The Impact Of Transgenders In The Military

The negative stereotypes regarding transgender people serving in the military are rooted in envy towards the values that the nation’s founding fathers instilled. Since America was founded, the mission of the country’s good will towards protecting its prosperity relies on the strength of the military. The Army represents some of America’s most confident citizens who are capable of upholding the norms of society through their service. Soldiers are expected to establish a sense of honor and integrity, which makes their commitment to a stable sense of self the driving force of their service to their country. Soldiers must command respect from all citizens of American and other nations. A Soldier’s professional appearance along with his or

First, Transgender military troops should serve in the military, because any American who meets current medical and readiness standards should have the right to serve in the military. They got rid of Transgenders in the military, because they don’t want to pay for medical bills when a lot of the Transgenders that serve in the military have already had their surgeries done. For example, There is no reason to force service members who can fight, train, and deploy to leave the military — regardless of their gender identity. If they can do exactly what everyone else can do, they don’t have the right to ban them from serving our country, despise their gender. According to Ada Edelman, “No American, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be prohibited from honor + privilege of serving our nation #LGBT,’ tweeted Rep.” In addition, The Department of Defense found that health care funds will remain broadly unaffected by allowing Transgender people to serve while health care cost raise will likely be no more than one-tenth of 1 percent. The financial cost of health care for Transgender individuals should not be used as an excuse to deny patriotic Americans an opportunity to serve their country. Overall, Transgender troops should serve in the military if they are capable and are medically stable to.

Every day, there are American citizens who risk their lives for the sake of their country's safety. Men and women who believe that justice, peace, and equality should be served. However, within their beliefs, some choose to exclude transgender individuals who have the same rights and freedoms. The American society considers the world to be progressively changing and growing, however, seem to forget that in order for the military to survive the 21st century, diversity is crucial. Although the medical costs may raise the overall healthcare median per year, transgender individuals should have the right to serve in the U.S. armed forces because any human being who meets the physical qualifications and has a willing attitude should have the right to serve.

It was in December 1993 that Clinton issued a defense directive that military candidates should not be asked about their sexual orientation (Washington Post). This allowed gays who were not openly gay to serve in the military, however it still prohibited openly gay people to serve in the military. Over the years, the law has faced its share of challenges, many which ended up in a court room. In 2006, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and the law was also upheld five times in federal courts (Washington Post). These doings have ultimately led up to the most recent actions involving the law. In 2008, President Obama campaigned on the promise that he would fully repeal the law (Washington Post). In 2010, both the Senate and House of Representatives voted to repeal the law, allowing President Obama to sign the repeal. (USNI) This repeal effectively ended a 17 year ban on open gays being able to serve in the United States military.

Transgendered persons can potentially lose their position in the military. Although other political leaders disagree with president’s trumps proposal. I disagree with the proposed actions that transgenders should be banned from the military, based on material and nonmaterial components. The terms Heterosexism, cultural relativism, feminist and standpoint theory will be used to support my decision.

Banning transgenders from serving in the military contradicts civil liberties. The government would be in violation of that law because it protects the rights of citizens. The U.S. Constitution does state in the first 10 amendments, which is the Bill of rights was designed to protect the citizen’s rights and freedom. Transgenders is a choice, a person’s choice, much like religion. The government has no authority to intervene on a personal free choice as free citizen. Banning transgenders from serving in the military is considered a form of discrimination and violates the Bill of Rights. Power is limited on the government and denies the right to interfere with a citizen’s personal choices.

According to the opposing group, the presence of LGBT people in the military undermines the trust among soldiers and can reduce the overall effectiveness of the military. While they think all who want to serve the military should, they also think not all of them are able to. One says there are certain qualifications and expectations in the military and if you are transitioning or

This statement left me with more of a questions than answers, and it became necessary to research the information. How does being transgender make our military forces less focused? How does being

Recently, Carter attempted to eliminate the grey area by changing the Pentagon policy to allow transgender Americans to serve openly in the military, with all reassignment costs paid for by the government. The Defense Department policy states if service members’ abilities to serve are hindered by a “medical condition or treatment related to their gender identity,” they will be treated (May). This new policy requires the government to pay for expensive treatments for all transgender Americans. As a result, the number of deployable troops is decreased. The policy also encourages the large possibility of

The 2016 election was a turning point for many individuals in the United States, not least of which were members of the LGBT community. In mid-July, President Trump made an announcement over Twitter that resulted in upheaval and uncertainty for those serving in the military: transgender soldiers would no longer be allowed to serve in the military in any capacity. The ban of transgender troops in the military, made in a highly unorthodox manner, should have no major financial repercussions but may cause many social issues. While the decision has caused open turmoil in the Pentagon and the LGBT community, it is still unofficial.

In 2016, former president, Barack Obama lifted the ban of transgenders being in the military. Now the question comes up, should transgender be allowed in the military? This is a very “touchy” topic as when discussed in verbal debates, situations can become pretty heated. Recently, current president, Donald Trump reversed the decision and put the ban back on as he made the announcement on Twitter saying, the military does not need to be “burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgenders in the military would entail.” (Caceres). Several members of the military have voiced their opinions on why they think transgenders should be allowed in with no problem.

The military excludes Transgender individuals from serving because, according to Kayla Quam, “In order to join the military, individuals need to meet the physical and psychological standards listed in the Department of Defense’s Medical Standard for Appointment, Enlistment, or Introduction in the Military Services (‘DoDI 613.03’)” (721). Because of physical and mental exams many transgender individuals choose to keep their abnormalities a secret, forcing them to live a double life. Many are disqualified because of mental and false health issues. For example, “Transgender [people] who have undergone sex-reassignment surgery are disqualified under a medical regulation during the physical exam,” and Transgender individuals who have not undergone “sex-reassignment surgery but identify as transgender are disqualified under the psychological examination” (Ross 190). The military deems Transgender individuals as unfit to serve, but approximately 15,500 transgender individuals are serving in the military and there are 134,200 transgender veterans (Gate and Herman 1). Proving that transgender individuals have served in the military successfully, playing against all odds the military is in fact wrong to classify transgender individuals as unfit to serve.

President Barack Obama explained to the voters, saying in a statement that the “legislation will help make our Armed Forces even stronger and more inclusive by allowing gay and lesbian soldiers to serve honestly with integrity.” The bill passed by 234 to 194. This was a major victory for gay rights activists who have opposed the Pentagon Policy since it had been enacted in

Gay people have not always been barred from military service, and in fact, have served in the nation's wars throughout its history. The military's official stance toward gays and lesbians has evolved over time, often in tandem with social change. In the 1920's and 1930's, homosexuality was treated as a criminal offense, punishable by imprisonment. That attitude began to change in the early 1940's,

Many individuals were highly gracious at this idea, no matter the negativity that surrounds this topic. When referencing to the article by the New York Times on Ashton Carter’s announcement, he states “Americans who want to serve and can meet our standards should be afforded the opportunity to compete to do so. After all, our all-volunteer force is built upon having the most qualified Americans” (Rosenberg, 2016). The article’s point of view perceives an appreciative tone towards the U.S. military members and how much they sacrifice. For their sacrifices, the government is willing to help formulate policies that can open doors to a new tolerance and acceptance towards sexual identity. Through my discovery of this change in policy, I realized how much this will help not only the individuals who are suffering from this condition but it will help the companionship of the military. I struggle with being completely open with my fellow service members because of the tension there was on the topic of sexual identity. After hearing the statements made by both the Secretary of Defense and the Defense Secretary, I felt like I am part of a whole different world now that there is an understanding of the struggles and tolls taken to maintain personal happiness in such a demanding career. Having higher authorities who are able to implement policies amongst the U.S. government who have vital points of views on this controversial