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Caution: TOPICAL Friends, I don’t often blog about politics. But I am writing about a victory, however transitory and ephemeral it may be, on the subject of transgender bans in the military. It’s the subject of one of my stories (Sundown), and I feel pretty strongly about it. Judge Reyes’ clear, forceful opinion enjoining enforcement of Secretary Hegseth’s version of the Trans ban is well-reasoned, well written, and cuts through all the crap. I wanted to share some key paragraphs with you. Take joy where we can! — Emma The President has the power—indeed the obligation—to ensure military readiness. At times, however, leaders have used concern for military readiness to deny marginalized persons the privilege of serving. “[Fill in the blank] is not fully capable and will hinder combat effectiveness; [fill in the blank] will disrupt unit cohesion and so diminish military effectiveness; allowing [fill in the blank] to serve will undermine training, make it impossible to recruit successfully, and disrupt military order.” First minorities, then women in combat, then gays filled in that blank. Today, however, our military is stronger and our Nation is safer for the millions of such blanks (and all other persons) who serve. Currently before the Court is Plaintiffs’ Renewed Application for Preliminary Injunction. Dkt. 72 (App.). Plaintiffs, who are transgender, claim that EO14183 and the Hegseth Policy (together, the Military Ban) treats them as today’s “fill in the blank” group. Seeking nothing more than to serve their country, they ask the Court to enjoin the Military Ban. App. at 26. They claim that the Hegseth Policy was rushed and reached a preordained result, contains no analysis, and has an exemption in name only. Id. at 56. The Ban at bottom invokes derogatory language to target a vulnerable group in violation of the Fifth Amendment. Id. at 29, 35–37; see U.S. Const. amend. V. Not at all, say Defendants. They assert that the Military Ban is necessary because transgender persons undermine “military readiness” and disrupt “[u]nit cohesion, good order, and discipline.” Dkt. 81 (Opp.) at 40–54. Being transgender is “inconsistent” with “high standards for Service member readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity.” Hegseth Policy at 3. Gender ideology activists are “unconcerned with the requirements of military service like physical and mental health, selflessness, and unit cohesion.” EO14183 § 1. Transgender persons cannot maintain “an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle.” Id. Their expression of sexual identity “is not consistent with [] humility and selflessness.” Id. They also cost too much. Opp. at 49. Plaintiffs beg to differ. And differ they can. Together they have provided over 130 years of military service. They have served in roles ranging from Senior Military Science Instructor to Artillery Platoon Commander to Intelligence Analyst to Satellite Operator to Operations Research Analyst to Naval Flight Officer to Weapons Officer. They have deployed around the globe, from Afghanistan to Poland to Korea to Iraq to Kuwait to the USS Ronald Reagan and USS George W. Bush. One is presently deployed to an active combat zone. They have earned more than 80 commendations including: a Bronze Star; two Global War on Terrorism Service Medals; two Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medals; numerous Meritorious Service Medals; numerous Commendation Medals; Air and Space Outstanding Unit Awards; and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, among many others. * * * * Talbot v. United States, No. 25-cv-00240 (D.D.C., Mar. 18, 2025) (ACR). |
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Comments
I fully agree
It’s the same recycled BS, from racism to misogyny to homophobia to trans phobia, with a few others thrown in along the way.
I’m visiting my sister and we are watching Hidden Figures. It’s a great movie and you can see the racism and misogyny of the 1960s on full display. But these ladies made a huge contribution to getting John Glenn into space and safely back home again.
If Pete Hegseth thinks he can recruit, train, and deploy enough Southern White Boys to replace them and keep our forces fully active, he’s got another think coming.
Gillian Cairns
Hegseth certainly cannot do that.
However, he might be able to recruit enough Southern White Boys for a military coup.
And I get the feeling that this is what he is after. Because of being picked specifically for that. This is the almost only thing that can make a Mitch McConnell vote against him.
Many Served With Honor In Stealth
The oath, "... "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same" were more than words. We swore to do our duty against any and all odds even at the cost of our own life. There are no numbers, no statistics how many who were trans paid the ultimate price. Yet, Trump has made us persona non grata, we don't exist according to his exec order.
Not going to post the correspondence here, OKC VA still accepts all veterans who served despite Trump's exec orders. Stitt's exec orders no one may change their gender marker also does not apply in the VA. We aren't the dirty landfill trash Trump and Stitt wants to consign us as after we have served our nation and our state. I am registered in the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). Makes it a little harder to be flushed out of the system.
Thanks Emma, all info is gratefully and warmly cherished in this situation to be understood in a world where most have no understanding what transgender is.
Barb
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
1960s Comical Stupidity
I was drafted in 1966 and took another year to shamelessly manipulate the system. It seemed that at the time "they" had no idea what a feminine man was. I served my three years and was discharged honorably. In 77' I stupidly got MtF surgery, and am now legally a woman in the USA. That had all sorts of impacts on me. Hearing all the noise at present about the suitability of T folk seems ludicrous.
When The Bullets Are Flying
Either physically or metaphorically, and you are hunkered down in a foxhole, you don't care if the person on your right or your left is TG or gay or black or brown, as long as you're all firing in the same direction with the objective of keeping each other alive.
Only a convicted, draft-dodging, sociopathic felon could come up with a policy to eliminate minorities of any kind from defending their country, and it takes a distorted disciple of the devil to applaud and promulgate such evil.
Against All Enemies Foreign or Domestic
I don't see any politicians taking their oath to support and defend the Constitution seriously when they let a President stomp all over the concept of separation of powers.
Also doesn't fawning all over an authoritarian leader of a long-time enemy seem to qualify as "giving aid and comfort" to our enemies?
Michelle B
I served my country honorably……
And I did my duty to the Constitution of the United States, to the United States Naval Service, and to the men and women who served under my commands. I was wounded three times, and I refused to be medivac’d so that those wounded who served under me could be treated while the rest of my unit completed our mission. I was decorated multiple times, but the single greatest honor I ever received was the love and support of the troops that I served with.
Yes, I served as a male - but many of the members in my unit knew who and what I was, even before I was able to admit it to myself. And they didn’t care.
The gender, or the gender identity of the person beside you in combat matters not. What matters is that they each believe that you will do everything in your power to bring them home, and that you know that they will do the same for you. When the shit hits the fan, it is the person on your right and the person on your left that you fight for - and not some lofty ideal or command from a man sitting thousands of miles away in a comfy chair.
I know that to this day I would sooner lay down my own life than see any of those who depended on me get hurt - and what is more important, they know it too. Transgender or not.
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus