6 Myths About Transgender People In The Military

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
6 Myths About Transgender People In The Military


1. You have a right to serve in the military.

2. Transgenderism is not a mental illness. The divide over this issue can be drilled down to whether or not one agrees with the premise that transgenderism connotes mental illness. The facts suggest that it is, as the medical term for transgenderism is gender dysphoria, per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III). It was known as gender identity disorder prior to 2013.

Here are some statistics about transgenders, via Pardes Seleh:

Transgendered people are among the most susceptible to suicide in the country. A 2011 survey by the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS) found 41% of transgender people had attempted suicide in the U.S., compared with the mere 4.6% average national attempted suicide rate. A survey by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America found 30% of U.S. veterans have considered suicide, and 45% said they know an Iraq or Afghanistan veteran who has attempted suicide.

Transgender veterans are found to have the highest rates of mental health problems in the U.S., data show. A 2016 study found 90% of military members who identify as transgender were diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder, and almost 50% were hospitalized after attempting or considering suicide.

With that in mind ...


3. The ban will endanger national security.

4. The ban is discriminatory.


[ah yes, sappy made this argument yesterday .....]

5. The costs are minimal. Those against the ban have zeroed in on Trump's justification for the ban that it would cause "tremendous medical costs" and state that the costs are actually minimal as the total costs would range from $2.4 million to $8.4 million, which is "0.005% to 0.017% of all Department of Defense health care spending," per Axios.
[However more completely ... ]
This argument ignores the fact that the 10-year medical costs associated with transgender individuals are around $3-4 billion as well as the fact that sex change surgeries have proven to be ineffective at curbing the mental health issues behind gender dysphoria. That's $3-4 billion over a 10 year period that would have been diverted from other worthwhile medical causes for military personnel and veterans, especially in light of the military being whacked by Barack Obama's cuts and the myriad issues plaguing the Department of Veteran's Affairs.


6. The ban diminishes the patriotism of transgender individuals.
 
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