Friday 14 March 2014

US MilitaryTransgender ban

From the AP

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ban in the U.S. since Congress in 2010 repealed the law that barred gay,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.

6 comments:

Billie said...

Some things change slowly.

Anonymous said...

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

Zoe Brain said...

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.

Anonymous said...

You got to be sick in the first place to join the military.
Sheep follow orders.

Mike

Zoe Brain said...

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.

Anonymous said...

"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