Transgender airman: "I would like to see them try to kick me out of my military"

[DesertRat]

After President Trump’s surprise announcement Wednesday barring transgender people from serving “in any capacity“ in the military, one prominent transgender airman said he’s more determined than ever to continue serving in the Air Force.

“I would like to see them try to kick me out of my military,” Staff Sgt. Logan Ireland said in an interview with Air Force Times. “I would challenge them [in court]. You are not going to deny me my right to serve my country when I am fully qualified and able and willing to give my life.”

Other transgender service members expressed the same determination to stay in uniform in interviews with Military Times.

“I will continue to report for duty in the uniform of the day until I am forced to receive my DD214” discharge papers, said Sgt. Jack Schuler a transgender man and Army reservist who is a chemical operations specialist. He previously served in the Marine Corps.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2017/07/26/transgender-airman-i-would-like-to-see-them-try-to-kick-me-out-of-my-military/

[Docreed2003]

1. I salute every one of these service members!!!!

Every single one has given more to this country than Capt Bone Spurs could ever hope to!

[riversedge]

2. Hey Trumpy--go for it--fire this personto his face. You coward!

[DesertRat]

3. I'd love to see him invite some of this service members to the WH

But we know he's way too cowardly. He'd rather make these proclamations by himself on twitter.

[mcar]

4. I think this is going to backfire on Drumpf in a big way

[DesertRat]

10. This is what Hillary meant by STRONGER TOGETHER.

[JHan]

16. makes the message resonate doesn't it.

stirring up divisions was Trump's one trick pony.

[izzybella]

5. Now there is someone who is truly making America great!

[DesertRat]

9. Yes, he is!

[dembotoz]

6. Trump won't do it himself..that is why we have lackies

[sheshe2]

7. Thank you for posting this, DesertRat.

[DesertRat]

8. I'm inspired by the patriotic transgender service members

who are expressing determination to stay in uniform!

[shenmue]

25. Yep

[volstork]

11. More power to him,

and to ALL of our LGBTQ servicewomen and men. The WH Mob can't hold a candle to these true patriots.

[trueblue2007]

12. i support ALL of our military service people. ALL PEOPLE ARE EQUAL.

I THINK THERE WILL BE A ... H U G E ... BACK LASH AGAINST TRUMP. Maybe even protesting in the streets.

[Skittles]

13. LOVE guys like this who speak out

and may I say: he is hawt!

[Old Vet]

14. Doesnt look like someone to trifle with for sure...........

[IronLionZion]

15. I bet a lot of people didn't know there are thousands of them serving

and this really needs to backfire badly on Trump. No conservative ever even considers the possibility of trans men.

[DesertRat]

17. Texas wants to require dudes like him to use the women's restroom

[IronLionZion]

18. They don't put a lot of thought or do much research into these policies

[DesertRat]

19. Because, as you said, they never consider trans men.

Why is that? hint: misogyny.

[nikatnyte]

20. Here's their "research"

They know that demonizing a minority that most people have not interacted with works, especially in retrograde backwaters like rural Texas.

[Cal Carpenter]

26. Actually, many of those people probably *have* interacted with trans people

and just don't know it.

Would you know the guy in the picture up top was a trans man if you saw him at a bar in Texas?

[tammywammy]

21. That was the first thought in my head!

He can't serve in the military and has to use the women's restroom.

[Still In Wisconsin]

22. You wanna fuck with this guy TRUMP?

Thought so...

[haele]

23. So, along with kicking this Staff Sargent out of the AF...

... Religious Reich bathroom police will also force Staff SGT Logan to use the ladies restroom when he gets out?
Because they have no clue that biologically born females might transgender to males. Because if it's about gender or sex in general, it must always be about the guys wanting to F**k and protecting their female property.

Haele

[DesertRat]

24. Yes, exactly. nt

[csziggy]

27. The ACLU would like to talk to them

They are just waiting for someone with standing to fight this!

In a tweetstorm sent this morning, President Trump announced he would ban transgender individuals like me from serving in our military “in any capacity.”

I have a message for the president: unlike you, my brother actually served in the military. He loves and believes in me and all trans people. You are coming for us, and we will come right back for you.

This is a stunningly cruel act of government oppression from a desperate president – and we have to fight back. Add your name now to tell Trump we won’t let him implement such a discriminatory and illegal policy.

Anyone who wants to serve and protect our freedoms deserves the same rights as everyone. Period.

Trump has no basis for his assertion that the U.S. military is “burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption” because transgender people serve in the military. The cost is almost zero. Disruption, non-existent.

But of course, we know the president’s plan has nothing to do with facts. It’s about ignorance and prejudice and fear.

The ACLU’s legal team is already hard at work on our options to defend our rights as transgender Americans. We’ll send you an update soon with more information on that front.

While we put our legal plan together, I’m asking you to take action today and make all of our voices heard. This is urgent – add your name to oppose President Trump’s vile and fundamentally un-American decision to ban trans people from serving in our military >>

Trans people – particularly youth – are already subject to some of the highest rates of bullying, harassment, hate crimes, discrimination, and suicide. This decision will only further alienate those of us in the transgender community.

The thousands of transgender service members on the front lines deserve better than a commander-in-chief who rejects their basic humanity.

This issue is bigger than the military. It’s about a lot of things: public employment, health care, and our survival. This is about our lives and our rights. Add your name now and show Trump our country is better than this.

I have another message to all transgender people: you are perfect and you are loved. Let’s find each other and fight this oppression together.

Thank you for acting,
Chase Strangio
Staff Attorney with the ACLU’s LGBT & HIV Project

After I signed their petition they sent me this to send out:

Dear friend,


Thank you for for taking a stand for the rights of transgender people. Please spread the word - we need everyone in this fight with us.

Share on Facebook or on Twitter, or forward the email below to your friends.

Thank you,

The ACLU Action Team



Dear friend,

In an early-morning series of tweets, President Trump announced a shattering new policy to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military. This is unacceptable – and illegal.

Trump has no basis for his assertion that the U.S. military is “burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption” because transgender people serve in the military. In fact, a 2014 report co-authored by a former U.S. Surgeon General concluded that the then-ban on transgender military service wasn’t based on sound medical reasoning.

The thousands of transgender service-members on the front lines deserve better from their commander-in-chief. Will you join me in the fight?

Thanks.

The link in the last message takes you to their petition page. NOTE: They have a link to a Facebook petition but the link gets messed up when I try to post it here.

[DesertRat]

28. Awesome. Thanks!