• About
  • Advertising
  • History
  • Staff
  • Contact

The Andersonian

The Anderson University Student Newspaper

Anderson University’s Student Newspaper

  • Campus News
  • Audio
  • Features
  • Arts & Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Video
  • COVID-19
You are here: Home / Opinion / Equality in America’s armed forces: Transgender community should not be barred from service

Equality in America’s armed forces: Transgender community should not be barred from service

December 5, 2018 by Guest Writer

Guest Writer: Camryn Miller

The military is an opportunity for people of different races and genders to enlist and serve. However, this is not the case for the transgender population or people with gender dysphoria.

Individuals with gender dysphoria are considered a risk to military productivity, as stated by the Trump Administration’s new policy.

This policy states that anyone in the military who “requires or has undergone” gender transition be disqualified from enlisting. This, without question,
causes a negative effect on transgender people.

They will most likely not be allowed to serve their country like everyone else, creating a pressing issue for those in the LGBTQ community.

It begs the question of whether transgender people possess the equal rights
that the American government claims they provide.

The Trump Administration is causing transgenders to be segregated from the rest of the world. Transgender individuals deserve the same right to serve their country as any other American.

The story of Nicholas Bade is one example that helps display the policy regarding the ability of transgenders to join the military. Bade had been waiting to join the Air Force for more than six months.

He was in top shape to join, had two black belts and had already aced a military aptitude test. He even had his medical records ready to go and was expecting to start training in about two months. He waited along with the
many other transgender people who wished to join the military.

In 2016, the Obama Administration established a law stating that transgender people could join the military. Before this law could be put in place, the Trump Administration shifted the policy 180 degrees, stating that due to
medical costs and the disruption of the transgender people enlisted, they would not be able to join.

These rules and regulations have become a massive headache. For these reasons, the prospect of joining the military is still one of the biggest issues for transgender individuals. In other fields, they can get jobs such as teachers and carpenters, but in the government’s eyes, they are not allowed to serve.

The issue regarding transgender people not being able to join the military could be easily resolved by the Trump Administration. The administration most likely won’t resolve this issue right away, if at all.

One of the many issues that the administration has is that the medical expenses are too much.

This is understandable, but seeing that most of the people wanting to enlist have already had medical bills and surgeries paid off, this should not be a large issue. This seems almost like an excuse that intentionally excludes transgender people from the military.

Allowing transgender people to serve in the military would be a victory for civil liberties and a step towards equal opportunity in the United States.

Camryn is a freshman social work major from Marion, Indiana

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Opinion

Watch

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Gillian Lintz interviews Dr. Sarah Neal about the current status of COVID-19 on campus and discusses the Boze Lyric Theatre’s upcoming play, “The Drowning Girls.” Mason Fridley provides updates on men’s baseball and men’s tennis standings.

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

More Video

Listen

Sky Cramer

In this audio story, Zac Tallent speaks with junior cinema and media arts major Sky Cramer about his passion for film and photography and making the most of his time at AU.

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

“Anything Goes” Encore this Saturday, April 23

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Fall Into Dance

Claire Mountcastle speaks with dancers Hannah Frick and Leah Pitman about the upcoming student-choreographed performance, Fall Into Dance.

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

The Conspiracy

Claire Mountcastle speaks with senior Melanie Marchena and director of orientation and first-year experience Nii Abrahams about The Conspiracy, a newly-formed community of students created to support AU athletics.

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

More Audio

Follow

andersonianAndersonian@andersonian·
5 Apr

Check out the latest episode:
https://andersonian.com/2022/04/05/andersonian-2022-04-04/

Reply on Twitter 1511404967436988434Retweet on Twitter 15114049674369884341Like on Twitter 15114049674369884341Twitter 1511404967436988434
andersonianAndersonian@andersonian·
27 Mar

Student-created Instagram accounts cause controversy on campus.

Read more:

https://andersonian.com/2022/03/27/instagram-accounts-polarize-students%EF%BF%BC/

Reply on Twitter 1508168748573806602Retweet on Twitter 1508168748573806602Like on Twitter 15081687485738066021Twitter 1508168748573806602
andersonianAndersonian@andersonian·
23 Mar

Check out the latest episode!

https://andersonian.com/2022/03/23/andersonian-2022-03-21/

Reply on Twitter 1506671676725022726Retweet on Twitter 15066716767250227261Like on Twitter 15066716767250227261Twitter 1506671676725022726
Load More...

The Andersonian, the student newspaper of Anderson University, Anderson, Ind., publishes a print edition and maintains this website. As a matter of institutional policy, the University administration does not review or edit Andersonian content prior to publication. The student editors are responsible for both print and online content. While the administration recognizes the role of the student press on a college campus and in journalism education, the views expressed in the Andersonian are not necessarily those of Anderson University.

© Andersonian 2017, All rights reserved · Site by Mere
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.