Essay On Transgender Troops

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/05/air-force-transgender-troops_n_7520530.html

Before taking a look at the current even analyzed in this paper a few terms and definitions need to be addressed. “Transgender is an umbrella term used to describe those whose gender identity, expression, or behavior differs from their assigned sex at birth or is outside the two gender categories” (Chambliss, 2015). It is important to note that transgender also includes other categories such as “transsexual, cross-dresser, androgynous, genderqueer, bigender, third gender, and gender nonconforming” (Chambliss, 2015). Transsexual generally refers to those who have gone through hormone therapy and surgery to change their gender. This is about their gender identity not their sexual orientation. Public education and awareness on this topic will most assuredly rise in light of the Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner transformation.

In an article written today, June 5, 2015 the Huffington Post reports that the military is getting with the times.

The Air Force is revamping its policy on Transgender airmen. This comes in the wake of a similar change made by the Army earlier this year, according to the article entitled “Air Force Loosens Its Policy Banning Transgender Troops”. This policy change does not lift the ban that the military has on transgender military personnel serving opening in the military. Due to this policy there are an approximate 15,500 transgender military personnel serving in secret. However, the policy change does “[raise] the level of authority necessary to discharge someone for being transgender” (Huffington Post, 2015). Although a total lift of the ban may be something for the military to look forward to. The more open-minded people become on these kinds of topics the more baby steps will be taken towards social equality for all. As previously stated this is a nationwide ongoing

event.
In order to properly analyze this current event, it should be looked at from several different sociological conceptual points of view. Chambliss states, “‘men’ are made and not born” (Chambliss, 2015) when discussing the study of social construction of masculinity. Therefore, gender is socially constructed meaning is created through our interactions with others. Social constructionism shows that gender it is not inborne but built through social interaction and ever evolving. Under the social constructionism concept transgender people appear to have broken the gender norm of identifying with the sex that they are born with and choosing through their life experiences to identify with the opposite sex. Chamblis reports, “Social stratification [is the] systematic ranking of different groups of people in a hierarchy of inequality (Chambliss G-9)
Therefore gender stratification refers to men and women’s unequal rights power and prestige solely based on their sex. When looking at the military’s stance on transgender service men and women the stratification is clear. They, at this time, have very few rights whatsoever. Furthermore, according to Chambliss deviance is defined as “[any] attitude, behavior, or condition that violates cultural norms or societal laws and results in disapproval, hostility, or sanction if it becomes known” (Chambliss, 2015). Transgender people definitely violate what many people consider to be a social and sexual norm. As most people in our society identify with the gender that they are born with.
Certainly there are other sociological as well as psychological concepts that we can use to analyze people who are transgender. My personal opinion is live and let live. I have known people who are gay, straight, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender, and transsexual. To me, their sexual orientation and/or gender identity does not change who they are as a person, morally and ethically. However, there are people who would passionately disagree with me.