Transgender troops are allowed back into the military after Trump reinstates policy to allow them to participate in military action and military benefits; not related to unnecessary medical treatments. There are about 1.2 million military troops currently serving in the U.S. military, about 6,600 of those are transgender. Only a few hundred of those troops seek medical treatment through the military for their sex change. The estimated cost for those few hundred transgender troops is about 8 million dollars a year, all out of the U.S. government's pocket. This is where the controversy begins. Many people believed that transgender people shouldn’t be kicked out of the military because of their decided gender, however it wasn’t about their gender, it was about the cost. As the nation retaliated, the president was reconsidering the decision to ban transgender troops and recreated the transgender policy. As the president and his advisory discussed, they came up with a new policy for the U.S. military, transgender men and women can serve, but the government won’t pay for their sex change, or any other procedures necessary for their new decided gender.
The U.S. debt is currently over 20 trillion dollars, thus forming the reasoning as to why the government doesn’t want to pay 8 million or more a year on procedures that should be payed for by the ones receiving them. The new policy says that the government will pay for the medically needed and or life threatening procedures that need to be done, but not procedures that are only for sex change. For example, if a woman in the military had breast cancer and needed her breasts removed, the government would step in and support them in their cost and procedures necessary for saving their life, but the government doesn’t want to pay for the unnecessary procedures that aren’t life threatening. This policy wasn’t created in the first place to make the transgender community feel threatened, or attacked, just to cut down on costs unnecessary for the U.S. government's national debt. This in no way devalues the transgender community, but places these procedures in cosmetic, rather than medically necessary.
Questions:
How do you think the transgender community is reacting to the new policy now that they can serve in the military, but won't have their medical procedures paid for?
What do you think the next step is for transgender soldiers?
My Answers:
I believe that the transgender community feels as though they have gained anther step forward, but they still have a long way to go before they reach the equality that they rightfully deserve.
I think the next step for the transgender soldiers is to regain their standing as a just a man or woman, not a transgender.
Replies
Great job Liz but you commented on two different days instead of three.
I think that the government is taking the right step. I believe that transgender is kinda wrong. But there's not much we can do, we can't change the way people feel so I feel the government is doing their best to embrace the fact that even if you don't agree with something. You have to please as many people in your country as you can. I imagine the trans community is happy about this step forward, but from what I've read on other sources they still want the government to pay for their surgeries.
I think that they are very happy about the fact that they can finally serve in the military again, because there is no reason why they should not be allowed to do what every other person can do! But I'm not sure if they are hundred percent satisfied, because I believe that for them to change their body really is life threatening and not just "cosmetic".
Their next step is probably to get accepted by everyone, because unfortunately there are still enough people that don't accept them as they are.
But is it really life threatening? All they are doing is changing their sex, not dying. I see where you are coming from by saying they think it's life threatening, but I personally don't think that it is a cost that should be put on the government.
I think the transgender community is happier now that they changed the rule back to were they can serve in the military. i don't know how they feel about the change that they wont pay for the procedures, but honestly if they want to change they should pay for it.Its not the governments job to pay for it. I think the next step for them is also to get the title of man or woman and not transgender, but also not to get discriminated for being trans either. Also to have people not freak out, like for example make them go in certain bathrooms.
I completely agree
I really think it doesn't it matters about what gender someone wants to be. If they want to serve and protect the country let them because, they are still people and not different from anyone else. The transgender community is still pushing forward for rights but they accomplished a huge one. They are serving in the military and want to help like anyone else in the military in the military there job is to protect and serve right? It shouldn't matter what you look like or what you have done to yourself your still doing what the military wants you to and that's to protect and serve.
I 100% agree with you. No matter who you are, you should be able to protect your country.
I think they are happy about it because when they were banned they were very upset and a lot of people thought it wasn't right.
I think they hope to gain the confidence and that others will see them as what they want to call themselves.
1. I think that it is great that we have people brave enough to serve our country, considering not everyone is. I think that it was very controversial for President Trump to do this. I feel like the transgender community is relieved that they got one foot in. I can also see that they're upset that their health benefits have to be the catch to the deal. I think that if they want to serve, let them, because they're risking their life. 2. With our current president, it's unpredictable. I do however, hope that whoever wants to fight for this country should be able to.
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