30 Days of Pride!

June 30: Transgender Servicemembers "Brendan" and "Steven"

Over the month of June, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network profiled individuals who continue to make significant contributions to the LGBT military community as we continue the work for full equality within the armed forces. The individuals we are recognizing today will remain anonymous. They are both active duty service members; they have served their minimum time and have re-enlisted, at least once. They love their country, their job and the service members they lead. They have sacrificed many aspects of their lives, just like their peers.

Despite being qualified, trained, mission-ready, and successful, these two service members identify as transgender, or trans - which, according to the U.S. military, makes them unfit to serve our country. For that reason, we must keep their identities secret.

Transgender service members join the military for the same reasons their peers do: a sense of duty, patriotism and respect for the foundations our country was built upon. Despite their commitment, current military medical regulations do not allow for their open service, so they continue to serve in silence.

Meet “Brendan” and “Steven." These are not their real names, but these are their true stories and experiences, serving as transgender individuals - and their hopes for an inclusive military.

“Brendan”

Brendan commissioned as an officer immediately after finishing his undergraduate studies. Joining with an intent to serve as a chaplain, Brendan fell in love with his job, and will complete his seventh year of service this year. He has spent most of his career deployed, including a tour to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Brendan has identified as LGBT since middle school but did not identify as transgender until 2010, while deployed in Afghanistan. He describes feeling different and not knowing how to define it, until reading about being transgender online.

Brendan stays active within his church community, and is openly trans to this group, as well as to a few military peers. He says that this admission has produced zero negative reactions. He acknowledges living two lives, similar to the stresses of living under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Brendan believes that DADT repeal saved his career, as most people identified him before, in his words, as a “butch lesbian” and he served under constant scrutiny. Since repeal, Brendan serves more comfortably - he wears military-issued, gender-neutral uniform parts and goes by a nickname that is also gender-neutral. If other service members call him “sir” or “ma’am” he does not make an effort to correct them, knowing that he cannot openly identify as male while at the same time avoiding drawing unnecessary attention to his identity. Out of uniform, Brendan lives as a male, and is identified and treated as "Brendan" among his friends.

Brendan intends to make a career of the military and has no intention of transitioning until he is a civilian. He is dedicated and he is successful at a job that he loves. He believes that transgender service is about much more than sexuality or gender identity - it’s about being true to the individuals who make very real sacrifices for this country. Even though Brendan plans to stay in the military for 20+ years, he notes that many transgender service members serve their minimum requirement or less because of the extra stresses added. Gender is not relative to a prescribed job and a job is not relative to gender; service members sign up to serve their country, and have done so successfully.

“Steven”

Steven enlisted the military in 2004. Eight years since enlisting he has served in two different branches and has completed three combat tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as one additional humanitarian tour.

Steven comes from a military family: both his parents are veterans and his brothers are combat arms Marines. Coming from a very accepting background, he has never been in the closet as a member of the LGBT community; however, he waited a few years before coming out as transgender to his family. When coming out to his brothers, it was not an issue. Steven has even come out as trans to a few of his peers from his platoon, including his roommate - and their reactions have also been a non-event. Steven attributes these responses to his qualifications: his leadership billet, his commitment to his job and his physical fitness. (Steven continuously scores among the top 5% of his platoon during every physical fitness test.)

Steven’s ambition is to serve in special operations. His military papers, however, identify him as female. Even though Steven knows he is qualified and more than capable of serving in a combat arms or special operations specialty, military guidelines prohibit females from serving in this capacity. This bar on service limits Steven’s potential, as well as the potential of other qualified service members who wish to serve in similar occupation specialties. Despite these barriers, Steven continues to do his job successfully, and to the best of his ability. He acknowledges that he is a trans-man, but more so, he acknowledges the commitments he made when he became a service member. When it comes to military operations and accomplishing a particular mission, Steven notes that it isn’t about sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation; it’s about being properly trained, physically qualified, and mentally ready to take on these challenges. He wears the uniform of this country proudly and serves with the utmost humility and professionalism, despite the fear of losing his job if his chain-of-command finds out he is transgender. At the moment, Steven is trying to decide whether he wants to re-enlist for the third time. He is deterred by the limitations placed on his service, but knows that if he chooses not to re-enlist, he will be leaving a job he loves.