The Navy is considering whether to follow the path laid down by the Army and Air Force by raising the level of authority required to discharge a sailor based on gender identity.
The Navy is looking to elevate the administrative separation authority for transgendered personnel to ensure that this important issue receives the right level of review. Any proposed changes would not affect the level of discharge authority for other instances of administrative separation.
--Lt. Cmdr Nicole Schwegman, Navy spokesperson
Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” enabled openly gay people to serve in the U.S. military, but transgender people are still barred from service because of medical regulation. DOD Instruction 6130.03 calls for separation of service members who undergo gender reassignment or have “psychosexual conditions” that include transvestitism or transsexualism.
Raising the level of authority required to discharge a transgender sailor is certainly a step in the right direction and would bring the Navy in line with the Army and Air Force. However, it does not change the ultimate risk of being fired that transgender troops continue to face simply for being open and honest about who they are. We need the Department of Defense to update the outdated regulations across all branches of service that continue to harm our transgender service members and their families.
--Ashley Broadway-Mack, president, American Military Partner Association
The Marine Corps is not currently reviewing changes to the decision-making authorities for the involuntary separation of any of our Marines.
--statement in response to a Stars and Stripes inquiry
Maybe it's my religious background, but I believe that all babies are born perfect; but some require surgical intervention to live healthy lives. Most of us require surgical intervention at some point in our lives. But if that surgery involves sex organs, we freak out; we revert to junior-high gross-out reactions. Which is why few people know about the thousands of children born with indeterminate genitalia, or XXY chromosomes; we are more comfortable believing that there is no blurring of the line between "male" and "female" in brain and body. But that's false.
--Sue Fulton, president, SPARTA
On Capitol Hill there is movement to change the rules which prohibit transgender service. Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), who has a transgender granddaughter, is gathering signatures for
a letter he intends to deliver to Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter. Meanwhile Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) is lining up support for a bill she wishes to introduce which will remove the Pentagon's administrative dismissal rule in regards to transgender members.
The current ban has hurt our troops and damaged our national defense for too long. Ms. Speier wrote in a letter her office is sharing with potential co-sponsors. Many in uniform endure tremendous challenges and setbacks — emotional, financial and professional — because they are forced to serve in silence.
--Rep Speier
I think we should start looking at this in a very mature way, set aside our old notions. Does being transgender keep them from serving? No. It should be like any other soldier. Put them through basic training. They either make it or they don’t.
As policymakers, we have to lead by example. Sometimes a teaching moment is more important than a bill.
--Rep. Honda
Last March Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA)
sent a letter similar to Honda's to the Pentagon.
The emerging picture of transgender troops is one of quiet professionals with distinguished service records. Many are combat veterans with critical skills. They’re an impressive, talented bunch. Their careers and accomplishments have rendered moot the question of whether transgender people are fit for military service.
--Ernesto Londoño, NY Times