Stealing the Spotlight

Update.--I have since learned that a few states have redefined the requirements for changes for Birth Certificate (BC) where SRS is not necessary, but only a letter from an appropriate physician or specialist (gender issues) certifying the individual has completed their transition to the new sex. This allows the BC to be amended to "Female" for the individual. This is how Autumn Sandeem can say what was said but it does not change my view.

One problem with the transgender community, and it has a lot of them, is that some individuals in the community like the spotlight, but unlike Chaz who is a reasonably good example for transmen, there are some who are not good examples of anyone let alone the community. One of those was written about in an article (found here) about DADT which includes a short description of Autumn Sandeem.

And that's the problem, or rather Autumn is the problem. Autumn has commented here on this blog about my opinion on transgender matters or issues. Autumn is without any doubt an opinionated person, which is not respected or liked by many in the transgender community because of Autumn's views, which the journalist in the article fails to mention. So I will.

Autumn served in the Navy for 20 years, which Autumn noted was as a closet cross-dresser. Nothing else, not transgender. After retiring Autumn chose to dress as a woman but start through the proceedure to transition to be physically and legally female and a woman for years. That's Autumn's choice, but Autumn claimed to speak for transgender women who have transitioned or are transitioning.

And that's the problem, something Autumn likely knows little about. When Autumn did start to transition, Autumn has tried, somewhat successfully, to get the VA to cover some of the transition expenses with hormone replacement therapy and other medical care. I'm ok with the medical care but I don't think the VA should cover post-retirement transition.

That's my opinion since it's a medical issue unrelated to the service or the military. And recently Autumn declared she had "completed" her transition to be legally a woman, except it wasn't complete. Autumn had an Orchiectomy, the removal of the testicles, and not a vaginaplasty which is the legal requirement for change the sex marker on birth certificates in the 48 of 50 states which allow the change.

An Orchiectomy does allow one to change the driver's license, their passport, their Social Security files, and all the other documents save two. One being the birth certificate and the other military records. The DOD does not change the sex marker on anyone's record even with the birth certificate change.

And now Autumn is whining what was lost, to serve as a woman. Sorry, give us a break. Many transgender women postpone their transition to finish their career and they haven't and don't whine about it. They may have wanted to transition on the job but knew it would be a disaster to their career and life. It's the choice many made and still will make. You're not alone there.

And since Autumn's retirement Autuumn has frequently been in the spotlight as a transgender woman despite the "M" on all of Autumn's documents, even crying foul when arrested and treated as a male. Sorry, join club of all those other who were physically and sexually abused in jail and/or prison, except you weren't abused.

Maybe mistreated, but something to cry about? No. You knew the risks when you protested and knew you could be arrested and jailed, which then included a strip search and document check. Did you really expect them to put you in a woman jail when you're legally male just because you're a crossdresser as you claim? Oh, yes as a woman, and we're supposed to have sympathy?

So the journalist, in my view, did a disservice to the readers by including Autumn, who is a publicity hound for the causes Autumn thinks respresents the view of transgender people, but I don't know that many who have expressed support for Autumn's work. Some have and that's fine, but many haven't, and many more would like Autumn to just get on with life and stop claiming rights you don't have as a representative of transgender people.