While today is a historic and monumental day for GLB people who serve in the military with the death today of the odious Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, there’s one part of the rainbow family who still will not be able to serve in our military openly and proudly in the transgender community.
Never mind the fact that one of the people who was chained to the White House fence and arrested for protesting the DADT policy was transwoman Autumn Sandeen.
As GLB folks celebrate the demise of the policy, trans people will be having a moment of silence to note the fact that the struggle is not over for us.
As Transgender American Veteran’s Association president Monica Helms wrote in her call for a moment of silence on this day:
On this day of celebration, TAVA has one request for all of those who will be cheering and partying. We ask that everyone take a moment of silence to acknowledge that the fight is not over. A moment of silence for all of those trans people who will still face discharge when being outed.
Take a moment to remember the trans people who gave their lives in silence to protect this country. TAVA stands in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in celebrating this historical day. All we ask is for them to stand in solidarity with the trans community in our struggle to end ALL discrimination in the US military. The fight is not over.
Indeed. The fight for transpeople to openly serve in our country’s military continues.
cross-posted from TransGriot
Being a lesbian, I’m in the aforementioned GLB, but not being cis, I’m not celebrating…
I dunno… it feels like the acronym itself creates division between a cisGLB community and a trans community where only 24% of its membership identifies as straight.