The Trans Military Service Ban Is Unjust

While I was traveling back home to Houston yesterday from Minneapolis, it was keenly on my mind that oppression was being aimed once again by the Trump misadministration at the American trans community. 

Yesterday was the day that this malignant administration, egged on by Mike Pence, Tony Perkins and the white evilgelical wing of his party, banned transgender Americans from serving in the US military.

The pic of Carla Lewis and her famous shirt stuck with me as I jetted back to Houston via Dallas Love Field, where in just 10 more days I'll join my Black trans family for this year's edition of BTAC.

And note to the Black cis community, some of the transgender military peeps negatively affected by this ban are Black.

There are over 15,500 transgender people already serving in our military in all of its branches.  It is a bull feces laden excuse that it would 'cost too much' to cover trans medical care.  It costs $86 million annually to provide Viagra to the military.   Trans medical care would only cost $8 million.

The military chiefs . the AMA and countless other organizations have unfailing pointed out that transgender people serving in the US military doesn't harm military cohesion or readiness. 

This is just once again Trump kowtowing to the white evilgelicals and pushing transphobia for his own short term political gain.

And as far as the other lie goes that transgender troops would affect the 'lethality' of our military, the Israeli Defense Forces, one of the best in the Middle East, haven't had that problem and have had transgender troops serving in the IDF for over a decade.    Many of our NATO allies allow their transgender citizens to serve and have done so for decades

Didn't we already go through this BS with Jim Crow segregation that barred Black people from serving in combat roles?   The failed Don't Ask Don't Tell policy aimed at the LGB community?

The trans military ban is destined to go the same way.   But unfortunately a lot of people will be negatively affected by it before the unjust policy dies.

SPART*A Sends Thanks To Our Allies

As you longtime TransGriot readers are aware of, I unequivocally and enthusiastically support our trans siblings serving in the armed forces of our nation.

There are 15,500 trans people serving around the globe in our military and their right to mdo so is under attack by the Trump misadministration. 

Thanks to our allies, SPART*A and the federal judiciary, the Trump trans military ban is NOT in effect and trans troops can keep serving our country. 

If you haven't heard of SPART*A , it's the nonpartisan TBLGQ organization that supports active duty military personnel, their spouses, or anyone in our community who has proudly served in our armed forces.

SPART*A’s mission is to advocate for our actively serving transgender military members, veterans, and their families. SPART*A provides our members with a peer support network, assistance in navigating military transgender policy and health care, and educational resources for their professional development. SPART*A actively coordinates and collaborates with other LGBT advocacy organizations to promote an inclusive military environment that values the contributions of all Americans with the desire to serve.

Here's a video from our trans service members and their spouses thanking you for your support of them.

Know trans service members, I will also continue to have your back on the home front.

Transgender Americans Can Enlist In The US Armed Forces Today!

Despite everything Trump and his misadministration attempted to do to thwart it, one of the things that happened starting today is that transgender Americans who wish to do so can enlist in the US Armed Forces.

The Trump Administration decided on Friday they would no longer challenge the policy in court after taking losses last week in two different circuit courts which rejected their bid to put on hold orders from lower court federal judges requiring the Pentagon to admit transgender recruits starting today.

“Plaintiffs allege, and the Court agrees, the ban sends a damaging public message that transgender people are not fit to serve in the military,” U.S. District Judge Jesus Bernal said in his ruling. “There is nothing any court can do to remedy a government-sent message that some citizens are not worthy of the military uniform simply because of their gender. A few strokes of the legal quill may easily alter the law, but the stigma of being seen as less-than is not so easily erased.”

That makes six federal courts that have rejected the Trump Administration on this issue.

As you probably guessed, the potential transgender recruit will have to clr a series of lengthy urdles before they can join the branch of our military they are applying for, but after dealing with a gender transition, those hurdles will probably seems like a cakewalk to that person. 

The recruit must be certified by a medical provider they are clinically stable in their preferred gender for 18 months, and are free of significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other areas.

Like advocates for open trans military service, I'm concerned that the Pentagon's guidelines, especially in the hands of a hostile political regime and people inside the military resistant to the enlistment of transgender recruits will result in little to zero trans people being allowed in to join the over 15,000 trans people already serving in our armed forces..

We in Trans America will be watching along with our allies to see if the Pentagon not only allows transgender recruits, but does so in a fair and impartial manner.

The Irelands On Ellen

Was happy to see one of my fave trans couples on Ellen discussing their lives as a military couple and their transitions.   What was also amazing was what happened at the end of the studio interview, but I won't spoil the happy surprise for you.

But ugh, that initial cringeworthy question from Ellen.   Note to Ellen, the NLGJA and GLAAD have guides on how to interview and respectfully cover trans people

And still looking forward to meeting Logan and Laila someday, and will keep speaking it into existence until it happens.

Here's the video of their appearance on the Ellen show.

Laila Ireland's 2017 GLAAD Gals SF Speech

"It is my hope that our military leaders will quickly acknowledge that transgender troops should get the same freedoms and integrity we so courageously protect," --Laila Ireland

Last year at this time I was in San Francisco to accept an award during the 2016 GLAAD Gala San Francisco.  

This year it was my sis Laila Ireland onstage being honored with an award during the 2017 edition of this event and getting to make a powerful speech on behalf of trans military people like herself and her amazing husband.

Here's the video of that speech

 

Trump Reinstates Trans Military Service Ban

Every day Donald Trump proves what those of us who were paying attention during the 2016 presidential election already knew.  That he is not only incompetent and unfit to be POTUS, but was no friend of the TBLGQ community

Today he unleashed a series of tweets in which he stated that the armed forces ban on transgender military service that had been rescinded just last year by President Obama was being reinstated citing the BS reason of costs.

It's also bitterly ironic that he did so on the same day 69 years ago that President Harry S. Truman issued the executive order that desegregated the US military in 1948.

Two studies done by the RAND Corporation in June 2016 and another that was done in September 2015 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine basically came to the same conclusions that the medical gender transition costs that Trump and Republican opponents rail against would be minimal.

The RAND Corporation study estimated that there were 1,320 to 6,630 active duty trans service members, and projected that those costs would be $2.4 million to $8.4 million, which is only a 0.04 to 0.13 % increase in the budget.  

It also pointed out that not all current active duty trans military service members would seek gender transitioning treatment, and that 0.1%  of those service members would seek treatments that could delay a deployment.

The September 2015 study estimated that it would cost $4.2 million to $5.6 million and of the 12,500 service members, less than 200 would seek medical gender transition related care.

The US military's annual healthcare budget is $47.8 billion dollars.

The brand new aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford at $13 billion cost more to build than the negligible annual transition related healthcare for trans service members.

And I feel today for all those trans veterans like Carla, who proudly served this country and fought for your right to hate us. 

One of those 15,000 military trans people you peeps are hating on, is serving out nation and currently deployed in Air Force SSgt Logan Ireland.  He had this to say about the announcement.

"For my President to deny an able bodied, fully qualified person the inherent right to raise their right hand and serve their country, potentially giving their own life for our freedoms, is doing this country an injustice. I would love for my President to meet me so I can tell him about the 15,500 honorably serving transgender military members that are fighting right now for their liberties and for their country." -Air Force SSgt Logan Ireland

It most definitely is an injustice to not allow trans Americans to serve their nation like everyone else who gets the choice to do.  18 other nations allow their trans citizens to serve in their military

It's also infuriating to me as a trans African American to hear the same lies that were told to attempt to justify Jim Crow military segregation being retooled to aim at transpeople who wish to openly serve our country.

But then again 45 and his party don't care about your human rights unless you are a white male wealthy Republican.

Laila Ireland Nominated For Military Spouse Of The Year

Was happy to find out thanks to her proud hubby Logan that my sis Laila Ireland has been nominated for Military Spouse of the Year!

From the nomination page:

Laila Ireland is a transgender advocate stationed with her husband at Peterson AFB. She medically retired from the Army in December of 2015. Earlier that year, she publicly came out as transgender to the world while being in the military when the New York Times released a short documentary called “Transgender, at War and in Love”. The documentary featured her and her husband Logan, which highlighted the struggles as a dual military transgender couple to help push for open transgender service in the military.

Her advocacy work now involves speaking to schools and businesses to help carve out safe spaces for trans youth and adults, getting accessible healthcare for trans people, and training staff and students in both work places and in schools. She currently serves as the Membership Director to SPART*A Trans - an organization established and operated by transgender military members which provides transgender military personnel with guidance to navigate the new policy and its implementation. She is also a board member for Point of Pride, a non-profit organization which works to benefit trans people all over the world in need through gender-confirming support programs that empower them to live more authentically. In May 2016, she was award the Military Spouse Leadership award by the American Military Partner Association. -- Ashley Broadway-Mack, Military-Spouse


The voting for it has now started and will end on February 9, with the winners announced on February 13.  You can support our sis by clicking on this link and clicking on the VOTE Now tab.

Good luck Laila!

Openly Trans Service Member Promoted To Navy Lt. Commander

After fighting for this policy for years, since July 1, transgender members of the US Armed Forces can openly serve in our nation's military.   Ending the ban on trans troops was groundbreaking for the 15,500 trans people who are serving our country and allowed them to focus on just being the best service members they can be and not have to worry if they are going to be tossed out of the service.

It's now two months after that historic announcement, and trans history was recently made when Navy Lt. Commander Blake Dremann became the first open trans service member to be promoted post open service in a ceremony also attended by his parents in the President's Room of the Navy Memorial in Washington DC.

On his promotion stage as he advanced to  Lt. Commander from Lieutenant, everyone was transgender, including the persons who emceed the event in Air Force Major Bryan Fram and the person administering the oath in Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Amanda Simpson,

Simpson herself made history when she in 2010 became the first trans feminine presidential appointee, and is now the highest ranking trans person in the Department of Defense.  

Dremann is used to firsts in his 10 year Navy career.  In 2011 he was one of the first female bodied persons to integrate submarine crews.  He has been deployed 11 times and since 2015 has been stationed inside the Pentagon.

And in his off duty time, Lt Commander Dremann has succeeded Army vet Sue Fulton as president of SPART*A, which has over 500 trans active duty or veteran members.

But as Assistant Secretary Simpson said in her concluding remarks, "Today isn't about firsts.  This ceremony is about following the grand traditions of the United States Navy and the high standards of trust and service and thus specifically, Blake Dremann.   That is why we are all here."

And if we make a little trans history along the way, that's all good, too.
 

US Trans Military Service Ban Repealed!

"Effective immediately, transgender Americans can serve openly, and they no longer can be discharged...just for being transgender.”
Defense Secretary Ash Carter

After a year of study, a historic moment for American trans people happened today as Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced moments ago that the longstanding DOD policy ban on trans people serving openly in the biggest baddest military force on our planet has been repealed.

Of course we will hear the conservafool movement freak out about the military not being 'a place for social engineering', but they said the same thing back in 1947 after Harry Truman desegregated the military and in the aftermath of DADT repeal in 2010.

This announcement by Sec. Carter comes as a major relief to the estimated 15,500 trans people currently serving in our armed forces. It also allows trans people who wish to join and serve in our military to be able to do so.

There are 18 nations, including several NATO allies like Great Britain that have allowed trans people to openly serve in their nation's military forces without incident, and Canada has allowed it for over 20 years.

"Americans who want to serve and meet our standards should be afforded the opportunity to do so," said Secretary Carter. "Implementation will begin today."

That implementation of the policy will take place over the next year, and it is a day that we in Trans World who have served, are serving or wish to serve in our nation's military have been awaiting for a while..

End Of Trans Military Service Ban Coming?

Good news finally for the estimated 15,500 trans people serving in our country's military.

According to a USA Today report, the Pentagon is ready to announce on July 1 that the ban on open military service for trans Americans will be lifted

It will end nearly a year of internal military forces bickering concerning how the various branches of our armed forces would implement open military service..

 Top military officials re planning to meet on Monday to finalize details of the open trans military service plan, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work could sign off on that plan as early as Wednesday, with final approval coming from defense Secretary Ash Carter.

Once that happens, the various armed service branches would have up to a year to implement policies that affect recruiting, housing, and uniforms for trans service members.

We'll see if it happens next week, but if it does, it would be another positive milestone for US trans people, and would add the United States to the list of 18 nations that allow their trans citizens to serve their country.

What's The Holdup For Open Trans Military Service?

There are over 15,000 trans people serving in the US Armed Forces, and they and their trans siblings on the home front are wondering what is taking so long for the US Department of Defense to get on the job and create the rules and policies necessary in order for them to not have to hide who they are and serve our country.

According to a published August 25 USA Today report from Pentagon documents  the US ban on transgender troops serving openly in our armed forces would end on May 27.  Yeah we know it's an election year, but if y'all had not throw us under the bus during that lame duck 2010 session, you'd already have that mission of open trans military service accomplished by now

The clock is ticking toward that date, and inquiring minds in Trans World and our siblings currently serving in our nation's armed forces want to know what's up and is the Pentagon still on schedule to make that open trans service happen?.

Guess we'll find out in a few days.

Laila Ireland Wins AMPA Military Spouse Leadership Award

May 6 was Military Spouse Appreciation Day, and how apropos was it that on Saturday night in our nation's capital the third annual American Military Partner Association's (AMPA) national gala was held in our nation's capital at the Hyatt Regency Washington Capitol Hill.

So what's the American Military Partner Association?  It  is a 501(c)(3)  organization founded in 2009 by the same gender loving partners of active duty service members that has grown to 45,000 members.

AMPA's mission is connecting, supporting, honoring, and serving the partners and spouses of America’s LGBT service members.   Since its founding, AMPA has become the nation's largest resource and support network for the partners, spouses, families and allies of America's trans, bi, lesbian and gay service members.

Ever since last year's LGBT Pride Reception, Army Cpl Laila and her Air Force Senor Airman spouse Logan Ireland have been getting increasing visibility and attention as just two representatives of the over 15,000 trans Americans who are serving in the US Armed Forces.

And what's ever cooler about Laila and Logan is they are a married trans military couple featured in the documentary Transgender, At War and In Love.

We hope that later this month open trans military service will finally become a reality for the Irelands and our trans siblings proudly serving in our nation's military.

At Saturday's AMPA Gala, Laila received the American Military Partner Association's Military Spouse Leadership Award.

Here's video of Laila's AMPA Military Spouse Leadership Award acceptance speech at the AMPA Gala.



Congratulations Laila!  It was well deserved,.and thank you, Logan and all our trans siblings for your service for us and our country.