I’m not sure I have all the right words to express my anger at the memo the Department of Defense issued Tuesday, giving the military just 30 days to adhere to the so-called “Transgender Ban.”
First, let’s start with the basics.
The memo means that transgender soldiers—who have signed up to serve our country, like every other soldier—who have been diagnosed after April 12th with gender dysphoria will have to present as the gender they were assigned at birth.
Let me tell you why this is a really, really bad idea.
- First and foremost, studies show that transgender individuals who are living as their true gender experience better physical and mental health. Transgender troops testified before Congress to detail how transitioning has made them better soldiers.
- Our recruitment levels are already at a minimum. Losing some 13,000 soldiers at a time when we’re already short on volunteers is a recipe for disaster.
- If recruitment levels are low, and we happen to end up in a war or conflict, the draft could be reinstated. Considering the Commander-in-Chief deferred his draft status five times due to “bone spurs” in his feet that apparently didn’t keep him from playing vigorous rounds of tennis, it’s infuriating to think that other American families might be subject to sending their own children off to war.
- Assigning a stigma to gender dysphoria will be detrimental to the progress American soldiers have made when it comes to reporting mental health concerns. It’s estimated that 14 percent of soldiers experience depression after deployment. By making gender dysphoria a mental health concern that results in expulsion from the military, it opens the door for re-stigmatizing mental health issues like depression.
The memo also indicates that after April 12th, people who live as their true gender, or are on hormone replacement therapy, will not be able to enlist.
Why this is a bad idea:
- As stated above, recruitment is low, and these are individuals who have put themselves forward to volunteer to fight for our country at risk of their lives.
- Current and former military leaders have stated a transgender ban would deprive us of needed talent.
- This will lead to an even higher rate of homelessness for transgender individuals. Many who have grown up in conservative areas end up joining the military, and finding a place among soldiers who care about their abilities, not their gender identity.
The implications of this ban do not stop with transgender soldiers, though they are the primary target. Transgender civilians, who might otherwise have had a place to go, will no longer be able to feel as if they are part of our countries civic engagement. Military families, who are just now beginning to report mental health concerns at a higher rate, may backtrack and fear repercussions of doing so. And as recruitment levels fall even further, we will lose out on potential talents of transgender individuals as well as open up the possibility of a draft in times of war.
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We celebrate Gay Pride all year long. But this year, we’re doing some special programing for a large-scale campaign #LoveEqually. We’re looking for both sponsors and contributors. Check it out! https://t.co/tkraXFPxLL pic.twitter.com/X2FlBEZb8Y
— The Good Men Project (@GoodMenProject) March 11, 2019
photo credit: geralt on Pixabay