Like most human rights, transgender rights can be a life-or-death matter. Recognizing and respecting transgender people improves safety _ not just for transgender individuals, but also for our nation.
That's why, despite some reservations, I view the lifting of the U.S. military ban on transgender troops as a victory.
I am not transgender. I self-identify as a lesbian of African descent. I have a deep voice and am often mistaken for a man. I have no desire to join the military nor do I want my children to join.
So I have mixed feelings about the lifting of the military's transgender ban. On one hand, I object to discrimination on any grounds. On the other hand, if subjected to the draft, I would be a conscientious objector. I am not pro-military. I am anti-discrimination.
I worry that transgender soldiers may become targets for physical and sexual abuse in the military, as they are, disproportionately, in civilian society.
Some opponents of lifting the ban have suggested that transgender folks will flock to enlist just to get the medical benefits of gender re-assignment surgery. But Veronika Fimbres, a transgender African-American woman and a veteran, said that would be "like selling your soul for gender reassignment. The government then owns you."
Fimbres was mocked and teased while serving in the military. She had not transitioned and was simply being herself but was called "gay boy" and "princess" and physically and sexually abused.
She transitioned after leaving the military and subsequently worked for Veteran Affairs as a nurse. She was the first transgender officer to serve as a San Francisco commissioner of the VA. She sees the down side of the lifting of the ban as greater scrutiny and more controversy surrounding transgender troops.
"There will still be racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia," she said.
Still, attitudes change. At one time, women could not serve in in combat. "Don't ask, don't tell" was military policy for lesbians, gays and bisexuals from 1994 to 2011.
When "don't ask, don't tell" ended in 2011, thousands of gay and lesbian soldiers came out of the closet. But the transgender community was left in limbo, still subject to court martial simply for being who they were. Some estimates put the transgender military population as high as 15,000.
Studies have shown a stronger military with the inclusion of women, lesbians, gays and bisexuals. Bringing transgender soldiers out of the shadows will likewise improve an institutional climate of secrecy and fear.
Hiding who you are is bad for individuals and for organizations. But the military is going to need training on how to interact with the transgender soldiers, just as training was and is needed to prevent racism, sexism and homophobia.
As Kevin Martin, a 20-year military veteran, put it, no one should have to lie about who they are in order to serve: "If they are allowed to die for our country, they must be allowed to live as themselves."
