Date: June 30, 2016
Host: Jim Schneider
While he’s had no time for a National Day of Prayer service at the White House, President Obama has seen fit to hold LGBT pride celebrations for the past 8 years. He has now done more to propel the LGBT movement than all other presidents combined.
One of his goals was to allow homosexuals to serve openly in the military. He succeeded by lifting the policy known as ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’. Then last July Defense Secretary Ash Carter indicated that it was his intention to also lift the ban on transgender troops.
Today, Carter took to the podium to announce that transgender troops can now serve openly in the military. In that same speech he estimated that approximately 2,500 service members on active duty fit into the category of transgender.
Under this new policy individuals will be allowed to enlist in the military and those already serving can no longer be forced to leave because of their gender identity. The new rules also give military commanders flexibility noting that not all cases are the same. The new policy provides broad guidelines for transgender service members to be able to use the restrooms, housing, uniforms and fitness standards of their preferred gender only after they have legally transitioned according to some officials.
Jim also reported news from the Marine Corps Times. Thousands of Marines serving throughout the infantry and other key positions are about to get gender neutral job titles where in many cases the word ‘man’ will be replaced by ‘Marine’.
President Obama’s deputies have decreed that single-sex restrooms will be eliminated in national parks to help make the nation’s outdoors into a transgender supportive environment.
Salt Lake City resident Misty Snow is the first transgender nominee from a major party to run for a U.S. Senate seat and she shares the distinction of being the first transgender person to run for Congress.
As this Crosstalk continues you’ll hear how the LGBT movement has its eyes on children; New York fire fighters and medics to take their first ‘Trans-101’ course; Skittles candy goes black and white so as not to upstage the rainbow flag during pride month; the fallout from the Target transgender restroom policy; audio of President Obama’s gay pride month speech at the White House and much more.
