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    Jane, you ignorant slut.Stassa Edwards
    6/30/16 2:51pm

    I’m pretty pro-trans rights, but I’m also in the military and have just no idea how the practicalities of this are going to work. I think the removal of DADT went down pretty smoothly in retrospect, but this is going to take a whole new amount of regulations and rules, in comparison to simply expanding marriage benefits, and I’ve seen nothing about how they’re going to actually implement it.

    Is a person who requires hormone therapy allowed in basic training? I wasn’t allowed to take any medication in basic training. I couldn’t even have birth control pills. When will someone be authorized surgery, if they want it? There are a ton of restrictions on the type of surgeries you can get, how long you have to have been in service, and how much time you must have left in service. When does someone in the process of transitioning begin to take the other gender’s PT test, a test you MUST pass for promotion, or even to stay in the service? Will FTM people be given a longer time to get up to standard, since it’s a significant jump to meet male PT standards? How long will they have? At what point in the transitioning process are you considered deployable? The military has a limit on how many of its service members can be considered non-deployable at one time. How do roommate assignments work in the barracks? Do FTM servicemembers room with men, even though their assault risks would be higher? How does urinalysis work? As a female NCO, I usually monitor female soldiers and male NCOs monitor male soldiers. We have to actually watch the urine leave the body and enter the cup. Does this become a gender neutral process now? How do we do that and at the same time protect the religious rights of service members who are not allowed to be naked in front of the opposite sex?

    I would feel a lot better about this if ANY guidance on these issues had been issued. It’s going to be an absolute mess as every unit’s JAG attempts to figure out how best to advise the unit commands.

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      Marzipan in your Pie PlateJane, you ignorant slut.
      6/30/16 2:59pm

      You bring up some important questions. But more important is

      The study commissioned by the Pentagon found between 1,320 and 6,630 transgender troops are already on active duty service.

      So, yeah. Policies need to be formalized. But apparently it’s already working just fine for quite a few people.

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      BruceBrochyJane, you ignorant slut.
      6/30/16 3:06pm

      “no idea how the practicalities of this are going to work”\

      Pretty sure all these details will be worked out just as details particular to women were worked out.

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    texassholeStassa Edwards
    6/30/16 2:39pm

    But what bathroom are they going to use?

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      TheDrDonna, Paid Shillary Killinton Supportertexasshole
      6/30/16 2:42pm

      The one in your house.

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      Armageddon T. Thunderbirdtexasshole
      6/30/16 2:55pm

      The same bathrooms trans servicemembers have been using all along. Just like gays, they’ve always been there.

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    UrbanNunEnthusiastStassa Edwards
    6/30/16 2:36pm

    Republicans after this week:

    GIF

    Can’t wait to hear Sarah Palin’s mangled response to this.

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      HerRoyalRednessUrbanNunEnthusiast
      6/30/16 3:44pm

      Pick and choose from the following:

      -’Murrica

      -Blames Obama

      -Persecuted christians

      -Incoherent rambling

      -Bless the troops

      -Brings up the fact her son is a veteran

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      DoubleOJoeHerRoyalRedness
      6/30/16 5:46pm

      You forgot “DRILL BABY DRILL”

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    TheBurnersMyDestinationStassa Edwards
    6/30/16 2:32pm

    And people will bring up the “the military shouldn’t be in the social justice business/ this will hurt readiness”

    Just like they did about allowing Black people to serve. And to integrate units. And to have women serve. And to allow gay people to serve. Same old tune, and they haven't been right yet.

    were medically discharged, a decision that effectively ended their careers.

    Not to get pedantic, but it doesn’t “effectively” end their careers, it does end their careers in the military.

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      Marzipan in your Pie PlateTheBurnersMyDestination
      6/30/16 2:56pm

      I remember talking to a douchebag who was a reserve or in the guard or something (not active duty at the time) when DADT was about to be overturned. He actually claimed that if a gay guy was in a unit, the others would let him get shot by the enemy. I was so disgusted. These guys are the real threat to “unit cohesiveness” and “combat readiness.” Not LGBT folks.

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      TheBurnersMyDestinationMarzipan in your Pie Plate
      6/30/16 3:01pm

      I love how so many people are under the impression that these people aren’t already in their formations. Like, women used to dress as men to be able to fight, do you really think a stupid rule is keeping gay/ trans* people out of the military? Adjusting these rules just allows for people to be themselves and get the help they need when they need it.

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    Colored FrancieStassa Edwards
    6/30/16 2:42pm

    Transgender workers have twice the unemployment rate of the general population, and if you’re a trans-POC, it’s worse, so I am excited in the sense that this opens up a whole employment path for transgender youth, except you know: it’s the military. This institution already has a long history of chewing up and spitting out vulnerable people without other options.

    But that’s just a reason to change the military, so this is still an amazing development.

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      TheDrDonna, Paid Shillary Killinton SupporterStassa Edwards
      6/30/16 2:40pm

      I view this in the same way I view trans folks being accepted in beauty pageants: the system is messed up and in wild need of reform in terms of the organization's goals and methods, but at least now they're slightly less crappy, so yay!

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        No-Mi SkyeStassa Edwards
        6/30/16 3:12pm

        Excellent. Everyone should be able to die for their country if they want to.

        As a member of the Rihanna Navy, I can say we don’t discriminate. We’re global.

        GIF
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          SipowitzStassa Edwards
          6/30/16 2:39pm

          Between this and Chipotle announcing a summer rewards program to help bring customers back in after their whole “unpleasantness,” I think I might cry.

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            jifaner13Stassa Edwards
            6/30/16 5:01pm

            One one level, I think this is great. On another, I can’t help but think about my time in BMT, where we showered together in an 8 person shower and no one closed bathroom stalls because it took too much time out of the allotted bathroom break (10 minutes and 4 stalls for 60 women and GO!). I have deep concerns about the safety of transgendered persons in those circumstances.

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              $7CoffeeStassa Edwards
              6/30/16 3:01pm

              There have been trans contractors working very closely with the military for years (decades probably) and our military has managed to keep functioning. I’m sure everyone crybabying about “unit cohesion” will be just fine. If not, that’s their problem.

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