#adtrans

Ban on Transgender Military Service: (2014) Current U.S. Department of Defense regulations ban transgender people from military service. For decades, transgender men and women have been barred from openly serving in the military, despite the fact that recent studies show that about one-fifth of all transgender adults are veterans, making transgender people approximately twice as likely as others to serve in the military. Through public education, advocacy, and -- if necessary -- litigation, the ACLU is committed to eliminating this outdated, unfair and discriminatory ban. 

San Francisco Dep. of Public Health Study – A Snapshot of Discrimination In 1997, the SF Dept. of Public Health surveyed 392 MTF and 123 FTM transgender people. Here are some of the results

Trans-genders are also an increasing minority in American society. People are becoming aware of who they truly are and want nothing but to be comfortable with who they are. Their idea of the American dream is very similar to that of the LGBQ members. They crave to life a life just like anyone else, they just prefer to be recognized as their true gender. This, once again is very hard to do. In my opinion transgender people have it harder than LBGQ people. LGBT people have a bit more recognition, more social leaders and more representation than transgender people do. They are also more subject to receive ridicule and harassment, in the chart above it states that over 80% of trans people, both male to female (MTF) and female to male (FTM), receive verbal abuse. 37% of MTF reported physical abuse, 30% in FTM, 57% of FTM reported employment discrimination while MTF reported 46% (Transgender Issues). These people are subject to ridicule and harassment, for what? For being whom they want to be? For feeling more comfortable identifying as a different gender? Also mentioned above is that from the years 1985 to 1998 20% of murder victims were transgender and 40% of Trans were involved in police-initiated violence (Transgender Issues). Transgender also face daily struggles, like trying to use sex segregated bathrooms as well as legal issues due to birth certificates stating gender discrepancies. These are part of the struggle of achieving their American Dream. Every day they are faced with more and more obstacles that they must climb, just to achieve what many Americans already have. There is also the fact that they are banned from military service, this to me is astounding. If someone wants to fight to protect their country, let them. Even if this country has suppressed and ridiculed them for the way they wish to live, let them. It shows the amount of dedication and patriotism for where they live. 1/5 of all transgender adults are veterans, making transgender twice as likely to serve in the military as others (Discriminating Against Transgender People). It bewilders me on why they can’t fight for a country that they love, when can the discrimination end and the American Dream be opened up for all?