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LGBT News Trump stops Trans persons serving in the military

Discussion in 'Current Events, World News, & LGBT News' started by Ryu, Jul 26, 2017.

  1. Ryu

    Ryu
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  2. Libertino

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    I find it hard to believe that is the sole issue at stake here.

    Furthermore, why is the military obligated to pay for reassignment surgery? Do they pay for other surgeries as well?

    I've heard from some in the military that trans individuals are often non-deployable, which is a burden on the military and the taxpayer and seems to defeat the purpose of their being there.

    In other words, I don't have a clear position on this issue, but I do think a blanket ban on trans people in the military is the wrong angle. I'm not one to tell people, be they trans or not, that they shouldn't be allowed to defend my country.
     
  3. Par

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    The cost of trans healthcare is a tiny portion of the military budget - this move is not motivated by efficiency
     
    #3 Par, Jul 26, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2017
  4. DirectionNorth

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    Yeah, he's just using cost as a front. He just wants to reverse what Obama put into place and further serve conservative opinions and views.
     
    #4 DirectionNorth, Jul 26, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2017
  5. AKTodd

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    Um. No, not really.

    Per this article from CNN:

    A 2016 Rand Corp. study commissioned by the Defense Department concluded that letting transgender people serve openly would have a "minimal impact" on readiness and health care costs, largely because there are so few in the military's 1.3 million-member force.
    The study put the number of transgender people in the military between 1,320 and 6,630. Gender-change surgery is rare in the general population, and the RAND study estimated the possibility of 30 to 140 new hormone treatments a year in the military, with 25 to 130 gender transition-related surgeries among active service members. The cost could range from $2.4 million and $8.4 million, an amount that would represent an "exceedingly small proportion" of total health care expenditures, the study found.

    The article then goes on to display a graphic that indicates that in 2014, the Dept of Defense spent 49.3 billion dollars just on health care.

    A quick bit of googling turns up that the US was projected to spend 598.5 billion dollars for fiscal year 2015. In FY2016, the military spent about 580.3 billion.

    Against such numbers, an expenditure of less than 10 million dollars per year is pretty much in the realm of a rounding error. It in no way represents an 'excessive strain' on the military's budget.

    Todd
     
  6. Libertino

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    In other words, he's just pandering to his base. Which seems to underscore many of his decisions. Given the failure of his pandering in the past (the stopped Muslim ban, the botched Obamacare repeal), it makes sense that he would try to do it again. I will be interested to see how this attempt will fail.
     
  7. DirectionNorth

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    True, but even if it isn't for his base, I think he's trying to just reverse everything Obama had done.
     
  8. AKTodd

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    Just to provide some background on this:

    I worked for a government contractor that managed the Tricare program (the military's medical benefit for military dependents and retirees) for a number of years. We also booked appointments active duty members into military treatment facilities when I first started there.

    It's been a while since I worked there, but assuming nothing major has changed....In a nutshell, the military pays for pretty much all medical costs for active duty members, including Viagra, and STD treatments. They most definitely pay for surgery, although not cosmetic surgery IIRC. However, they will pay for surgery related to some sort of genetic or hereditary condition, and an argument could be made that gender reassignment surgery would fall under that umbrella.

    I haven't heard about trans individuals being 'non-deployable', but I do recall a news segment some time back that showed an active duty trans man who was serving in Iraq or Afghanistan - which is pretty deployed if you ask me. A bit of quick googling also turned up these:

    LINK

    LINK

    Todd
     
  9. Andrew99

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    You know if Hilary was in office this wouldn't be a problem.
     
    #9 Andrew99, Jul 26, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2017
  10. BothWaysSecret

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    Basically anything the Incompetent Orange in the oval office does is stupid anyway, so I'm not surprised. He's just trying to undo everything President Obama did just to say he can.

    He does realize he just makes himself look worse and more stupid with every action he does, correct? He's worried about spending more in the military budget for gender reassignment surgery yet our tax dollars have gone to funding his weekly golf trips, his toupees, and all the extra security that had to be sent to his luxury skyscraper when Mrs. Orange and his son were still in New York? We've wasted our money supporting his lavish lifestyle, he can give some to support the average American.

    Transgendered Americans have every right to serve in the military if they wish to. If they are brave enough to want to serve our country, I applaud and support them, because Lord knows I could never be brave enough to do it. Those that serve are proudly fighting for the rights of every American.
     
  11. DirectionNorth

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    Exactly!
     
  12. DirectionNorth

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    I wish I could like this post, but it doesn't give me the option to.

    But I fully agree! Basically every position he filled are incompetent, delusional, very subpar people.
     
  13. KyleD

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    Trump targets the most vulnerable people in society who he knows can´t or don´t have the ability to fight back. I can´t at him having a fit over that miniscule amount of money for reassignment surgery. Are you serious? He is a heartless coward.
     
    #13 KyleD, Jul 26, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2017
  14. AlexTheGrey

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    Yup, the cost is a front. If it was really about cost, the policy changes would revolve around benefits and coverage. Not an outright ban. It's a bit like a night club saying ladies' night is too expensive for the club owners, so they are going to ban all women from the club.

    And I call bull on any cost argument that will cover fertility/potency treatments and other QoL issues, but won't even pay out a dime for HRT.
     
  15. Libertino

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  16. mnguy

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    Another horrible decision lacking any logic or factual support. And to announce it on twitter shows what little respect he has for the trans people serving the country. He wasn't brave enough to serve and dodged the draft, yet can kick out those who have the courage to serve. He's such a disgrace.

    As mentioned, cost is a bs reason as evidenced by all the money he wastes traveling and extra security for his family. They tried to ban the military from paying for trans healthcare, but it failed so this was their next best move apparently. Here's another article discussing the anti-LGBT stuff Pence is pushing behind the scenes.
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...-to-save-his-base_us_5978905ae4b0a8a40e8417f3

    I still don't understand how anyone who cares about our equality (and a bunch of other reasons) could vote for trump. This is what republicans do, keep doing and will continue to do. They don't support the marginalized or poor and working class people. They haven't for a very long time, yet too many of those very people vote for them against their best interests. It's so very frustrating. I wish it was easy to move to and work in Canada because they have so much good going on that we'll never get with so many ignorant, prejudiced people. I'd rather live in and give my taxes to a country that has healthcare for all people, national LGBT protections, much lower gun deaths per year and likely lots of other positive reasons.

    **Why can't we like posts in this thread?
     
    #16 mnguy, Jul 26, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2017
  17. Jakob

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    I don't think anyone should support the shameless imperialism and warmongering that is the American "defence" forces and army culture, but if trans people wanted to serve, they should be able to. And it's not like the military couldn't afford re-assignment surgeries. Trump wants a budget of $639 billion this year for his military, I'm sure they can afford it.

    All his "valid points" are just a cover for ill-founded and disgusting bigotry, and that's it.
     
  18. mnguy

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    100% agree!!
     
  19. BothWaysSecret

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    The U.S. government has basically become an idiot circus under his presidency. I feel so bad for every foreign dignitary that has to deal with him or one of his moronic people. It's giving us a bad name.
     
    #19 BothWaysSecret, Jul 26, 2017
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2017
  20. BothWaysSecret

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    I couldn't agree more.