Media Contact:
Rev. Emma Chattin
TGEA Executive Director
(703) 542-4007
tgeagw@gmail.com
TGEA Statement Regarding the Supreme Court’s Lifting of Injunction Now Allowing the Limiting of Transgender Service in our Military.
City of Fairfax, 23 January 2019 – Today the Supreme Court lifted an injunction which allowed transgender Americans to voluntarily serve in the armed services of the United States. The Trump Administration can now deny this basic right and obligation of citizenship. Very few Americans today step forward and volunteer to put their lives on the line for our country. How can we deny that service to our fellow citizens who happen to be transgender? For the reasons listed below TGEA strongly opposes this action and urges fair minded Americans to contact their representatives to advocate for the right of all Americans to serve their country.
The Declaration of Independence stated that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights.” Subsequently our Constitution denied many of these rights to women, African Americans and indigenous peoples. Later practice denied Gay and Lesbian Americans their rights as full citizens. To our credit, over the last 150 years many of these injustices were removed. In 2016 the Obama Administration removed an unjustified denial of rights by allowing transgender Americans to openly pledge their lives and liberty in the defense of our country.
There is no evidence being transgender prevents one from serving their nation nor will being transgender harm “good order and discipline.” This is demonstrated by the honorable service of the tens of thousands of transgender veterans. Moreover the Trump Administration policy recognizes this by allowing currently serving transgender military personnel to continue their service – the policy only denies the service of new personnel who choose to transition. The only conclusion one can draw from this policy is that if one is qualified while serving as a male/female then they are unqualified as a female/male. This is discrimination based on sex in its purest form.
As Americans we are a fair people. Thousands of times we have pledged that we are a nation “with liberty and justice for all.” If one truly believes in this Pledge of Allegiance then one must reject this unjust and discriminatory policy.
TGEA will continue its main mission of education to help Americans more fully understand what it means to be transgender and how best we can support those who wish to serve our nation in the future.
From The TGEA Board of Directors
About TGEA
The Transgender Education Association of Greater Washington D.C. (TGEA) was established as an attempt to bring together the varied segments of the local gender community into a nurturing and supportive network of individuals. Now, as we enter our 30th year, our other goals are just as important: to provide a supportive environment and day-to-day assistance for transgender individuals and their significant others, friends, family and allies (SOFFAs), helping them overcome their sense of isolation and providing educational and social opportunities.