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Should transgender people be allowed to serve in the military?

Should transgender people be allowed to serve in the military?

  • Total voters
    99
X Factor

X Factor

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Hot topic of the day, it seems. Poll on the way. Personally, and this may come as a surprise, I don't think this is a fight worth having and so long as they, or anyone, can measure up to the physical standards and conduct parameters, I see no problem with it.
 
Oh good grief, ignore option 5.
 
I would almost agree but transgenderism is pretty strange and many people are not comfortable with it.

The military isn't a regular job. If it happens I am fine with it but I also understand why people don't want it.
 
Bodhisattva said:
I would almost agree but transgenderism is pretty strange and many people are not comfortable with it.

The military isn't a regular job. If it happens I am fine with it but I also understand why people don't want it.
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I'm not comfortable doing most of the things our service members do, like waking up early or physical exercise. I wouldn't expect comfort to be in their job description.

Being around someone who is trans isn't a meaningful burden. The issue i see is trust, rather than comfort. Frankly, trust among a team is the responsibility of leadership. Leadership is obligated to secure that trust by only putting grunts in positions that they can handle. If they can't handle it, that's not a trans issue but a performance/leadership issue.
 
Yes, but not in combat arms specialties, and no "government paid" sex changes.

A reminder, I don't support females in the combat specialties either.

I don't want transgender personnel to think military service is a free ride to sex-change medical procedures.
 
Absentglare said:
I'm not comfortable doing most of the things our service members do, like waking up early or physical exercise. I wouldn't expect comfort to be in their job description.

Being around someone who is trans isn't a meaningful burden. The issue i see is trust, rather than comfort. Frankly, trust among a team is the responsibility of leadership. Leadership is obligated to secure that trust by only putting grunts in positions that they can handle. If they can't handle it, that's not a trans issue but a performance/leadership issue.
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Leadership didn't have anything to do with trusting each other, performance did. We had gays (at least 2 were pretty obvious) in our company (this was during 'don't ask don't tell') and none of us cared. They were good soldiers. We could count on them.
 
X Factor said:
Hot topic of the day, it seems. Poll on the way. Personally, and this may come as a surprise, I don't think this is a fight worth having and so long as they, or anyone, can measure up to the physical standards and conduct parameters, I see no problem with it.
Click to expand...

For those who voted "no" or "undecided" we will love to hear from you.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Yes, but not in combat arms specialties, and no "government paid" sex changes.

A reminder, I don't support females in the combat specialties either.

I don't want transgender personnel to think military service is a free ride to sex-change medical procedures.
Click to expand...

How many sex change procedures have been done in the military? The number is zero.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Yes, but not in combat arms specialties, and no "government paid" sex changes.

A reminder, I don't support females in the combat specialties either.
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Why are the two related?

I don't want transgender personnel to think military service is a free ride to sex-change medical procedures.
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Should we get rid of the GI Bill?
 
If they require a lot of medical attention - no. Just as anyone with a different issue that requires a lot of medical attention shouldn't (and isn't) allowed to join the military.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Yes, but not in combat arms specialties, and no "government paid" sex changes.

A reminder, I don't support females in the combat specialties either.

I don't want transgender personnel to think military service is a free ride to sex-change medical procedures.
Click to expand...

I agree with that, just as I'd feel that same way about any elective or cosmetic surgery or treatments.
 
I voted "Yes" and here's why...

If you're willing to put your life on the line in defense of your country (assuming you met physical/academic requirements), why shouldn't you be allowed to serve your country? Those who are claiming this is either an moral or economic issue are just masking their biases. I fully understand that to many the military is viewed as a "man's world" and there are real concerns for unit cohesiveness, but such was also the case when Blacks, women and gays/lesbians were allowed to serve. Transgender candidates will certainly meet the same level of scrutiny as the aforementioned racial/gender/sexual orientation groups, but if they're willing to take a bullet in defense of their country and put up with the bigotry that's surely to come (because it's out there), then who am I to tell these people they're less qualified/less patriotic/less brave or courageous than I?
 
Glowpun said:
How many sex change procedures have been done in the military? The number is zero.
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...if so, I want to keep it that way.

IMO sex reassignment surgery costs, just like the choice to have it, should be left to the individual themselves. Not another "charge to the taxpayer."
 
X Factor said:
I agree with that, just as I'd feel that same way about any elective or cosmetic surgery or treatments.
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What about the GI Bill? Plenty of people join for that.
 
Captain Adverse said:
...if so, I want to keep it that way.

IMO sex reassignment surgery costs, just like the choice to have it, should be left to the individual themselves. Not another "charge to the taxpayer."
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It's .004 - .017% of DoD healthcare expense.

The military pays for boner meds, to the tune of $80 million/year. Trans surgeries would be 10 times less.
 
Absentglare said:
I'm not comfortable doing most of the things our service members do, like waking up early or physical exercise. I wouldn't expect comfort to be in their job description.

Being around someone who is trans isn't a meaningful burden. The issue i see is trust, rather than comfort. Frankly, trust among a team is the responsibility of leadership. Leadership is obligated to secure that trust by only putting grunts in positions that they can handle. If they can't handle it, that's not a trans issue but a performance/leadership issue.
Click to expand...

When it comes down to whose going to have my back in the trenches or whose going to put me on their back and whisk me off the battlefield to safety, I seriously doubt I'd be asking if the person is gay or straight, male or female, Black or White, born a man but thinks he's a woman or even dresses like one in his off time. All I want to know is did he/she come back for me like Forrest Gump did for Bubba. If the answer is "Yes", that person would have my utmost respect and lifelong gratitude.
 
Josie said:
If they require a lot of medical attention - no. Just as anyone with a different issue that requires a lot of medical attention shouldn't (and isn't) allowed to join the military.
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I think typically they would only require estrogen if they were male to female, or testosterone if they were female to male. Neither of those are very expensive at all as they are both cheap generics. The military spends 5 times more on viagra than transgender services. The Pentagon spends 5 times more on Viagra than transgender services - Business Insider
 
Absentglare said:
I'm not comfortable doing most of the things our service members do, like waking up early or physical exercise. I wouldn't expect comfort to be in their job description.

Being around someone who is trans isn't a meaningful burden. The issue i see is trust, rather than comfort. Frankly, trust among a team is the responsibility of leadership. Leadership is obligated to secure that trust by only putting grunts in positions that they can handle. If they can't handle it, that's not a trans issue but a performance/leadership issue.
Click to expand...

I didn't say it was a burden. I said it was a comfort issue.

It would also depend on whether the role was combat or not.
 
Captain Adverse said:
Yes, but not in combat arms specialties, and no "government paid" sex changes.

A reminder, I don't support females in the combat specialties either.

I don't want transgender personnel to think military service is a free ride to sex-change medical procedures.
Click to expand...

I concur with those items in bold. Otherwise, feel free to sign on the dotted line my brotha...sista...my man...my girl...oh, whatever. Now, drop and give me 20.:2razz:
 
No. Bradley Manning said that his gender conflict was what lead him to leak classified information. It proves that this really is a mental health issue, regardless of whether or not you agree with what Manning did by leaking info.
 
Glowpun said:
How many sex change procedures have been done in the military? The number is zero.
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Good. Neither the military nor the prison system should be paying for anybody's personal choices. It pisses me off that they do it at all... stealing our money like that.
 
truthatallcost said:
No. Bradley Manning said that his gender conflict was what lead him to leak classified information. It proves that this really is a mental health issue, regardless of whether or not you agree with what Manning did by leaking info.
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Good point...
 
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