Monday, the Department of Defense (DoD) released a new DoD Human Goals Charter, signed by Secretary of Defense Hagel. The last iteration of that document was released in 1998, and included mention of equal equality based on sexual orientation for civilian employees, but not for military servicemembers. The new iteration includes a language based on servicemembers, stating that “model of equal opportunity,” listing sexual orientation among the protected classes.
Being a “model of equal opportunity” doesn’t include a listing of sexual orientation in the protected classes in the DoD’s antidiscrimination policy. Handling harassment and discrimination complaints against lesbian, gay, and bisexual servicemembers is left to each command: there is no appeal after a command takes, or doesn’t take, action on such complaints.
Also what’s noticeably missing in this iteration of the DoD Human Goals Charter is any mention of equal opportunity based on gender identity. Trans servicemembers are still disallowed by DoD policy from serving openly, and this document reflects that.
“Our leaders at the Pentagon seem to think the best way to deal with the mounting evidence their transgender policy is unworkable and obsolete is to pretend the problem doesn’t exist,” said Allyson Robinson, an expert in trans military issues, on the release of the document. “In the past week alone we’ve seen them doubling down on junk science to justify their inaction and demonstrating cold indifference to the transgender heroes among them – whether they’re on the front page of the Washington Post, like discharged sailor Landon Wilson, or standing in the same room with them, like former Navy SEAL Kristin Beck at today’s ceremony. But ignorance doesn’t make sound policy, and I believe our military should be leading the way in inclusion, not bringing up the rear. Our troops deserve better, and so does our country.”
I agree.
“Monday’s gesture was a good first step toward an official policy that includes sexual orientation,” joined Brynn Tannehill, the advocacy director of Servicemembers, Partners, Allies For Respect, And Tolerance For All (SPART*A). “Some of the statements made by the Pentagon regarding transgender personnel were inaccurate.
“The assertion that transgender people are not deployable is demonstrably false. The DoD routinely deploys uniformed transgender DoD employees and non-uniformed contractors to Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Persian Gulf for over a decade and embeds them with forces there.
“The reality is that the outdated medical policies are causing problems for commanders who want to retain their best personnel,” Tannehill added, “and for medical professionals who are being forced to go against their professional code of ethics. The existing policy also exacerbates some of the worst problems facing the DoD today. Transgender service members who are sexually assaulted are afraid to report the crime, because they could lose their careers if the investigation outs them. Transgender servicemembers returning from multiple combat tours are reluctant to talk to mental health professionals because being fully honest will also result in losing their careers.”
A commission, co-chaired by former U.S. Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders, in mid-March concluded “there is no compelling medical reason for the ban” on transgender military service, adding that current policy is “expensive, damaging and unfair barrier to health care access for the approximately 15,450 transgender personnel” who are currently serving.
As a trans veteran, it’s not hard to conclude the same thing that Tannehill does. “The outdated medical policy serves no rational purpose, but does grievous harm to people who only wish to serve their country with honor. Delaying a review of existing policy does them a grave disservice … while doing nothing to further national security interests.”
One day, when trans servicemembers will be allowed to serve openly in the military services, we’ll look back at this iteration of the DoD Human Goals Charter and see it as a failure for failing to include equal opportunity for servicemembers based on gender identity as a goal.
It is as Robinson concluded: the LGBT community and its servicemembers deserve better that what the DoD put forward as their Human Goals Charter this past Monday.
The simple bottom line, lost on so many, is that the military has better sense than to open the ranks to openly transgender individuals. It would be a disaster.
Trans extremists like Sandeen must also be masochists, all branches of the military have a problem with sexual assaults, and the perpetrators going unpunished. So when I see columns like this from Sandeen I can’t help what degree of sickness has infected Sandeen’s sense of humor.
Anne
There has always seemed to be a strong streak of masochism among male transgender people like Sandeen.