From SPART*A
Washington, DC In response to a question asked by Martha Raddatz on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" today, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that medical regulations barring transgender people from serving in the military "continually should be reviewed."
"We appreciate that Secretary Hagel recognizes that these medical regulations are over thirty years old, are inconsistent with current medical practice, and negatively impact military readiness. They harm our service members and weaken our military," said SPART*A Policy Director, former Army Captain Allyson Robinson. "An estimated fifteen thousand transgender service members currently serve in constant fear and stress: people like Petty Officer Landon Wilson, just back from Afghanistan, who served with distinction until being drummed out simply because of who he is. We have heard story after story of commanders who question these policies because their transgender troops are valued by their units and contribute to their readiness."
SPART*A, an LGBT military organization, includes several hundred transgender members currently serving in uniform.
"We look forward to a prompt and comprehensive medical review of these regulations, which is long overdue," said Robinson. "Many of our allies, including the UK, Australia, and Israel, allow transgender people to serve with pride and honor in their armed forces. It's time for the U.S. to join them."
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From The National Center for Transgender Equality
Washington, DC - The National Center for Transgender Equality ( NCTE ) welcomes U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's statement on ABC's This Morning that the Department of Defense should review the military's policies that prohibits open transgender military service. "We look forward to working with the Pentagon to end these outdated rules that harm our military," said NCTE Executive Director Mara Keisling.
Thousands of transgender service members currently serve bravely and competently in all branches of the military, but are forced to hide who they are or risk losing their careers. Currently, military medical regulations disqualify transgender recruits require the discharge of service members found to be transgender. Keisling said, "These regulations are based on prejudices and stereotypes about who transgender people are and need to be updated to comport with modern medical science."
The military prides itself on the modernity and scientific basis of its medical regulations. Transgender service is one area where arbitrary and archaic regulations belie that pride. To be scientifically sound and retain the best qualified individuals, transgender service regulations should treat transgender recruits exactly the same as others and judge each person on their fitness to serve.
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel told ABC News that he believes the ban should be reviewed. "I do think it continually should be reviewed," he said. "I'm open to that. I'm open to those assessments, because - again, I go back to the bottom line - every qualified American who wants to serve our country should have an opportunity if they fit the qualifications and can do it," he said.
According to NCTE Executive Director, Mara Keisling, "This willingness to evaluating changes to the medical regulations is overdue but very welcome. If the Secretary were able to meet and talk with the trans service members I've met, he'd understand the answer is self-evident. These are amazing people who serve even though they must hide a basic part of who they are."
Our National Transgender Discrimination Survey, conducted by NCTE and The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, showed that about one-fifth of all transgender adults are veterans, making transgender people approximately twice as likely as others to serve in the military.
We look forward to working with the Pentagon to end counterproductive and discriminatory policy.
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