Transgender recognition, of course.<\/p>\n
From here<\/a>:<\/p>\n Transgender vets want military access for own<\/strong><\/p>\n SAN FRANCISCO \u2014 Before handcuffing herself to the White House fence, former Petty Officer First Class Autumn Sandeen carefully pinned three rows of Navy ribbons to her chest. Her regulation dress blue skirt, fitted jacket, hat and black pumps were new \u2014 fitting for a woman who spent two decades serving her country as a man.<\/p>\n Sandeen was the only transgender person among the six veterans arrested in April while protesting the military\u2019s ban on openly gay troops. But when she watched President Obama last month sign the hard-fought bill allowing for the ban\u2019s repeal, melancholy tinged her satisfaction.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is another bridesmaid moment for the transgender community,\u201d the 51-year-old San Diego resident said.<\/p>\n The \u201cdon\u2019t ask, don\u2019t tell\u201d policy now heading toward history does not apply to transgender recruits, who are automatically disqualified as unfit for service. But the military\u2019s long-standing posture on gender-identity has not prevented transgender citizens from signing up before they come out, or from obtaining psychological counseling, hormones and routine health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs once they return to civilian life.<\/p>\n So as the Pentagon prepares to welcome openly gay, lesbian and bisexual service members for the first time, Sandeen is not alone in hoping the U.S. will one day join the seven other nations \u2014 Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Israel, the Czech Republic, Thailand and Australia \u2014 that allow transgender troops.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is really no question, it\u2019s just a matter of when,\u201d said former Army Capt. Allyson Robinson, 40, a 1994 West Point graduate who has spoken to sociology classes at the alma mater she attended as a male cadet. \u201cThere are active-duty, as well as reserve and national guard transgender service members, serving today.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n And why not? After all, that\u2019s what the modern army is all about: psychological counselling, hormone treatment, gender re-assignment, bridesmaid moments and a spot of wrinkle removing cosmetic surgery thrown in for good measure.<\/p>\n Make women, not war.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Transgender recognition, of course. From here: Transgender vets want military access for own SAN FRANCISCO \u2014 Before handcuffing herself to the White House fence, former Petty Officer First Class Autumn Sandeen carefully pinned three rows of Navy ribbons to her … Continue reading