Eighteen months after repeal of “Don't
Ask, Don't Tell,” the policy which prevented gay and bisexual
troops from serving openly, transgender soldiers must continue to
remain closeted.
Repeal of the policy in late 2011 did
not address transgender individuals. The military deems troops
diagnosed with “gender identity disorder” medically unfit for
service.
An anonymous 26-year-old specialist who
is legally married to a woman and asked to be called Keith told the
Military Times that he started taking male hormones during his
deployment to Afghanistan and plans on completing his transition when
he returns home.
“It's something I had always thought
about,” Keith said. “My wife and I talked about it … and I
knew I had her support, so I said, 'I'm going to do this.'”
Service members are required to report
to their commands a significant change in their medical condition.
David McKean, a lawyer with
OutServe-SLDN, which advocates on behalf of LGBT troops, called the
policy unfair, saying fitness to serve “shouldn't be based on
gender identification” but on “whether or not someone can do the
job.”
Keith said he hopes he can remain in
the military.