San Diego is very much on the frontline of the Transmilitary service issue. We are home to the Marines at Miramar Air Station, Camp Pendleton, and the Marine Corps Recruit depot, as well as the Navy bases at Coronado, Point Loma and San Diego, and of course, the US Coast Guard. Accordingly, The San Diego LGBT Community Leadership Council has issued the following statement in support of the transmen and transwomen who protect and defend our country:
Whereas the mission of the San Diego LGBT Community Leadership Council, a project of The San Diego LGBT Community Center, is to support and enhance the business, political, cultural, and community life of the San Diego LGBT community, improve the health and well-being of its members, and advance the equality and civil rights of all by providing a stable, effective, and on-going collaborative mechanism through which LGBT community organizations and their allies can effectively exchange information, coordinate community activities, collaborate on community projects, and provide coordinated community leadership,
Whereas, On March 23, 2018, The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, announced a Department of Defense policy that excludes transgender persons from military service based on their gender identity, except under certain limited circumstances; and
Whereas, The American Medical Association stated that there “is no medically valid reason — including a diagnosis of gender dysphoria — to exclude transgender individuals from military service”; and
Whereas, The American Psychological Association finds “substantial psychological research shows that gender dysphoria is a treatable condition, and does not, by itself, limit the ability of individuals to function well and excel in their work, including in military service”; and
Whereas, No scientific research has shown that transgender servicemembers adversely impact readiness or unit cohesion, but research does show that discrimination and stigma harms morale and readiness by creating stress for transgender persons that harms their well-being; and
Whereas, The American Psychiatric Association has also voiced strong opposition to banning transgender persons from military service; and
Whereas, This policy will result in the loss of potential and current fully trained and deployable military personnel bases solely on their gender identity; and
Whereas, Transgender individuals, including those from San Diego, have served, and continue to serve, our country with honor, and should be allowed to continue doing so; now, therefore, be it
Resolved that the San Diego LGBT Community Leadership Council finds the exclusion of transgender persons from United States military service unfair, discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Endorsed as of April 26, 2018 by
The San Diego LGBT Community Center
Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego – Rev. Dan Koeshall, Senior Pastor
Department of Defense Federal Globe, DOD FED GLOBE
San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus
Log Cabin Republicans, San Diego Chapter – Gina Roberts, President
North County LGBTQ Resource Center
GLSEN San Diego Chapter
San Diego LGBT Pride
Live and Let Live Alano Club
San Diego Cruisers Motorcycle Club
The Neutral Corner, Inc.
Pink Pistols & The LGBT Self Defense Community
California Veterans Legal Task Force