They disagree on the science?
Air Force General Paul Selva was required to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday for his reappointment as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
He was asked about the delay in enlisting transgender troops.
Our decision to delay the accessions of transgender individuals into the services was largely based on a disagreement on the science of how mental health care and hormone therapy for transgender individuals would help solve their medical issues that are associated with gender dysphoria.
That seems strange since the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association are all pretty much in agreement about how gender dysphoria should be treated.
But it appears that at least one of the Joint Chiefs has probably been reading or listening to the ravings of Dr. Paul McHugh, retired Johns Hopkins administrator
There are a host of other issues that involve the potential physical standards, and the service chiefs asked for additional time to assess so that they can make their necessary changes to infrastructure, as well as training curriculum for our basic trainees who come in in transgender status, particularly those who have not undergone gender reassignment surgery and while they present as their target gender are physiologically still in their birth gender.
--Gen. Selva
The chiefs are misrepresenting the science about transgender troops in a disingenuous way that reflects the old Pentagon tactic of distorting the data about gays and lesbians under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell. There is no scientific dispute. Rather, there is a global medical consensus, including the American Medical Association and the Rand Corporation, that transition-related care is reliable, safe and effective.
--Aaron Belkin, Palm Center
Comments
How ridiculous for either of the two
in the bottom video to have to use a female restroom. I guess that's a mental block for me, but I'll never understand the fixation on bathrooms. If I were to meet either of those gentlemen on the street I would not even assume trans-gen, especially not in uniform. I was Army.
Now Physical Training standards, while a good sort of excuse to delay for new troops, again, shouldn't be an issue. I suppose someone actively transitioning from female to male might not immediately make the male standards but somehow I doubt that. I've known plenty of women who could do that. I sure as hell could not and many men found that unfair, still do I imagine. Oh well.
Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur
Three cisgendered women graduated Ranger school in 2015
I'm sure there are transmen who could pass basic training...even early in transition...
" In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry, and is generally considered to have been a bad move. -- Douglas Adams, The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy "
I really figured that too.
Sounds lame maybe, but I feel like any one who's born a woman but feels like a man would probably just be more likely to physically gain those capabilities as a woman, does that make sense? Not all, I know not all males even are athletic, but someone wanting to join the military usually would be.
And I've known a couple of girl friends in the Army who could indeed meet male standards. One who I know damned well could have handled combat probably mentally but surely physically. Not gay, just liked that stuff. I hated that combat stuff. I was in it for the college money. But hey, she didn't hate me for that! Some didn't like it when you admitted that, at all.
Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur