Department of Defense Ends Discriminatory Ban on Trans People Serving Openly in the U.S. Military

Today, HRC hailed the Department of Defense (DOD) for finally ending the ban on transgender Americans serving openly in our military. The historic decision means that the U.S. will join 18 other nations, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Israel, already allowing transgender people to serve openly in their militaries.

“Today, we join in celebration with the thousands of brave transgender patriots who will now be able to serve our nation openly and with the deep respect they deserve,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Ending this discriminatory policy not only brings long-overdue recognition to transgender service members, it also strengthens our military and our nation. Our military will now be able to recruit the very best candidates, and retain highly-trained, talented transgender service members once facing discharge for no other reason than who they are. History will remember Secretary of Defense Ash Carter for his leadership in taking this historic and necessary step forward.”

Under the new policy, starting today, transgender people in the military will be able to serve openly in the military, and cannot be discharged simply because of their gender identity. Transgender service members on Oct. 1 will be able to access all medically-necessary care and begin to officially change their gender in Pentagon personnel systems.

However, under the new guidelines, openly transgender people will not be allowed to join the military immediately. They won’t able to enlist until up to one year from now, or when training of the forces in the new policy, which begins in October, is complete. In addition, the policy requires that transition-related medical care be completed and the prospective service member must be “stable” according to their doctor for a minimum 18 months. This policy will be reviewed within the next 24 months.

“The outdated regulations have had significant implications on our nation’s military readiness and on transgender service members risking their lives around the world – sometimes in combat zones. The Department of Defense should waste no time in ending these discriminatory practices, and ensuring equal treatment of our transgender service members,” Griffin said. “This includes reducing the unnecessary 18-month waiting period much sooner than in two years.”

In July 2015, the Pentagon announced a working group to study how to modify existing regulations to allow open transgender military service. The working group was expected to complete its review after six months and provide options for how to address the various regulations needed to be updated in order to allow for open service by transgender people.

According to the Williams Institute, there are approximately 15,500 actively serving transgender members of the U.S. military, making the Department of Defense (DoD) the largest employer of transgender people in America. These courageous men and women were forced to serve in silence by DoD medical out-of-date and medically out-of step regulations prohibiting their service and requiring their separation from the military if discovered.

Unlike the statutory ban that interfered with lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members from serving (known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”), the ban on transgender military service was just policy and required only today’s action by the DoD to update.

www.hrc.org/blog/department-of-defense-ends-discriminatory-ban-on-trans-people-serving-openl?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

HRC Talks Workplace Inclusion in India

HRC was in Hyderabad, India, to kick off and participate in the city’s first summit focused on LGBTQ workplace inclusion last week, convened by the U.S. Consulate General. Hyderabad is a booming business center, home to investments and dozens of multinational companies, with a population roughly the size of the New York and growing rapidly.

Opened by Consul General of in Hyderabad, Michael Mullins, the event, “Inclusive Workspace: Employing the LGBTI” was at the prestigious Indian School of Business. Deena Fidas, HRC’s director of the Workplace Equality Program, offered a keynote on the path HRC took to starting the Corporate Equality Index and how leaders in the current global economy  have forged a path for LGBTQI equality. With over 200 attendees, many from the 70+ highly rated Corporate Equality Index businesses in the area and members of HRC’s Global Business Coalition, the event also brought together a panel with Fidas, the President of the American Chamber of Commerce, who is also the Vice President for Human Resources for AMD Asia; the CEO of Google, India; the Human Resource Officers of Facebook and Synchrony Financial; a Professor of Marketing from the Indian School of Business; and LGBTI activists.

Steffan DeClue, HRC’s Associate Director, Foundation Relations, who has prior experience with civil society in India, supported the summit and met individually with top LGBTQI leaders in Hyderabad to discuss challenges and opportunities ahead.

Numerous press outlets covered the summit, including THE HINDU, which is the second most circulated English-language newspaper in India, with sales of 1.5 million copies each day.

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-talks-workplace-inclusion-in-india?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Thousands of Constituents Demand Repeal of HB2

Post Submitted By: Ryan Wilson, HRC Senior Regional Field Organizer

Since launching just three months ago, TurnOUT! North Carolina (NC) has worked across North Carolina identifying voters committed to the same cause: full repeal of the discriminatory HB2. Volunteers have canvassed neighborhoods, farmers markets, concerts, street festivals, sporting events and even popular restaurants. In key districts, our coalition collected over 3,000 postcards from constituents asking their specific lawmaker to vote to repeal HB2. Over the past two weeks, constituents have come to the General Assembly in Raleigh to hand deliver these postcards representing the voices of residents of their district.

With the constituents in these key districts, a total of over 12,000 North Carolinians have personally demanded that Governor Pat McCrory and legislative leaders vote to repeal HB2 before they end the legislative short session.

On Wednesday, HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse, Equality North Carolina’s Matt Hirschy and several supportive legislators made one final call to fully repeal HB2 before the end of session and to not waste any additional time with the proposed “fixes” being discussed.

TurnOUT! NC will continue to mobilize pro-equality North Carolinians to speak out for full repeal of HB2. TurnOUT! NC has field organizers based in Asheville, Charlotte and the Triangle area.

For more information about our work in North Carolina, contact HRC Associate Regional Field Director Ryan Rowe at [email protected].

Candis Cox Daniels

HRC National Field Director Marty Rouse

Delivering to Rep. Rob Bryan’s office

Delivering to Rep. Chris Malone’s office

Catching up with Rep. Avila

Delivering to Rep. Pendleton’s Office

www.hrc.org/blog/thousands-of-constituents-demand-repeal-of-hb2?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

GLAAD celebrates lift of transgender military ban

www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-celebrates-lift-transgender-military-ban

BREAKING: Pentagon Ends Ban on Transgender Service Members

Starting today, transgender members of the military can serve openly.

www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/6/30/breaking-pentagon-ends-ban-transgender-service-members

Trump Assassin Charged in the United States (Video)

www.advocate.com/crime/2016/6/30/trump-assassin-charged-united-states-video

How The U.N.'s New LGBT Expert Will Make the World Safer for LGBT People

Leaders at the United Nations and Human Rights Campaign say the vote to create a special LGBT Independent Expert will have global repercussions. 

www.advocate.com/commentary/2016/6/29/how-uns-new-lgbt-expert-will-make-world-safer-lgbt-people

Pentagon Lifts Ban on Open Transgender Service: WATCH LIVE

Defense Secretary Ash Carter is expected to announce today that the Pentagon will be lifting its ban on transgender troops serving openly in the military.

JUST IN: @DeptofDefense lifts transgender ban. Active duty trans may serve openly. Medical trtmnt by Oct. Accept trans recruits by 7/1/2017.

— Kevin Baron (@DefenseBaron) June 30, 2016

Watch live, below.

USA Today reports: 

The move, nearly a year in the making, came despite last-minute concerns were raised by top brass about how to deal with the medical, housing and uniform issues for troops who are transitioning to the other sex.

“This is the right thing to do for our people and for the force,” Carter said. “We’re talking about talented Americans who are serving with distinction or who want the opportunity to serve. We can’t allow barriers unrelated to a person’s qualifications prevent us from recruiting and retaining those who can best accomplish the mission.”

NBC News adds: 

In a year, all the services will begin allowing transgender individuals to join the armed forces,

Carter called for full implementation one year from now. By October, the Department of Defense will craft and distribute a commanders’ training handbook, medical protocol and guidance for changing a service member’s gender in the in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment System.

That is the deadline that all the services will be required to provide medically appropriate care and treatment to transgender service members according to Department of Defense protocols.

The post Pentagon Lifts Ban on Open Transgender Service: WATCH LIVE appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/DyMfGjpM9aY/