Difference between revisions of "Transgender Military Personnel"

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[[File:lgbtqmilitary.jpg|200px|thumb|left|LGBTQ Military]]
 
[[File:lgbtqmilitary.jpg|200px|thumb|left|LGBTQ Military]]
  
Transgender rights and issues are a prominent part of the LGBTQ human rights movement. This is particularly so in military services around the world. Most countries continue to have an outright ban on transgender military personnel. Eighteen nations, including Australia, Canada, Israel, and Great Britain, allow military service by transgender individuals.   
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Transgender rights and issues are a prominent part of the LGBTQ human rights movement. This is particularly so in military services around the world. Most countries continue to have an outright ban on transgender military personnel. Nineteen nations, including Australia, Canada, Israel, the United States and Great Britain, allow military service by transgender individuals.  The Netherlands was the first country in the world (1974) to permit transgender individuals to openly serve in the military.   
  
However, an increasing number of transgender military personnel are choosing to open up. In 2014, the first international conference on the subject was held and received significant global media coverage. The conference, held in Washington D.C. and hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union, was titled 'Perspectives on Transgender Military Service from Around the Globe'.
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Despite the ban in other countries, an increasing number of transgender military personnel are choosing to open up. In 2014, the first international conference on the subject was held and received significant global media coverage. The conference, title ‘Perspectives on Transgender Military Service from Around the Globe’, was held in Washington D.C. and hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union.
  
The U.S. Army recently relaxed its regulations on transgender military personnel, making it harder to remove such troops from service by assigning responsibility to a senior civilian official. This follows from the military's dismantlement of the 'don't ask don't tell' policy.   
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The United States is the most recent country to have  relaxed its regulations on transgender military personnel, making it harder to remove such troops from service by assigning responsibility to a senior civilian official. This follows from the military's dismantlement of the 'don't ask don't tell' policy.  The first out transgender individual to serve in the U.S. military was [[Shane Ortega]], a Sergeant in the army.   
  
According to a Williams Institute 2014 study, an estimated 15,500 transgender individuals currently serve in the U.S. military with 60% being male and 40% female. Nevertheless, an outright ban remains in place.
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According to a Williams Institute 2014 study, an estimated 15,500 transgender individuals currently serve in the U.S. military with 60% being male and 40% female. Nevertheless, an outright ban remains in place.
  
There remains a distinct disconnect between acceptance and policy on the issue today.  There is no compelling medical reason for the banning of transgender individuals from serving given current modern medical procedures.  Rather, any ban is itself a damaging and unfair policy.  Allowing transgender individuals to serve would actually reduce incidences of gender harassment, assaults, and suicides.
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The issues for serving transgender military personnel include social issues (where to sleep and shower), hormone treatment plans and other medical assistance, respect and civility with fellow members, how they are addressed, what uniform to wear, and promotion opportunities.
  
We have identified a number of high-profile transgender members of the military from around the world:
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There remains a distinct disconnect between acceptance and policy on the issue today. There is no compelling medical reason for the banning of transgender individuals from serving given current modern medical procedures. Rather, any ban is itself a damaging and unfair policy. Allowing transgender individuals to serve would actually reduce incidences of gender harassment, assaults, and suicides.
  
* [[Kristin Beck]], United States
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We have identified a number of high-profile transgender members of the military from around the world.  Simply click on their names to read their fascinating biographies.
* [[Donna Harding]], Australia
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* [[Ayla Holdom]], Great Britain
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'''Australia'''
* [[Catherine Humphries]], Australia
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* [[Lucy Jordan]], New Zealand
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* [[Donna Harding]]
* [[Alexandra Larsson]], Sweden
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* [[Catherine Humphries]]
* [[Chelsea Manning]], United States
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* [[Cate McGregor]]
* [[Natalie Murray]], Sweden
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* [[Anwen Muston]], Great Britain
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'''Canada'''
* [[Caroline R. Paige]], Great Britain
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* [[Jennifer Pritzker]], United States
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* [[Natalie Murray]]
* [[Shawn Skelly]], United States
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* [[Evan Young]], United States
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'''Great Britain'''
* [[Sarah Weston]], United States
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* [[Hannah Winterbourne]], Great Britain
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* [[Jan Hamilton]] (now known as Abigail Austen)
* [[Aaron Wexson]], United States
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* [[Ayla Holdom]]
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* [[Anwen Muston]]
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* [[Caroline R. Paige]]
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* [[Hannah Winterbourne]], aka Hannah Graf
 +
 
 +
'''Israel'''
 +
 
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* [[Lieutenant Shachar]]
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 +
'''New Zealand'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Lucy Jordan]]
 +
 
 +
'''Sweden'''
 +
 
 +
* [[Alexandra Larsson]]
 +
 
 +
'''United States
 +
 
 +
* [[Kristin Beck]]
 +
* [[Chelsea Manning]]
 +
* [[Shane Ortega]]
 +
* [[Jennifer Pritzker]]
 +
* [[Shawn Skelly]]
 +
* [[Alivia Stehlik]]
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* [[Evan Young]]
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* [[Sarah Weston]]
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* [[Aaron Wixson]]
  
 
==See Also==
 
==See Also==
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* [[Transgender Politicians]]
 
* [[Transgender Politicians]]
 
* [[Transgender Singers, Musicians and Composers]]
 
* [[Transgender Singers, Musicians and Composers]]
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* [[Transgender Activists]]
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* [[Transgender Athletes]]
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* [[Transgender Academics]]
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* [[Transgender Business Leaders]]
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* [[Notable Transgender Writers]]
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* [[Transgender Filmmakers]]
  
 
==Further Reading/Research==
 
==Further Reading/Research==
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* http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/transgender-military-members-are-in-a-precarious-position/2014/10/27/38204fd6-5870-11e4-b812-38518ae74c67_story.html
 
* http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/transgender-military-members-are-in-a-precarious-position/2014/10/27/38204fd6-5870-11e4-b812-38518ae74c67_story.html
 
* https://www.aclu.org/perspectives-transgender-military-service-around-globe
 
* https://www.aclu.org/perspectives-transgender-military-service-around-globe
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* https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2017/7/28/history-trans-people-military
  
 
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Latest revision as of 18:24, 26 September 2022

LGBTQ Military

Transgender rights and issues are a prominent part of the LGBTQ human rights movement. This is particularly so in military services around the world. Most countries continue to have an outright ban on transgender military personnel. Nineteen nations, including Australia, Canada, Israel, the United States and Great Britain, allow military service by transgender individuals. The Netherlands was the first country in the world (1974) to permit transgender individuals to openly serve in the military.

Despite the ban in other countries, an increasing number of transgender military personnel are choosing to open up. In 2014, the first international conference on the subject was held and received significant global media coverage. The conference, title ‘Perspectives on Transgender Military Service from Around the Globe’, was held in Washington D.C. and hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The United States is the most recent country to have relaxed its regulations on transgender military personnel, making it harder to remove such troops from service by assigning responsibility to a senior civilian official. This follows from the military's dismantlement of the 'don't ask don't tell' policy. The first out transgender individual to serve in the U.S. military was Shane Ortega, a Sergeant in the army.

According to a Williams Institute 2014 study, an estimated 15,500 transgender individuals currently serve in the U.S. military with 60% being male and 40% female. Nevertheless, an outright ban remains in place.

The issues for serving transgender military personnel include social issues (where to sleep and shower), hormone treatment plans and other medical assistance, respect and civility with fellow members, how they are addressed, what uniform to wear, and promotion opportunities.

There remains a distinct disconnect between acceptance and policy on the issue today. There is no compelling medical reason for the banning of transgender individuals from serving given current modern medical procedures. Rather, any ban is itself a damaging and unfair policy. Allowing transgender individuals to serve would actually reduce incidences of gender harassment, assaults, and suicides.

We have identified a number of high-profile transgender members of the military from around the world. Simply click on their names to read their fascinating biographies.

Australia

Canada

Great Britain

Israel

New Zealand

Sweden

United States

See Also

Further Reading/Research


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