By Hale Allegretti, USCG
Watching Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell fall back in 2011 was one of the most uplifting moments of my Coast Guard career. It wasn’t until after I began researching the political history of its demise for a grad school paper that I fully understood the slim margin and the perfect storm of political events that led to the repeal. I didn’t realize at the time the tremendous amount of effort it takes to overturn a law that seemed, at the time, so obviously ready for repeal. Back in 2011, I reaped the rewards of those allies working behind the scenes to protect my safety and my service.
Six years later, I was diagnosed with gender dysphoria. In July 2017, I came out to my family and let them know that my doctor and I determined that transitioning was medically necessary for my health. Just two weeks later, the tweet banning transgender military service rocked my world, sending my family and me into a panic about what this would mean for my future. I decided that no matter the policy, I was going to transition because my life was more important than my career.
Hale Allegretti, USCG
Now, in 2024, I don’t have to hide in the closet for fear of being discharged because of who I am. I am proud to be a visible and vocal advocate for the rights of transgender service members, veterans, and their families. Proposed legislation in the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would ban gender-affirming care for transgender and non-binary service members and dependents under the age of 18. Simply put, these policies hurt the military’s readiness, recruiting, and retention.
There are an estimated 15,000 service members who self-identify as transgender or non-binary, and thousands more military families with trans and non-binary children. Revoking their access to medical care all but guarantees these members will leave the service earlier than planned, further exacerbating the workforce shortfalls felt across all branches. Furthermore, nearly 30 percent of Generation Z adults identify as LGBTQ+, while another 65 percent identify as allies. When only one percent of the population is willing to raise their hand and volunteer for military service, our leaders must make policies that are more inclusive if they want to encourage others to join. And for those of us already serving, we demand and deserve the same level of medical care that we were promised when we volunteered to serve.
I want to thank advocacy groups like the Modern Military Association of America, SPARTA, National Women’s Law Center, Minority Vets of America, HRC, Gender Justice League, Out in National Security, The Center for Reproductive Rights, the National Council of Jewish Women, and Power to Decide, all of whom recently came together to allow those of us who would be impacted to share our stories and the real impact of these terrible policies.
Stop making transgender service about divisive culture wars that have nothing to do with military readiness. It’s time to support our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Sentinels, and Guardians. Codify laws that protect us rather than subject us to harmful, derogatory attacks that degrade our personal and national readiness.
