Virginia backs Trump's transphobic justification for transgender military ban

[turbinetree]

Source: Think Progress

The commonwealth believes Trump's line that it's not a transgender ban.

Zack Ford
May 22, 2019, 12:04 pm

The state of Virginia has confirmed it will comply with President Donald Trump’s transgender military ban, which officially took effect last month after courts cleared the way.

Responding to an inquiry from ThinkProgress, Adjutant General Timothy Williams explained that the Virginia National Guard’s service members “must meet established Department of Defense (DOD) readiness standards,” including the expectations laid out by the discriminatory policy.

Williams proceeded to repeat the Trump administration’s description of the ban. “The new DOD policy doesn’t ban transgender individuals from service, and transgender service members may continue to serve,” he wrote. “The DOD policy states that anyone who meets military standards without special accommodations can and should be able to serve, and this includes transgender persons.”

This is incorrect. The administration’s policy explicitly requires that service members can only serve in their “biological sex.” This automatically precludes any transgender person from serving, including those who are already living in accordance with their gender identity. It also institutes a new form of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” for currently serving personnel who might come out as transgender. They will now be forced to choose between continuing their careers or receiving the medical assistance they might require to begin their transition. Transgender students completing their education at one of the military academies will also have no opportunity to serve in the military upon graduation.

Read more: https://thinkprogress.org/virginia-discrimination-transgender-national-guard-42bbe14e562b/

---

This is just fucking amazing............................

[Initech]

1. Damn... is there anything they won't lie about?

Everyone knows that 2+2=4. But these guys could say that 2+2=7 and they would spend hours arguing through their teeth attempting to change the meaning of basic math.

[angrychair]

2. Just a nitpicky point

But the article refers to Virginia as a state but it's not a state. It's a Commonwealth.

[turbinetree]

3. Granted it is a commonwealth ......................good catch

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

5. Speaking of nits, ever seen a VA Commonwealth Police car?

[angrychair]

6. I know right

It was always a joke...the word "state" uses a lot less area than "commonwealth"
If you looked at other "state" police cars for KY and MA and PA (the other three commonwealths) they all say "state" too.

It's a weird one. That said I know that, at least in VA, state govt people will correct you if you say "state" and any and all official paperwork always says commonwealth.

There is no difference, in our great union sense, in the terms but at least in VA, its a distinction they make sincerely and teach from school age.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

4. What are they going to do next ?

Secede ?

[lagomorph777]

7. We have a Democratic Governor and Lietuenant Governor, and 49% of the Assembly.

We should not tolerate this. I'm writing to Northam today.

[turbinetree]

8. I agree.......................

[tonekat]

9. As do I...

...this is a strange attitude for present day Virginia to take.