Teresa​ ​Gonzales

​ ​Should​ ​Transgender’s​ ​Serve​ ​In​ ​the​ ​Military?

Gender​ ​Identity:​ ​a​ ​person’s​ ​internal,​ ​personal​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​being​ ​a​ ​man​ ​or​ ​a​ ​woman.​ ​The​ ​sex​ ​they

were​ ​assigned​ ​at​ ​birth​ ​and​ ​their​ ​own​ ​internal​ ​gender​ ​does​ ​not​ ​match.​ ​(Glaad,​ ​par​ ​1)​ ​Gender​ ​Dysphoria:​ ​A

conflict​ ​between​ ​a​ ​person’s​ ​physical​ ​or​ ​assigned​ ​gender​ ​and​ ​the​ ​gender​ ​with​ ​he/she/they​ ​identity​ ​with.

(Parekh,​ ​par​ ​1).​ ​Until​ ​June​ ​2016,​ ​the​ ​Department​ ​of​ ​Homeland​ ​Security​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Department​ ​of​ ​Defense

openly​ ​prohibited​ ​transgender​ ​individuals​ ​from​ ​accession​ ​in​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​military​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​discharge​ ​of​ ​such

individuals.​ ​Before​ ​President​ ​Obama​ ​left​ ​office,​ ​the​ ​administration​ ​permitted​ ​transgender​ ​individuals​ ​to

serve​ ​openly​ ​in​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​Military.​ ​As​ ​of​ ​July​ ​26,​ ​President​ ​Donald​ ​Trump​ ​announced​ ​that​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​military

would​ ​no​ ​longer​ ​accept​ ​or​ ​allow​ ​transgender​ ​people​ ​in​ ​its​ ​rank.​ ​The​ ​question​ ​that​ ​arises​ ​for​ ​me​ ​with​ ​this

topic​ ​is​ ​should​ ​transgender​ ​Americans​ ​be​ ​allowed​ ​to​ ​serve​ ​in​ ​the​ ​military?​ ​If​ ​so,​ ​why​ ​or​ ​why​ ​not?​ ​This

really​ ​impacted​ ​me​ ​when​ ​I​ ​heard​ ​about​ ​this​ ​because​ ​I​ ​couldn’t​ ​comprehend​ ​why​ ​these​ ​individuals​ ​are

being​ ​deprived​ ​of​ ​serving​ ​their​ ​country.​ ​My​ ​initial​ ​thoughts​ ​were​ ​this​ ​is​ ​discrimination​ ​or​ ​maybe​ ​there​ ​is​ ​a

real​ ​potential​ ​danger​ ​of​ ​them​ ​serving​ ​in​ ​the​ ​military.​ ​I​ ​want​ ​to​ ​start​ ​my​ ​research​ ​with​ ​the​ ​reasons​ ​why​ ​this

transgender​ ​ban​ ​was​ ​put​ ​into​ ​place.​ ​I​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​once​ ​that​ ​is​ ​established​ ​then​ ​I​ ​can​ ​branch​ ​off​ ​of​ ​that.

In​ ​“Should​ ​Transgender​ ​Americans​ ​be​ ​Allowed​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Military?​ ​Not​ ​so​ ​Fast:​ ​Military​ ​Readiness

Has​ ​to​ ​be​ ​First​ ​Concern”,​ ​Thomas​ ​Spoehr​ ​claims​ ​that​ ​Transgender​ ​Americans​ ​don’t​ ​meet​ ​the

requirements​ ​for​ ​military​ ​readiness,​ ​if​ ​soldiers​ ​were​ ​going​ ​to​ ​need​ ​continuing​ ​medical​ ​attention​ ​to​ ​treat

their​ ​condition​ ​are​ ​automatically​ ​not​ ​allowed​ ​to​ ​serve.​ ​Spoehr​ ​adds,​ ​is​ ​the​ ​how​ ​these​ ​implements​ ​affect

their​ ​brain​ ​functions-​ ​though​ ​again​ ​he​ ​is​ ​unclear​ ​on​ ​how​ ​this​ ​is​ ​harmful​ ​or​ ​affect​ ​them​ ​from​ ​serving.​ ​He

states​ ​it​ ​would​ ​be​ ​immoral​ ​to​ ​send​ ​these​ ​individuals​ ​into​ ​a​ ​harsh​ ​environment​ ​if​ ​they​ ​don’t​ ​have​ ​the

mental​ ​capacity​ ​to​ ​perform​ ​such​ ​a​ ​rigorous​ ​act.​ ​Though​ ​these​ ​individuals​ ​want​ ​to​ ​serve​ ​it’s​ ​not​ ​good

enough​ ​if​ ​you​ ​do​ ​not​ ​meet​ ​the​ ​requirements.​ ​Another​ ​factor​ ​is​ ​the​ ​additional​ ​cost​ ​to​ ​support​ ​these​ ​medical

treatments​ ​and​ ​hormonal​ ​therapy.​ ​Spoehr​ ​states​ ​that​ ​is​ ​why​ ​President​ ​Trump​ ​came​ ​to​ ​the​ ​conclusion​ ​of

transgender​ ​military​ ​ban.

This​ ​article​ ​was​ ​very​ ​persuasive​ ​and​ ​effective​ ​in​ ​shifting​ ​my​ ​opinion.​ ​It​ ​would​ ​have​ ​been​ ​more

persuasive​ ​if​ ​he​ ​had​ ​actual​ ​statistics​ ​to​ ​prove​ ​his​ ​points.​ ​For​ ​example,​ ​what​ ​is​ ​the​ ​estimation​ ​of​ ​total
amount​ ​of​ ​transgender’s​ ​serving?​ ​How​ ​many​ ​of​ ​these​ ​individuals​ ​would​ ​be​ ​getting​ ​hormonal​ ​therapy​ ​or

some​ ​type​ ​of​ ​medical​ ​care?​ ​What​ ​is​ ​the​ ​estimated​ ​additional​ ​cost?​ ​Which​ ​leads​ ​me​ ​to​ ​the​ ​conclusion​ ​if

they​ ​don’t​ ​meet​ ​the​ ​requirements,​ ​could​ ​we​ ​implement​ ​a​ ​way​ ​of​ ​making​ ​them​ ​military​ ​readiness?​ ​Though

Spoehr​ ​did​ ​bring​ ​up​ ​the​ ​point​ ​of​ ​how​ ​it​ ​would​ ​be​ ​immoral​ ​to​ ​deploy​ ​transgenders-​ ​if​ ​they​ ​weren’t​ ​mentally

capable-​ ​even​ ​if​ ​they​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​serve​ ​anway.​ ​I​ ​never​ ​thought​ ​of​ ​it​ ​being​ ​an​ ​immoral​ ​act​ ​to​ ​deploy

transgender​ ​individuals​ ​due​ ​to​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​of​ ​their​ ​mental​ ​state.​ ​I​ ​liked​ ​that​ ​it​ ​made​ ​me​ ​think​ ​from​ ​a​ ​new

perspective.​ ​But​ ​his​ ​argument​ ​was​ ​still​ ​ultimately​ ​weakened​ ​due​ ​to​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​he​ ​wasn’t​ ​able​ ​to​ ​give​ ​any

statistics​ ​to​ ​back​ ​up​ ​his​ ​arguments.​ ​Now​ ​after​ ​reading​ ​this,​ ​I​ ​see​ ​the​ ​potential​ ​threat​ ​with​ ​transgenders

serving​ ​in​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​military​ ​but​ ​still​ ​doesn’t​ ​shift​ ​my​ ​opinion.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​they​ ​need​ ​to​ ​but​ ​back​ ​in​ ​the​ ​policy​ ​that

Obama​ ​Administration​ ​set​ ​in​ ​2016​ ​until​ ​they​ ​are​ ​able​ ​to​ ​give​ ​actual​ ​evidence​ ​of​ ​what​ ​they​ ​are​ ​stating.

In​ ​“Fact​ ​Checking​ ​Trump’s​ ​reasons​ ​for​ ​a​ ​transgender​ ​military​ ​ban”,​ ​William​ ​Brangham​ ​interviews

Agnes​ ​Gereben​ ​Schaefer​ ​who​ ​is​ ​a​ ​senior​ ​political​ ​scientist​ ​at​ ​the​ ​RAND​ ​Corporation.​ ​In​ ​addition,

Schaefer​ ​was​ ​the​ ​lead​ ​author​ ​of​ ​the​ ​2016​ ​study​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Defense​ ​Department​ ​about​ ​Transgenders​ ​in​ ​the

military.​ ​Brangham​ ​asks​ ​Schaefer​ ​about​ ​the​ ​estimated​ ​additional​ ​cost​ ​for​ ​transgenders​ ​serving​ ​in​ ​the

military​ ​and​ ​are​ ​they​ ​mentally​ ​capable​ ​of​ ​performing​ ​such​ ​a​ ​task?​ ​The​ ​estimation​ ​of​ ​the​ ​cost​ ​came​ ​to​ ​$2.4

and​ ​$8.4​ ​million​ ​per​ ​year,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​four-tenths​ ​to​ ​one-tenth​ ​of​ ​a​ ​percent​ ​of​ ​the​ ​active​ ​component​ ​health

care​ ​budget​ ​for​ ​2014-​ ​which​ ​is​ ​a​ ​miniscule​ ​of​ ​a​ ​fraction.​ ​But​ ​not​ ​all​ ​transgender​ ​service​ ​members​ ​will

undertake​ ​medical​ ​treatments.​ ​Though​ ​the​ ​costs​ ​were​ ​proven​ ​to​ ​be​ ​between​ ​$2.4​ ​and​ ​8.4​ ​million​ ​per

year,​ ​this​ ​would​ ​represent​ ​only​ ​0.05%​ ​to​ ​.017%​ ​of​ ​the​ ​departments​ ​overall​ ​health​ ​care​ ​cost.​ O
​ verall,​ ​the

study​ ​estimated​ ​that​ ​only​ ​29–129​ ​service​ ​members​ ​would​ ​seek​ ​gender​ ​transition–related​ ​care​ ​per​ ​year,

and​ ​30​ ​to​ ​140​ ​personnel​ ​would​ ​seek​ ​hormone​ ​therapy​​ ​She​ ​is​ ​saying​ ​that​ ​transgenders​ ​should​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to

serve​ ​in​ ​the​ ​military​ ​and​ ​that​ ​the​ ​government's​ ​reasons​ ​for​ ​military​ ​ban​ ​are​ ​not​ ​as​ ​significant​ ​as​ ​they

seem.​ ​Something​ ​I​ ​also​ ​found​ ​interesting​ ​is​ ​in​ ​2016,​ ​18​ ​countries​ ​—​ ​Australia,​ ​Austria,​ ​Belgium,​ ​Bolivia,

Canada,​ ​the​ ​Czech​ ​Republic,​ ​Denmark,​ ​Estonia,​ ​Finland,​ ​France,​ ​Germany,​ ​Israel,​ ​the​ ​Netherlands,​ ​New

Zealand,​ ​Norway,​ ​Spain,​ ​Sweden,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​United​ ​Kingdom​ ​—​ ​allowed​ ​transgender​ ​military​ ​personnel​ ​to

serve​ ​openly.
 I​ ​found​ ​this​ ​to​ ​be​ ​very​ ​useful​ ​towards​ ​my​ ​research​ ​because​ ​he​ ​asked​ ​her​ ​the​ ​two​ ​most​ ​relevant

questions.​ ​Donald​ ​Trump’s​ ​main​ ​reasons​ ​for​ ​transgender​ ​military​ ​ban​ ​are​ ​the​ ​cost​ ​and​ ​uncertainty​ ​of​ ​their

mental​ ​state.​ ​This​ ​source​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​proved​ ​to​ ​be​ ​reliable​ ​due​ ​to​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​Brangham​ ​asked​ ​these

questions​ ​from​ ​Schaefer-​ ​she​ ​again​ ​was​ ​apart​ ​of​ ​the​ ​study​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Defense​ ​Department​ ​for​ ​the

transgenders​ ​in​ ​the​ ​military-​ ​which​ ​was​ ​back​ ​in​ ​2016​ ​when​ ​the​ ​Obama​ ​administration​ ​was​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​figure

out​ ​what​ ​to​ ​do​ ​with​ ​the​ ​regards​ ​to​ ​transgender​ ​service​ ​members.​ ​She​ ​is​ ​able​ ​to​ ​answer​ ​all​ ​the​ ​questions

with​ ​no​ ​problem​ ​(side​ ​note:​ ​this​ ​interview​ ​was​ ​done​ ​live)​ ​and​ ​she​ ​had​ ​research​ ​to​ ​back​ ​up​ ​her​ ​answers.

Though​ ​I​ ​wish​ ​she​ ​went​ ​into​ ​more​ ​depth​ ​about​ ​the​ ​transgender​ ​military​ ​programs,​ ​for​ ​example,​ ​how​ ​do

they​ ​prepare​ ​transgender​ ​individuals?​ ​Is​ ​it​ ​the​ ​same​ ​as​ ​they​ ​do​ ​for​ ​non-transgender​ ​individuals?​ ​I​ ​think

her​ ​response​ ​to​ ​these​ ​questions​ ​proved​ ​strong-​ ​though​ ​I​ ​wish​ ​she​ ​gave​ ​more​ ​description​ ​in​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​her

statistics.​ ​ ​I​ ​think​ ​Brangham​ ​should​ ​of​ ​asked​ ​Schaefer,​ ​“Are​ ​transgenders​ ​mentally​ ​capable​ ​of​ ​serving?”

And​ ​then​ ​given​ ​a​ ​simple​ ​yes​ ​or​ ​no​ ​answer.​ ​This​ ​Interview​ ​was​ ​extremely​ ​convincing​ ​and​ ​has​ ​answered

some​ ​important​ ​questions​ ​for​ ​me,​ ​I​ ​have​ ​a​ ​more​ ​positive​ ​outlook​ ​about​ ​transgender​ ​individuals​ ​serving​ ​in

the​ ​military.

In​ ​the​ ​article,​ ​“Bioidentical​ ​Hormones”​ ​Cleveland​ ​Clinic​ ​gives​ ​a​ ​clear​ ​definition​ ​and​ ​description

about​ ​the​ ​different​ ​types​ ​of​ ​hormonal​ ​therapies.​ ​What​ ​are​ ​bioidentical​ ​hormones?​ ​Cleveland​ ​Clinic

describe​ ​them​ ​as,​ ​“Hormones​ ​are​ ​special​ ​chemicals​ ​made​ ​by​ ​parts​ ​of​ ​the​ ​body​ ​called​ ​glands.​ ​They​ ​are

messengers​ ​that​ ​tell​ ​other​ ​parts​ ​of​ ​the​ ​body​ ​how​ ​and​ ​when​ ​to​ ​work.”​ ​Though​ ​the​ ​definition​ ​of​ ​bioidentical

hormones:​ ​man-made​ ​hormones​ ​that​ ​are​ ​similar​ ​to​ ​the​ ​hormones​ ​produced​ ​by​ ​the​ ​human​ ​body.​ ​The

Cleveland​ ​Clinic​ ​also​ ​states​ ​that​ ​these​ ​hormones​ ​control​ ​almost​ ​all​ ​tasks​ ​in​ ​the​ ​body.​ ​These​ ​functions

include​ ​sex,​ ​brain​ ​function,​ ​growth​ ​and​ ​the​ ​breakdown​ ​of​ ​food.​ ​When​ ​these​ ​hormones​ ​are​ ​out​ ​of​ ​balance

symptoms​ ​can​ ​occur.​ ​Common​ ​hormones​ ​that​ ​are​ ​matched​ ​are​ ​estrogen,​ ​progesterone​ ​and​ ​testosterone

and​ ​these​ ​are​ ​used​ ​as​ ​a​ ​treatment​ ​for​ ​men​ ​and​ ​women​ ​who​ ​have​ ​a​ ​low​ ​or​ ​out​ ​of​ ​balance​ ​hormones.​ ​Are

bioidentical​ ​hormones​ ​safe?​ ​Yes,​ ​they​ ​are​ ​approved​ ​by​ ​the​ ​FDA​ ​and​ ​have​ ​been​ ​tested​ ​for​ ​safety.​ ​Though

there​ ​are​ ​side​ ​effects​ ​would​ ​you​ ​first​ ​begin​ ​treatment-​ ​but​ ​gradually​ ​go​ ​away​ ​once​ ​your​ ​body​ ​adjusts​ ​to

the​ ​level​ ​of​ ​the​ ​hormones.

 I​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​use​ ​this​ ​article​ ​because​ ​previous​ ​articles​ ​I​ ​have​ ​read​ ​have​ ​this​ ​common​ ​question:​ ​Is

hormonal​ ​therapy​ ​safe?​ ​I​ ​don’t​ ​have​ ​personal​ ​knowledge​ ​of​ ​hormonal​ ​therapy​ ​but​ ​it’s​ ​essential​ ​that​ ​I​ ​do

for​ ​this​ ​topic.​ ​This​ ​article​ ​was​ ​useful​ ​because​ ​it​ ​defined​ ​hormone​ ​therapy​ ​and​ ​gave​ ​a​ ​description.​ ​I​ ​liked

that​ ​it​ ​give​ ​a​ ​specific​ ​description​ ​of​ ​what​ ​parts​ ​of​ ​the​ ​body​ ​it​ ​impairs​ ​and​ ​the​ ​effects,​ ​also​ ​how​ ​long​ ​it

affects​ ​the​ ​body.​ ​I​ ​never​ ​considered​ ​that​ ​it​ ​would​ ​only​ ​affect​ ​the​ ​body​ ​for​ ​a​ ​certain​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​time.​ ​This

article​ ​provided​ ​useful​ ​information​ ​about​ ​the​ ​different​ ​types​ ​of​ ​hormones​ ​and​ ​stated​ ​it​ ​was​ ​proved​ ​by​ ​the

FDA​ ​which​ ​I​ ​found​ ​it​ ​to​ ​strengthen​ ​the​ ​point​ ​that​ ​it’s​ ​safe.​ ​Though​ ​it​ ​still​ ​doesn’t​ ​answer​ ​if​ ​transgenders

meet​ ​the​ ​criteria​ ​military​ ​readiness.​ ​This​ ​article​ ​has​ ​clouded​ ​my​ ​judgement​ ​because​ ​hormone​ ​therapy

does​ ​affect​ ​the​ ​brain​ ​functions​ ​but​ ​it​ ​doesn’t​ ​state​ ​in​ ​a​ ​negative​ ​way​ ​and​ ​it​ ​states​ ​the​ ​side​ ​effects​ ​go​ ​away

once​ ​your​ ​body​ ​adjusts​ ​to​ ​the​ ​hormone.​ ​I​ ​would​ ​have​ ​to​ ​consider​ ​the​ ​fact​ ​that​ ​not​ ​all​ ​transgender

individuals​ ​want​ ​medical​ ​treatment​ ​or​ ​hormone​ ​therapy.

In,​ ​“The​ ​Trans​ ​Military​ ​Ban​ ​is​ ​Already​ ​Causing​ ​Harm-​ ​But​ ​There’s​ ​a​ ​Way​ ​to​ ​Stop​ ​it”,​ ​Jim​ ​Mattis

issued​ ​interim​ ​guidance​ ​on​ ​President​ ​Donald​ ​Trump’s​ ​transgender​ ​troop​ ​ban.​ ​This​ ​caused​ ​concern

among​ ​military​ ​service​ ​members.​ ​ ​President​ ​Trump​ ​said​ ​the​ ​pentagon​ ​must​ ​implement​ ​a​ ​complete​ ​ban​ ​in

early​ ​2018.​ ​Under​ ​the​ ​president’s​ ​order,​ ​Secretary​ ​Mattis​ ​asked​ ​the​ ​DoD​ ​panel​ ​to​ ​study​ ​recruitment​ ​ban,

medical​ ​care​ ​ban,​ ​and​ ​purging​ ​current​ ​service​ ​members.​ ​The​ ​president​ ​ordered​ ​to​ ​ban​ ​military

procedures​ ​related​ ​to​ ​gender​ ​transition​ ​and​ ​already​ ​some​ ​service​ ​members​ ​have​ ​had​ ​procedures​ ​abruptly

cancelled,​ ​even​ ​though​ ​those​ ​procedures​ ​were​ ​prescribed​ ​by​ ​military​ ​health​ ​care​ ​professionals.​ ​The

article​ ​states,​ ​“This​ ​policy​ ​is​ ​beyond​ ​is​ ​beyond​ ​unjust​ ​-​ ​it​ ​is​ ​self-contradictory,​ ​nonsensical,​ ​and

dangerous.​ ​This​ ​policy​ ​will​ ​not​ ​only​ ​cause​ ​real​ ​harm​ ​to​ ​transgender​ ​troops-​ ​and​ ​any​ ​transgender

dependants​ ​of​ ​service​ ​members-​ ​it​ ​will​ ​be​ ​detrimental​ ​to​ ​readiness​ ​and​ ​morale​ ​at​ ​every​ ​level​ ​of​ ​the​ ​armed

forces.”

I​ ​liked​ ​this​ ​article​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​because​ ​it​ ​was​ ​very​ ​different​ ​point​ ​of​ ​a​ ​view,​ ​compared​ ​to​ ​all​ ​the​ ​other

articles​ ​I​ ​read.​ ​Because​ ​the​ ​two​ ​authors​ ​who​ ​wrote​ ​it​ ​obviously​ ​are​ ​against​ ​transgender​ ​military​ ​ban.

Though​ ​that​ ​makes​ ​it​ ​biased​ ​it​ ​still​ ​give​ ​me​ ​a​ ​view​ ​from​ ​the​ ​pro​ ​transgender​ ​military​ ​side.​ ​Though​ ​I​ ​wish

they​ ​would​ ​elaborated​ ​more​ ​on​ ​their​ ​argument​ ​of​ ​being​ ​unjust​ ​because​ ​it​ ​was​ ​really​ ​great.​ ​When​ ​reading
it,​ ​they​ ​made​ ​President​ ​Trump​ ​sound​ ​dictatorial,​ ​like​ ​he​ ​was​ ​discriminating​ ​against​ ​transgender

individuals,​ ​which​ ​gave​ ​me​ ​another​ ​perspective​ ​that​ ​I​ ​hadn’t​ ​thought​ ​about.​ ​Though​ ​President​ ​Trump​ ​has

given​ ​his​ ​reasons​ ​for​ ​military​ ​to​ ​ban​ ​these​ ​people-​ ​they​ ​still​ ​are​ ​taking​ ​away​ ​a​ ​right​ ​of​ ​an​ ​fellow​ ​American.

I​ ​wish​ ​the​ ​writers​ ​maybe​ ​interviewed​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​transgender​ ​individuals​ ​or​ ​someone​ ​there​ ​at​ ​the​ ​rally​ ​who

was​ ​supporting​ ​these​ ​rights.​ ​I​ ​think​ ​that​ ​would​ ​have​ ​strengthened​ ​their​ ​arguments​ ​by​ ​a​ ​lot.​ ​This​ ​article​ ​did

shift​ ​my​ ​opinion​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​towards​ ​the​ ​pro​ ​side,​ ​though​ ​it​ ​still​ ​doesn’t​ ​prove​ ​that​ ​Transgender’s​ ​should

serve​ ​in​ ​the​ ​military.

​ ​As​ ​of​ ​July​ ​26,​ ​President​ ​Donald​ ​Trump​ ​announced​ ​that​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ ​military​ ​would​ ​no​ ​longer​ ​accept

or​ ​allow​ ​transgender​ ​people​ ​in​ ​its​ ​rank.​ ​He​ ​says​ ​it​ ​is​ ​because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​cost​ ​and​ ​the​ ​effects​ ​of​ ​hormonal

therapy.​ ​But​ ​that​ ​has​ ​been​ ​proven​ ​to​ ​not​ ​be​ ​valid​ ​points.​ ​The​ ​cost​ ​would​ ​only​ ​be​ ​an​ ​additional​ ​.05%​ ​to

.017%​ ​and​ ​hormonal​ ​therapy​ ​hasn’t​ ​been​ ​proven​ ​that​ ​it​ ​would​ ​affect​ ​the​ ​function​ ​that​ ​these​ ​individuals

would​ ​need​ ​to​ ​perform.​ ​18​ ​countries​ ​have​ ​now​ ​allowed​ ​transgenders​ ​to​ ​serve​ ​in​ ​the​ ​military.​ ​None​ ​of​ ​the

government’s​ ​reasons​ ​are​ ​significant​ ​as​ ​they​ ​state.​ ​I​ ​have​ ​concluded​ ​that​ ​this​ ​is​ ​discrimination.​ ​I​ ​hope​ ​that

people​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​protest​ ​against​ ​this.​ ​If​ ​the​ ​government​ ​doesn’t​ ​think​ ​they​ ​are​ ​military​ ​ready​ ​then​ ​they

could​ ​make​ ​a​ ​program​ ​to​ ​make​ ​them​ ​‘military​ ​readiness’.

Work​ ​Cited:

Glaad.​ ​“Transgender​ ​FAQ.”​ ​Glaad​ ​Media​ ​Program​ ​18​ ​September​ ​2017,​ ​from

https://www.glaad.org/transgender/trans

Thomas​ ​Spoehr.​ ​“Should​ ​Transgender​ ​Americans​ ​be​ ​Allowed​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Military?​ ​Not​ ​So​ ​Fast:

Military​ ​Readiness​ ​Has​ ​to​ ​be​ ​First​ ​Concern.”​ ​The​ ​Heritage​ ​Foundation​ ​8​ ​August​ ​2017,​ ​from

http://www.heritage.org/defense/commentary/should-transgender-americans-be-allowed-the-military-not-s

o-fast-military
 William​ ​Brangham.​ ​“Fact-checking​ ​Trump's​ ​reasons​ ​for​ ​a​ ​transgender​ ​military​ ​ban.”​ ​Pbs​ ​28

August​ ​2017,​ ​from

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/fact-checking-trumps-reasons-transgender-military-ban

Cleveland​ ​Clinic.​ ​“Bioidentical​ ​Hormones.”​ ​Cleveland​ ​Clinic​ ​2​ ​December​ ​2017,​ ​from

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/bioidentical-hormones​faq

Bill​ ​Chappell,​ ​“Mattis​ ​Puts​ ​Hold​ ​On​ ​Transgender​ ​Ban​ ​For​ ​Current​ ​Military​ ​Service​ ​Members.”

NPR​ ​30​ ​August​ ​2017​ ​from,

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/08/30/547258742/mattis-puts-hold-on-transgender-ban-for-c

urrent-military-service-members

Office​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Press​ ​Secretary,​ ​“Presidential​ ​Memorandum​ ​for​ ​the​ ​Secretary​ ​of​ ​Defense​ ​and​ ​the

Secretary​ ​of​ ​Homeland​ ​Security.”​ ​The​ ​White​ ​House​ ​25​ ​August​ ​2017,​ ​from

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/08/25/presidential-memorandum-secretary-defense-an

d-secretary-homeland