The United States military is a fighting force for which this nation owes its freedoms. It is made up of millions of our fellow Americans, who are all volunteers, and whose sacrifices are great. They travel the globe, pick up their families when duty calls, and relocate to wherever their nation needs them. They are deployed at this very moment in combat zones in defense of our country and all that we stand for. And, these brave service members risk their lives day in and day out, and no matter their race, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It is our responsibility to care for those who’ve served our nation just as they have served us.
But for too long, our transgender veterans—many of whom receive health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), have been left behind. That is why it is past time for the Biden-Harris administration to make good on their commitment to allow transgender veterans access the full range of gender-affirming health care through the VA.
In 2021, VA Secretary Denis McDonough made an important announcement: that the administration would move to offer gender-affirming surgical services for transgender veterans. The commitment was made not simply to uphold the VA’s charge of providing comprehensive medical care for all veterans, but also as an acknowledgment of the discrimination that has plagued LGBTQ service members and veterans for generations. Despite this powerful commitment to righting a years-long wrong, the proposal has languished on the secretary’s desk. And now, a petition to the department to move forward with the proposed rule has been denied. That is not acceptable. All of America’s veterans deserve access to comprehensive care. Denial of care is a betrayal of their service and our moral obligation.
According to nearly all major medical organizations in the U.S., gender-affirming care is both best-practice and medically necessary. Access to this care, including surgery, has been linked to a reduction in depression, anxiety, and suicidality. In short: gender-affirming care is critical health care. And access to comprehensive, quality health care ensures America’s veterans are able to be healthy members of society long after their service is complete, and despite what they may have encountered during the time of their service.
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Providing access to this necessary care would not only send a message of support to those veterans who need it, but would send an unequivocal message of support for all transgender people. Americans who have had their existence demonized and weaponized by politicians across the country, and face escalating attacks and restrictive legislation, have been forced to flee their home states, leaving behind generations of history and family, in search of basic civil liberties. By advancing a rule to support transgender veterans, the Biden-Harris administration has a clear opportunity to send a message to the nation that all transgender Americans are valued members of society who deserve the same rights and freedoms as everyone else.
Many of the same politicians who have taken aim at transgender people broadly have also exploited the U.S. military in their efforts to divide America. They have targeted transgender service members as a part of a broader culture war, blaming them among others for harming our military readiness. But the truth is that the transgender community is disproportionately represented in the ranks of the military—and are part of the small percentage of Americans who are willing to volunteer to serve their country in uniform. Studies over the years show that transgender people serve in the U.S. military at nearly twice the rate of the general population. The transgender community is woven into the fabric of our society and transgender members of the military are, just like their peers, patriotic defenders of freedom who are risking their lives for us each and every day. And we have a responsibility to honor their sacrifice by ensuring they have VA health care that empowers them to live happy, healthy, and wholly.
When people sign up for military service, they do so knowing the sacrifices they will have to make. They know there will be long periods of time without family, grueling training, and the reality of putting their lives on the line. If you’re LGBTQ, you likely know that you might be in for more, as generations were permitted to openly discriminate within the ranks of the U.S. military. Nevertheless, they still step up. They still have raised their right hand to pledge an oath to serve. And for that, they are owed nothing but the best support for their service from this country.
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America have been unapologetic champions for post-9/11 veterans of all kinds and the Human Rights Campaign is proud to stand in solidarity with those veterans. Secretary McDonough and the Biden-Harris administration must fulfill their duty to them without delay.
Kelley Robinson is president of the Human Rights Campaign.
Allison Jaslow is CEO of Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America.
The views expressed in this article are the writers’ own.
