An independent commission led by a former U.S. surgeon general has
concluded there "is no compelling medical reason" for the U.S. armed
forces to prohibit transgender Americans from serving and that President
Barack Obama could lift the decades-old ban without approval from
Congress, according to a report being released Thursday.
"We determined not only that there is no compelling medical reason for
the ban, but also that the ban itself is an expensive, damaging and
unfair barrier to health care access for the approximately 15,450
transgender personnel who serve currently in the active, Guard and
reserve components," said the commission led by Dr. Joycelyn Elders, who
served as surgeon general during Bill Clinton's first term as
president, and Rear Adm. Alan Steinman, a former chief health and safety
director for the Coast Guard.
At least a dozen nations, including Australia, Canada, England and
Israel, allow military service by transgender individuals. Transgender
rights advocates have been lobbying the Pentagon to revisit the blanket
ban in the U.S. since Congress in 2010 repealed the law that barred gay,
lesbian and bisexual individuals from openly serving in the military.
"At this time there are no plans to change the department's policy
and regulations which do not allow transgender individuals to serve in
the U.S. military," said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a defense
department spokesman.
I wonder how you can have a ban on transgender Americans from service, while also having approximately 15,450 transgender personnel serve currently in the active, guard, and reserve components ?
While they are not American, I expect one of those statements may be misleading.
"hose who “abjure” violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf." ====================== If that were true the U.S. would be dead by now. The bully gets the cheese.
Actually, I am a Rocket Scientist.
Also hormonally odd (my blood has 46xy chromosomes anyway) and for most of my life, I looked male, and lived as one, trying to be the best Man a Gal could be. Anyway, in May 2005 that started changing naturally for reasons still unclear, and I'm now Zoe, not Alan : happier and more relaxed not to have to pretend any more.
UPDATE - reason now identified as the 3BHSD form of CAH.
This blog, written by a rocket scientist, is a fascinating collection of information, both personal and scientific, regarding intersex, transsexualism and related psychosocial and psychosexual issues. ... It is erudite and heartfelt. Just read the posts about the passport issue. You won't know whether to laugh, weep or crawl into a ball and rock gently in a corner - an amazing person. - David --- The reason I so appreciate bright, perceptive people - as opposed to ideologues whose intelligence does little to illuminate - is that they manage to both instruct and learn with a certain grace. Among such rarities in the transblogosphere is Zoe, whose direct speech and clear humanity always make her worth reading, even if one doesn’t always agree with her every conclusion. - Val --- The following is a request for permission to archive your A.E.Brain blog site which we have wanted to do for several years... The Library has traditionally collected items in print, but it is also committed to preserving electronic publications of lasting cultural value.... Since (1996) we have been identifying online publications and archiving those that we consider have national significance.... We would like to include A.E.Brain blog site in the PANDORA Archive... -Australian National Library
6 comments:
Some things change slowly.
I wonder how you can have a ban on transgender Americans from service, while also having approximately 15,450 transgender personnel serve currently in the active, guard, and reserve components ?
While they are not American, I expect one of those statements may be misleading.
din
din
They're not open about it. When found out, they're terminated.
In theory... in practice good CO's will turn a blind eye unless forced to act by higher command.
You got to be sick in the first place to join the military.
Sheep follow orders.
Mike
Mike - George Orwell said it best:
PACIFIST. Those who “abjure” violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf.
- Notes on Nationalism.
There are wolves. There are sheep. There are, if we're lucky, sheepdogs - but all too many are wolves or sheep in disguise.
"hose who “abjure” violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf."
======================
If that were true the U.S. would be dead by now. The bully gets the cheese.
Mouse
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