Whose identity is it anyway?
by digby
Some of the stuff I'm reading on twitter and elsewhere about Private Manning's change from Bradley to Chelsea is just depressing Honestly, I do not understand why people care so much about this stuff. She's a human being. That's all anyone needs to know. If she sees herself as a woman, then that's what she is. Human beings own their own bodies and their identities. Period.
I can't help but be reminded of this, when I read all this stuff today about what a cowardly weirdo Chelsea Manning is:
Monday, June 03, 2013
Here's a truly heroic Navy SEAL
Now this is an amazing story:
The 2011 repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ended the military’s official policy of discriminating against gays and lesbians in the armed services, but a ban on transgender service members remains in place, meaning that trans men and women are still barred from serving.
But some advocates say that may change, or may come closer than ever before to changing, with the release of a new memoir from a former Navy SEAL. Kristen Beck (formerly Chris Beck) was a SEAL for 20 years — and member of SEAL Team 6, the unit that killed Osama bin Laden — before retiring, coming out as transgender and beginning her transition from male to female in 2011.
And with all the ugliness in the world one could expect a huge backlash, especially among her former colleagues in the military. And there may be some.
But it isn't across the board:
Soon, the responses from SEALs stationed all around the world suddenly started pouring in: “Brother, I am with you … being a SEAL is hard, this looks harder. Peace” * “I can’t say I understand the decision but I respect the courage. Peace and happiness be upon you…Jim” * ” … I just wanted to drop you a note and tell you that Kris has all the support and respect from me that Chris had … and quite possibly more. While I’m definitely surprised, I’m also in amazement at the strength you possess and the courage necessary to combat the strangers and ‘friends’ that I’m guessing have reared their ugly heads prior to and since your announcement. …”
I can only say hooyah! to that.
This woman is the same person who was member of Seal Team 6. Whatever "he" could do, she can do. Maybe this will make the military --- hell, everybody --- stop and think a little bit about gender roles and how essentially meaningless they really are.
Good for Kristen. She's a real hero.
I admire Manning for a lot of reasons and this is up there. Anyone who says she's weak and cowardly is an idiot.
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