Brown Proposes Continuing ROTC Campus Ban Unless Trans People Can Serve

One of the things the trans community is painfully aware of is that the ballyhooed repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell last month still left the trans community behind and vulnerable to the same discharges that GLB soldiers used to endure but no longer have to worry about.  

Staff Sergeant Rebecca Grant was discharged under the DADT policy two weeks before it ended.

Besides TAVA who is leading this fight to allow trans people tom openly serve, we just picked up an ally in pleading our case to allow trans people to openly serve in our country's military in Ivy League institution Brown University.

Brown President Dr. Ruth J. Simmons called on the university to "commit to helping to arouse greater national attention to the discrimination of the military and others against transgender individuals."

She wrote in a letter to the university community,"We must do all in our power as an institution to carry the message to Congress, the executive branch, and the military establishment that the policy barring transgender individuals from military service must be changed,"  

Brown ended its ROTC programs during the contentious Vietnam War era in 1969 and kept the bans in place due to anti-GLBT discrimination in the military.   In the wake of the passage of the repeal legislation and September 20 implementation of the end of the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, the Providence, RI based school was in the process of reconsidering lifting the ban and allowing the ROTC programs to resume on campus. 

Dr. Simmons favors continuing the on campus ROTC program ban while favoring expanded options for Brown students to participate in ROTC programs on other campuses

The proposal by President Simmons to continue the ROTC ban must go to the university's Corporation for the final say.

"Many speak about the importance of service to the nation through the military and they are correct," Dr. Simmons wrote in the letter. "However, to root out the manifestation and vestiges of discrimination from our national life is an equally important dimension of serving the nation."

Thank you Dr. Simmons and Brown University community for being willing to add your voices to others who speak loudly and clearly against anti-transgender discrimination and are standing up for our right to serve in our nation's military.

Red Tails Premiering January 20

Another movie I'm looking forward to seeing when it comes out is the George Lucas produced film called Red Tails.

It was directed by Anthony Hemingway with a script from John Ridley and Aaron McGruder (yes of Boondocks fame) and stars Oscar award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard.  It's based on the story of the Tuskegee Airmen who fought the enemy in the skies over World War II Europe and prejudice and bigotry in the military and at home .

The Red Tails title refers to the tail insignia of the 99th Pursuit Squadron, which painted the tails of its aircraft bright red.    

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

The movie will hit your local multiplexes on January 20 and I'm definitely planning on being there buttered popcorn in hand to watch it.

DADT Dies Today, But Not For Transpeople

While today is a historic and monumental day for GLB people who serve in the military with the death today of the odious Don't Ask Don't Tell policy, there's one part of the rainbow family who still will not be able to serve in our military openly and proudly in the transgender community.

Never mind the fact that one of the people who was chained to the White House fence and arrested for protesting the DADT policy was transwoman Autumn Sandeen.

As GLB folks celebrate the demise of the policy, trans people will be having a moment of silence to note the fact that the struggle is not over for us.

As Transgender American Veteran's Association president Monica Helms wrote in her call for a moment of silence on this day: 

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.

Indeed.  The fight for transpeople to openly serve in our country's military continues.

\n"; document.getElementById('resselect').value=zoomres; } -->

Thai Army Ordered By Court To Halt Problematic Trans Classification

I talked about this issue that Thai transpeople face when they are disqualified for military service by labeling them as mentally ill.

There has been a lawsuit filed, activism centered on the issue and changes to that policy are being discussed in the 'Land of Smiles'..  

Because the birth records of Thai transwomen are not changed to reflect the persons they are now, after age 18 they are subject to being conscripted into the Thai military.  The Thai army routinely disqualifies transpeople and when doing so classifies them in their conscription documents as having a 'permanent mental disorder'.

Because people considered male in Thailand have to present those conscription documents when applying for jobs at government agencies or private companies to confirm they have fulfilled their military obligations, that classification can have deleterious effects on your employment prospects as Samart Meecharoen discovered in 2005.  

She filed a lawsuit against defense officials in 2006 to end the practice and yesterday the Central Administrative Court, which handles lawsuits concerning the performance of government officials, ordered the Thai Army to end the practice of labeling transpeople they reject for service with that term.

The Bangkok based court said that the label was inaccurate and unlawful.    The court did not bar the military from rejecting transpeople nor did it mandate new language to put on the conscription documents, but Meecharoen was happy with the verdict.

"Now we will no longer be viewed as crazy people," Meecharoen said.

Thai Defense spokesman Col. Thanatip Sawangsaeng said the ministry will comply with the ruling, and has proposed "current sexual status does not match that of birth" as the new phrasing for conscription documents, pending the necessary Cabinet resolution to take effect.

But thanks to Samart Meecharoen for not only standing up for her dignity and human rights, but for the human rights of all her fellow Thai transpeople.