vet who served in the Army. 

During my time in this community I have had the pleasure to meet trans people who served in the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines and the Coast Guard.   I've met people who fought in the Korean War,  Vietnam and the first Gulf War, and have no doubts that during my future community travels and conversations I will eventually run into Iraq and Afghanistan vets.

Some of the people I met were people who did specialized duty such as Tunnel Rats, Navy Seals, aviators,   submariners, guarded nuke weapons depots, and some who can't even talk at length about what they did in their service days because it's still classified.   But the point is they served this nation proudly and to the best of their ability.

The repeal of DADT only worked for the GLB segment of the community.   It doesn't allow trans people to serve openly and be their true selves while wearing our country's uniform unlike what transpeople can do in six nations on this planet.  We can still be kicked out of the US military for being trans.

That's bull feces and it's why TAVA and myself are still pushing for the military to end the restrictions on transgender people openly serving in our country's military.  We have just as much right as any other American to fight and potentially die for our country.

But on this Memorial Day, let's once again take time to honor and contemplate all who have served, all who have died in service to our country and join the rest of our nation in observing a moment of silence at 12:01 PM EDT in honor of our fallen heroes and sheroes.

As we do so, let's also consider the fact there is a segment of the American family in the trans community who wish to like everyone else in this country want and need the opportunity to serve our country openly and proudly.
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Upcoming Trans Day Of Silence On DADT Repeal Day

TransGriot Note: DADT goes bye bye this month.  But there's one segment of the community who once again will be Left Behind as the GL segment of the community gets civil rights that the trans community as Autumn Sandeen demonstrated helped them fight for.   TAVA President Monica Helms in this guest post talks about the moment of silence being organized to remind the GL community and our allies the fight for transpeople to serve openly in our military isn't over.  

September 20, 2011 will go down as one of the most pivotal days in LGB history. On that day, gay, lesbian and bisexual service members will no longer have to hide their sexual orientation from the US military. LGB people will be allowed to enlist (or reenlist) in the military, and those already serving will be able to openly say who they love if they wish to.


However, for the trans community, September 20 will be a bittersweet day. The “sweet” will be because we will all be thrilled to see another wall of discrimination crumble into history. We will celebrate along with our LGB brothers and sisters, and thank all of those who have served our country proudly. Our thanks will also go out to those who will step forward to join their ranks. Tears of joy will flow that day from all of us.

The “bitter” part comes when the celebration is over and trans people will still face discrimination from the US military. Trans service members will be ejected because the military says we have a “psychosexual condition,” which they put in the same category as “exhibitionism, transvestism, voyeurism, and other paraphilias.” No trans-identified person will be allowed to enlist for the same reason.

The Transgender American Veterans Association want to first congratulate all the people who worked tirelessly on getting Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repealed and helped the Administration and the Department of Defense to smoothly integrate LGB people into the services. Our members worked alongside LGB people to put this terrible law to rest and we are proud to see our work not go in vain.

On this day of celebration, TAVA has one request for all of those who will be cheering and partying. We ask that everyone take a moment of silence to acknowledge that the fight is not over. A moment of silence for all of those trans people who will still face discharge when being outed.

Take a moment to remember the trans people who gave their lives in silence to protect this country. TAVA stands in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in celebrating this historical day. All we ask is for them to stand in solidarity with the trans community in our struggle to end ALL discrimination in the US military. The fight is not over.

By selecting "Attending" on this it means that you are committing to holding a Moment of Silence at any celebration you attend on September 20, 2011. This moment is to honor our trans service members who still won't be able to serve openly. Thank you.