Introduction
Individuals with a transgender condition are not considered disabled or having any mental illness unless the gender dysphoria in them leads to depression or anxiety. In such a situation, the individuals get treated for the gender dysphoria which is the primary reason for concern to do away with the recession. There are around 15000 transgender troops that are serving the country actively (Hoy-Ellis, Shiu, Sullivan, Kim, Sturges, & Fredriksen-Goldsen, 2017). There is a big difference between drags and transgender since cross dressers are not necessarily transgender. Transgender individuals usually identify with the gender that is already set up in their minds since gender and sex are two different things. The individuals have a mindset of the opposite sex; hence it does not make them mentally unstable. People with the transgender conditions are not lying to anybody since what they portray is what is in the mindset. The United States military has taken a positive step by openly allowing the transgender group to be part of the team.
Background
Each day, the rules and regulations are always changing in the current world we are living in. Transgender military personnel can now serve in the United States of America making it among the 18 countries that allow for the same (Hoy-Ellis et al., 2017). Transgender can now help the United States military openly after the Pentagon lifted the ban on 30th of June 2016. The individuals with the transgender condition also will get the same medical coverage as the others. The medical cover includes gender reassignment surgeries and hormonal therapy if the doctors deem it necessary. Training handbooks issued to the commanders and transgender service members is one way of aiding a smooth transition. Also, transgender sensitivity training for soldiers’ initiatives is getting done by the army.
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The same way other medical care and treatment issues get handled is the same way any diagnosis on gender transition when deemed necessary from a military medical provider will get handled (Tucker, Testa, Reger, Simpson, Shipherd, & Lehavot, 2018). After receiving a diagnosis from the military provider for the required gender change, the transition process begins at this point and ends when the service member gets enrolled in their preferred gender with the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). The individual can now undertake all the responsibilities including sharing the bathing facilities with the preferred gender.
Opposition
The act of taxpayers declining to pay taxes to support the reassignment surgery as part of the sex changes in the military for gender is one of the issues that the military and their leadership need to prepare on how to handle it (Schvey, Blubaugh, Morettini, & Klein, 2017). Also, other military members may demand alteration of physical appearance surgeries since they may be not happy with the way they look will be another issue. The policy is getting delayed by the marine and army corps according to a report on the military times. The delay may be more of practical problems than an outright opposing to serving of transgender individuals in the military (Starnes, 2017). Also, the fact that the health insurance plan for civilian federal employees provides health coverage for medical treatment and transgender-related care comprehensively for the same fee as the private sector is an important observation for the military.
The fact that the working conditions for soldiers sometimes may be primitive or characterized by little or no privacy when in training or at work is also another issue to consider. When an individual, in the long run, rejoins the civilian sector, what will happen to them since there are no rules or policies that reprimand the discrimination cases (Gurung, Ventuneac, Rendina, Savarese, Grov, & Parsons, 2018).
My position
I support the notion that transgender should be allowed to join military because individuals within the military do not believe that gender affects the ability of a person to dispense their duties which is to protect the United States of America ( Elders, Brown, Coleman, Kolditz, & Steinman, 2015). If an individual has the zeal of serving America, nothing will come between him/her with the service they are offering.
Additionally, I support the incorporation of transgender into the military because there is no credible evidence that supports that notion that transgender individuals negatively impacts the cohesion of a unit or cause extra expense than a cisgender individual (( Elders et al., 2015).
Common Ground
If a transgender individual dispenses their service well, serves with honor, and observe all the rules of military and the constitution of America, why should they not join military or removed from the military or Why has accepting post-transition or transitioning be more divisive? Many people do not comprehend what transgender is (Tucker et al., 2018). Other people tend to think transgender is caused by mental illness, or it is a personal choice. Some people think that transgender is exorbitant which they are not. Also, people think transgender will flood the military for taxpayer-funded sex change which is false. It is not fair to criticize and always judge transgender individuals without understanding them. If the society understands what transgender individuals face it will be able to embrace them and assimilate them in any government programs including the military.
Conclusion
In conclusion, bright and robust individuals have always been openly allowed to join the military to strengthen the armed forces. All the members with the relevant knowledge and the required skill set should not get excluded from serving in the military. Excluding such members is one way of allowing a disservice to the nation. The military leadership is doing everything possible to handle any issues that may arise in the process of having a smooth transition when the new policy will get implemented. The fact that a person identifies themselves mentally with a particular gender is not enough reason to turn them away from serving the nation.
References
Elders, M. J., Brown, G. R., Coleman, E., Kolditz, T. A., & Steinman, A. M. (2015). Medical aspects of transgender military service. Armed Forces & Society, 41(2), 199-220.
Gurung, S., Ventuneac, A., Rendina, H. J., Savarese, E., Grov, C., & Parsons, J. T. (2018). Prevalence of military sexual trauma and sexual orientation discrimination among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender military personnel: a descriptive study. Sexuality research and social policy, 15(1), 74-82.
Hoy-Ellis, C. P., Shiu, C., Sullivan, K. M., Kim, H. J., Sturges, A. M., & Fredriksen-Goldsen, K. I. (2017). Prior military service, identity stigma, and mental health among transgender older adults. The Gerontologist, 57(suppl_1), S63-S71.
Schvey, N. A., Blubaugh, I., Morettini, A., & Klein, D. A. (2017). Military family physicians' readiness for treating patients with gender dysphoria. JAMA internal medicine, 177(5), 727-729.
Tucker, R. P., Testa, R. J., Reger, M. A., Simpson, T. L., Shipherd, J. C., & Lehavot, K. (2018). Current and military‐specific gender minority stress factors and their relationship with
