Should Transgender People Be Allowed in the U.S. Military?
The U.S. Military Should Be Honored to Accept Transgender People That Choose to Serve
In my opinion, yes, transgender people should be allowed to serve in the military. If someone is willing to risk life and limb to serve the country then the government and the public should be appreciative and refrain from discriminating against transgender people. First of all, why should anyone care about the gender identity of a U.S. military soldier? Haven't we moved past that kind of prejudiced behavior?
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
— Martin Luther King Jr.Prejudice and discrimination have always been present in society. For example, for as long as women have been working, they have encountered prejudiced people been discriminated against in many public and private sectors, and many women still face discrimination in the form of being paid less than men and having to deal with the glass ceiling. Trump's remarks about transgender individual's ability to serve is a form of prejudice against trans people. It is a shame for anyone to argue that sex reassignment surgery is so costly and disruptive to military participation that it justifies banning transgender people. That is like saying pregnancy is too costly for businesses and there is a chance that any woman may get pregnant, therefore it is justified that businesses choose to refrain from hiring women.
This is bigoted thinking. Transgender people should have the same rights as anyone else. The world has enough issues. Let's live and let live. Every person who is qualified and who is capable of serving in the U.S. military should be allowed to serve the country.
Trump's Antics Can't Fool the U.S. Into Being Intolerant of Transgender People
Trump's belief that transgender people should not serve in the U.S. military in any capacity because it supposedly causes a huge financial burden on tax payers is a misunderstanding and/or exaggeration of what costs could amount to. Research shows that this is such an insignificant amount that it could not possibly be an issue to the public and the government. This is just a form of excluding a group of people based on one's own assumptions or personal intolerance.
We must embrace the transgender community and accept them unconditionally. No one chooses to face such a painful dilemma in life. And who are we to judge anyway? To each his own. Spread peace and love. That is our only hope for a brighter future for our kids.
We Can Do This!
What is very alarming and sad is that human beings have figured out ways to go to the moon and to save lives using revolutionary medication for illnesses that were considered fatal and incurable until a century ago, however, we are still struggling to find a way to embrace one another regardless of skin color, ethnicity, language, religion, sex, gender identity, age, marital status, or other criteria.
A Kinder World Is Possible: Be the Change you Want to see in the World
Each one of us is responsible on both an individual and collective basis for fighting prejudice and bigotry of any kind. This responsibility starts with education and awareness and it includes standing up for those who are being treated unfairly. If you are not a part of the solution then you are a part of the problem. We cannot raise kids who are indifferent or who are what I call "bystanders." Bystanders are those people who watch injustice happen right in front of their eyes and they choose to be silent about it. For example, if you're witnessing someone getting bullied or harassed for any reason that they have no control over (i.e. their religion, their skin color, their sex, etc) don't just stand there quietly, intervene and support the person who is being harassed. We must stand up and intervene to ensure that measures are taken to prevent a repeat occurrence of these types of incidents.
We Must use Different Approaches to Battle Prejudice Because the Definition of Insanity Is Doing the Same Thing Repeatedly and Expecting Different Results
Movements like Black Lives Matter are good initiatives for the purposes of creating positive societal change. I have heard some people say "all lives matter." What they miss is that Black people are not saying they are better or more important than others. They are essentially saying "our lives matter too." Critics of this movement need to remember that these people have been persecuted for the color of skin and for their heritage for decades. So much still needs to be done to protect people of color from being mistreated in the workplace, public spaces, and in society in general.
Treat Racism and Prejudice as if They Are Diseases: They are the Most Dangerous Kinds of Diseases Because They Affect Generations of People
I wonder what people like Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcom X would have to say about ways to cure racism and prejudice. I say "cure" because these evils truly are a societal illness. They prevent communities from being truly connected to one another simply because one group feels superior to others.
Just like the way scientists are trying to find cures for HIV, cancer, and other diseases, a few groups of experts (psychologists, sociologists, teachers, professors, social workers, and general public) should come together and start a movement to eliminate prejudice of any kind.
There Is Hope!
This is not something that can be fixed overnight. But we must begin our efforts now. We must leave a better world for our children. We owe it to them. There is hope. Please comment and let me know what you think about this issue?
