[guest post by Dana]

As we were discussing International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, I was reminded of an enraging tie-in between that and the V.A. scandal wherein our veterans are quite literally, in some cases, dying while waiting for treatment.

In the wake of an ever-burgeoning “wait for them to die” scandal within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the heavy hitters in the Obama Administration have made their priorities known; specifically, while accusations swirl of purposeful lack of medical attention to vets have resulted in needless deaths, the head honcho himself for the Department of Defense (DoD)greased the skids for a convicted turncoat to receive a taxpayer subsidized sex change operation. As reported on May 14, 2014 by both the Toronto, Canada-based The Globe and Mail and also the USA TODAY news portal, convicted renegade soldier Bradley Manning could soon be transferred to a civilian hospital on the orders the Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, according to two Pentagon officials speaking on grounds of anonymity.

In an announcement by Pentagon press secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, “the Secretary approved a request by Army leadership to evaluate potential treatment options for inmates diagnosed with gender dysphoria.” If and when approved, Manning will be transferred from the Leavenworth, Kansas military prison (officially deemed the United States Disciplinary Barracks) to a yet to be identified civilian hospital for Manning’s sexual reassignment surgery. Reportedly, Secretary Hagel personally gave the official thumb’s up last month for the Army “to try to work out a transfer plan with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which does provide such treatment.”

As a reminder, Bradley “Chelsea” Manning was sentenced to 35-years in Leavenworth after being found guilty of “six Espionage Act violations and 14 other offences for giving Wikileaks [Julian Assange] more than 700,000 secret military and U.S. State Department documents, along with battlefield video.”

Also, the costs incurred by such a surgery ranges from a total of $40,000 to $50,000 for “mid-range transition, including surgery.” Monthly hormone therapy can run anywhere from from $25 to $200.

The priorities of this administration are clear. And it is to their collective shame and disgrace.

–Dana

[guest post by Dana]

From the White House press release (yesterday):

Tomorrow, as we commemorate the 10th annual International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, we recommit ourselves to the fundamental belief that all people should be treated equally, that they should have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential, and that no one should face violence or discrimination — no matter who they are or whom they love.

This year, the United States celebrates the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, and the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. In doing so, we reflect on lessons learned from our own civil rights struggles and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that the human rights of all people are universally protected.

At a time when, tragically, we are seeing increased efforts to criminalize or oppress LGBT persons, we call on partners everywhere to join us in defending the equal rights of our LGBT brothers and sisters, and in ensuring they are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

UPDATE: I have added a list of Ten Signs of Transphobia in our culture:

Denial that the problem exists in the first place.
Inability to distinguish between categories such as queer, gay, lesbian, and trans.
Lack of meaningful discussion in educational and workplace settings.
Anxiety over not being able to tell if a person is male or female.
Crude jokes directed towards trans people or with trans-related content.
Refusal to accept trans people as one’s own teacher, doctor, politician, dentist, etc.
Thinking that being trans is OK but also dismissing the idea of ever dating a transperson.
Reducing trans to being merely and solely a psychiatric category.
Trivialization and media spectacles centred on trans-ness as an object of ‘fascination.’
Refusing the fundamental claims of transpeople as being genuinely mis-sexed.

I posted this list because I am (but really am not) surprised such a list existed. There are always those lists… And, at the risk of sounding like a old curmudgeon, it’s all become so damn complicated. I try to keep it simple: treat those around me with the same respect and courtesy that I would like in turn. If that isn’t enough, too bad. If that makes me bigoted, or insensitive, or whatever the new booga-booga flavor of the month Word is, so be it. Life is just too short to be mincing around on egg shells. Oh crap, did I offend someone?

–Dana