Active Military Specific Transgender Support Groups

[Guest crissy_oakley]

Hello All,

For those of you in the Virginia Hampton Roads area, I am looking into joining an Active Duty Military Specific Transgender Support Group, since we are restricted from joining Military LGBT groups. Not restricted in the since of not being welcome but that rather restricted, due to the risk of outing ourselves.

If there is not such a group, I would be interested in creating one.

Chrissy

[Guest Kaylee234]

You mean only for active duty military? No ex-military or retirees?

~ Kay

[Guest crissy_oakley]

Kay,

I know it seems overly restrictive but there are reasons why. I had envisioned a group of active/reserve personnel who are actively transitioning. I know many transexuals who began their transition after they were discharged or retired. However, they have not lived with the challenge of finding medical care, mental health care, and on HRT while serving (with all the challenges involved, i.e deployments). If a discharged or retired service member who began their transition while serving, they would be wanted as well.

I am not looking to make a group that is separate from the larger transexual/transgender community but one that supplements the support one enjoys from the larger community.

Chrissy

[Guest Kaylee234]

I totally understand, Chrissy. Just wanted to clarify. Unfortunately I wouldn't be of any help, since I didn't really start until a few months after I retired. The difficulties you refer to are only one of the reasons I waited.

I hope that some day soon, active duty trans people will get the support they need. It's hard enough succeeding in the military without having to hide who you are.

~ Kay

[Guest crissy_oakley]

Kay,

Oddly enough, I don't actively hide my gender from the military. I wear my uniform within the regulations, however that uniform does no indicate my gender. I am always a woman, whether I am in or out of uniform. Those at work may perceive me as male but that is not my issue.

Chrissy

[Guest Kaylee234]

I'm glad you are able to be yourself while still serving. I never felt like I was able to. Perhaps community has a lot to do with it. Mine felt very oppressive. People were booted for any reason "they" could come up with. I definitely felt unable to express myself there.

Of course, in my community mental health was a huge issue. Someone with suicidal ideations would find themselves at Portsmouth Mental Ward so fast their head would spin. Then you'd never see or hear from them again; they would just disappear. That knowledge, coupled with the fact that for years ideations of my own were never more than a thought or two away, made my life a kind of Orwellian nightmare. I'm very glad your experience is different.

~ Kay

[Guest Gina9223]

This is a tough row to hoe. With being Trans still against regulations and anyone indentifying as Trans open to harassment and discharge most keep thier heads down so far that I doubt you'll find many who do stick their heads up publically.

However, Brynn Tannehill has started a group over on Facebook for active duty Trans and with the support of SLDN/OutServe. Maybe approach her and talk about it and the logistics.

[Guest Seanna]

I considered coming out several times while I was serving, but I always felt like I would be demoted, have a few paychecks stripped away and eventually kicked out...if not locked up. The military is far from an easy environment in which to come to terms with yourself, so I just stuck with dressing on Halloween and kept my head down the rest of the year. I applaud you for being braver than I!

<3 Sheala

[Guest crissy_oakley]

Kay,

I am working at Dam Neck and I haven't had any issues. I did come out to my immediate supervisor as LGBT and had his full-supprt (even though he kept pressing for which letter, I fell under)

Gina,

I had posted on the OS Trans site about this. There are many who publicly dress and attend transgender support meetings in my area. There are risks, of course, but those risks can be mitigated. Those who would attend have already determined those risks and are doing what they can to mitigate their risks, as well. Besides, how you dress is not an indication that you are transexual. The process of discharging you due medical disqualification, starts with you informing that DoD that you are transexual.

Sheala,

Just because you dress isn't a actionable offense, since the repeal of DADT.

Chrissy

[Guest Seanna]

I wasn't aware that they removed the language about dress along with DADT. Last I checked, wearing clothing "of the opposite gender", even underwear, was specifically listed as an actionable offense, separate from DADT in the UCMJ. If that has changed, that is great news for those of you who are still in!

<3 Sheala

[Guest crissy_oakley]

Shea,

There is nothing in the UCMJ with expressly forbids, dressing in the attire of the opposite gender. While Article 133: Conduct Unbecoming and Article 134: The General Article could be evoked, these articles were used prior to and during DADT, when bringing charges up against LGBT service members.

Could I still be subject to these articles, yes. However, unless I am dressed as the opposite gender on a military establishment, it is very unlikely. If you were dressed in public there are plenty of reason you could give, as a cover story, if you were spotted.

Chrissy

[Guest Seanna]

Good to know! It doesn't really affect me anymore, but great information regardless. I may have just been hung up on the times when 133 and 134 had been used in that way. Thanks for the info!

<3 Sheala

[Guest crissy_oakley]

Shea,

The real threat to those who are on active/reserve duty and transitioning, concerns HRT and to a lesser extent therapy. If you go to a non-Military Physician, you will fall outside of military regulation if that medical care is not disclosed to the military.

Chrissy

[Guest Seanna]

Interesting. I got off Active Duty last year, but I still have a little over a year left on IRR. They're in for a surprise if they try to call me back...I'm going through the VA, though, I wonder if they report anything back to IRR.

[Guest crissy_oakley]

I believe you are fine with the VA. The only issue you would have, is if you are recalled to active duty. Upon which, you would be medically discharged...

[Guest Seanna]

Yeah, I've already thought about that. I'd be glad to serve in a time of need, but there's no way on earth I'll go back into hiding for their sake! So, like I said, if they call me back, they're in for a surprise...and, in the end, won't take me back. I guess I'll just ride out my IRR and hope that doesn't happen, since it would involve a ton of unneeded paperwork and unwanted judgement.

Anyway, it seems that I've high-jacked your thread and gone a bit off topic I'll let you get back to your Active Duty discussions.

<3 Sheala

[Guest Merc]

Crissy--

Are you sure you can find a sizable amount of people who are active duty and deciding to transition without getting out? I waited 6 months to get out just so I could be a civilian during transition, for the reasons you specified above.

Technically there is still a clause in ODPMC[other designated physical & mental conditions] that can rule someone out for being transgender/transsexual. Not that it should keep anyone from trying. In fact, I could only get out by faking PT failure(thanks to the help of my BC); but I personally don't see a reason to take any more flak from transition. It's hard enough as a civilian, the problems that can be encountered in the military are like 20 fold. Although I do miss the military, I'd say in 5 years or less, the US will follow Canada and Australia in their transgender policies.

I'm too curious though, how did you plan on getting on HRT? Black market? Some civilian doctor? My supervisor sent me a news clipping form the Army Times about a transgender man. I'm sure you've read it. He basically had to outsource for his medications. And then, it won't be as cheap as if you just payed co-payment with the VA.

~Emily

[Guest Mikayla724]

Hmm I might be in some serious trouble then as I've been going to the VA and been getting treatment for GID and I even started hormones but I have less than two years left on my contract with the national guard. I could go the failed pt test route as I just failed one yesterday as I have no interest in being there. And I have a flight physical coming up and I'm sure they are going to do blood work so they are going to get some interesting information. I feel like this could further harm me as being in aviation on flight orders we aren't allowed to take medication with the flight doc saying we can fly while taking it.

[Guest Merc]

Hmm I might be in some serious trouble then as I've been going to the VA and been getting treatment for GID and I even started hormones but I have less than two years left on my contract with the national guard. I could go the failed pt test route as I just failed one yesterday as I have no interest in being there. And I have a flight physical coming up and I'm sure they are going to do blood work so they are going to get some interesting information. I feel like this could further harm me as being in aviation on flight orders we aren't allowed to take medication with the flight doc saying we can fly while taking it.

I don't know about National Guard, it's quite a bit different than regular active. I also didn't get out all on my own, I told my supervisor about my condition, who told the commander, who told the battalion commander. It was then the battalion commander's idea to get me out on PT failure. So that was officially what was on the books, and I think it's different notifying your supervisor about this sort of thing. Even then, someone in Army separation evaluated me, and asked how it was even possible to fail PT(they had a big say in me getting out on that chapter 13 or not).

Whatever you choose to do, good luck with it!