7 things you need to know about the trans military ban
by L’lerret Ailith, Communications Manager for Black Youth Project 100 and a Black trans woman.
We have to focus on the bigger picture. This isn’t about the military. It’s an attack on the dignity and humanity of trans people and our right to occupy space and navigate authentically.
Politicians are ending the ACA with no viable alternative. They’re creating a faux complication of trans people’s healthcare costs being a burden to taxpayers and the government and moving bigoted legislation in order to seem like they’re helping American economy.
With the military budget at near $50 billion and trans healthcare costs at only $9 million, this is clearly a rouse to get folks to attack the legitimacy and necessity of trans healthcare. I mean, they spend upwards of $40 million on viagra but that isn’t an issue, right?
With the rise in violence and harassment of trans people lately and consistent picking at trans validity (bathrooms, pronouns, etc), we can prepare for a war on trans folks by the American government.
This is less about choice and more about stripping away at resources and protections. Trans people will be scapegoated as the burdens of society.
There is also a clear and present danger for current trans military folks and vets relying on resources to get the money or medical care or education they needed.
This will extend further than the military. It will affect Americans on the large scale and we can prepare to continue to see rollbacks against our community. If the “burden” affects military budget, who says they won’t use it to affect federal budget. And then use that as a primer to a replacement of ACA that is shitty and shuts out all protection and accommodation of trans people and probably other marginalized communities.
BYP100 is an activist member-based organization of Black 18-35 year olds, dedicated to creating justice and freedom for all Black people. They do this through building a collective focused on transformative leadership development, direct action organizing, advocacy and education using a Black queer feminist lens.