Kristin Beck: “I’m fighting for equality, dignity and respect...Manning is doing the opposite"

[michigandem58]

...Kristin Beck is the former Christopher Beck, a U.S. Navy Seal Team 6 member who came out as transgender in 2011 and wrote a book, “Warrior Princess,” about the experience. Since then, she has become an advocate for equality in gender identity issues. When she learned that WikiLeaker Manning had also come out as transgender, she was furious.

“I’m fighting for equality, dignity and respect,” Beck said. “This person, Manning, is doing the opposite.” Beck’s fear is that because of Manning’s history, and the circumstances surrounding Manning’s statement, “Uniformed people are going to link gender identity to emotional stability, intellectual capacity and ego.”...

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/08/23/world/transgender-community-unsure-whether-mannings-move-will-be-blessing-or-curse/#.UhgLF53D_IU

[Cooley Hurd]

1. What a load of crap...

Kristin should be ashamed of herself for saying this.

[winter is coming]

2. +1. n/t

[Starry Messenger]

5. +1

[burnodo]

9. +1 #3

kick

[maddezmom]

3. She is entitled to her opinion

But I find it sad she couldn't be a bit more supportive.

[4Q2u2]

4. Why?

Is she not entitled to her opinion if it does not match yours. I would say that out of anyone Kristin would be one of the Worlds foremost experts.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. By brown nosing the bosses?

[dkf]

7. In fairness, speaking of transgender status when pleading for leniency did seem suspect to me.

I wonder why this wasn't known ages ago or why it couldn't have waited.

But I absolutely thank Chelsea Manning for what her conscience told her to do.

[LaydeeBug]

13. Thank you for this, for they are my sentiments exactly.

I think she'll get out because of the medical clemency thing, but part of me agrees with Ms. Beck

[MotherPetrie]

8. Too bad. IMO Chelsea Manning has shown immeaursable courage. It's not like plenty of straight

"uniformed people" aren't emotionally unstable, incredibly stupid, and full of themselves.

[dkf]

10. Yes but why does transgender = emotionally unstable?

That's the point the defense was trying to make it seemed to me.

I was offended at that assumption.

[pnwmom]

14. I can see why other transgender people in the military

aren't thrilled with that defense and don't view her as a hero.

[Bluenorthwest]

25. Beck was never out for one moment in the miltary, and no one is out as transgender in the military.

Beck served for 20 years, had two marriages to two different women and after retirement finally spoke a word of truth to herself and to others. While her eventual courage is to be commended, the eventual nature of that courage does involve decades of dishonesty. Manning spoke her truth while still under the military rules. Beck waited for full benefits, then went on AC 360.
So it needs to be clearly stated that any and every person in the military who is trans is currently not open about it. This makes each of them less honest than Manning, no matter how you slice it, their opinions come from and are designed to support their furtive and chosen existence in the military.

[JimDandy]

27. Under DADT, wouldn't Beck have been put out of the military?

Or was transgender treated differently than homosexuality under DADT?

[Bluenorthwest]

30. Transgender people are not protected by DADT repeal and are still subject to discharge.

That's sort of my point. Beck protected Beck until Beck was retired and then came out from safe place. Many older people who spend decades in closets have yelled at younger, braver people for coming out sooner and taking the consequences. DADT stood until people started coming out anyway. What if Beck had stood up while in service as gay men and women did? Perhaps she might have made change. But she delayed until she had cover for herself. That's her choice. But it will not be everyone's choice no matter how much Beck wants them to be like Beck.

[JimDandy]

32. Very interesting. Good points.

Thanks.

[MotherPetrie]

16. My guess is that the defense

was using whatever it thought might fly. Being a member of our society is stressful enough even when you are a member of what is considered the "norm"; there are so many ways people find to exclude and belittle you. But being transgendered, not feeling like your soul belongs in the body housing it? Can't even imagine how that must fuck with you -- not because there is anything intrinsically wrong with you, but because there is so much pressure from society to behave a certain way regardless of your inner self. Maybe the defense was trying to build sympathy for that aspect.

[dkf]

22. You are right...

I am being too harsh...

What she has been through is too much to ask.

[Bluenorthwest]

26. Uh, living under irrationally suppressive rules and regulations that require you to lie about your

essential self creates emotional stress. It is not your essence that is to blame, it is the culture of bigotry and lies that is to blame. Being forced to lie makes emotional problems, be that lie about one's sexuality, parentage, religion or anything else.
You see it as blaming the person who is say oppressed I see that defense as damning the military culture as sick, twisted and based on lies and closets for all.
So. In some times of history, Jewish people pretended not to be Jewish to avoid death and prison. If I said that having to hide their faith caused them undue stress would that be saying Jewish = Stressed or would that be saying Oppressed = Stressed.

[Cha]

11. Rec for this from your link..

“I’m a dad,” said Jay Brown, who is transgender and the director of foundation program strategies at the Human Rights Campaign. And as a parent, Brown said, he has learned “there are a lot of teachable moments that aren’t exactly the moments I would first choose to be educating on.”

But more importantly, he said, “Regardless of how she came to our attention, this is a moment to help us understand” the transgender experience.

Manning is introducing the general public to issues that rarely attain mainstream attention, such as the correct pronouns to use for a pre-operative transgender individual.

What I first saw was her statement” requesting that the public now refer to Manning as the female ‘Chelsea,’ ” said Brown. He explained that his primary interest is whether Manning is afforded proper dignity in care in prison."

I disagree with how Chelsea Manning leaked but I don't want to denigrate her in any way for her struggles in her new life.

She is one brave woman.

[JI7]

12. these are 2 different issues, one can still oppose bigotry against someone

for things regardless of whether you like or support that person.

how we can dislike disagree with palin but that doesn't mean it's ok to use bigoted sexist terms against her.

one can disagree with what chelsea did but still oppose bigotry against her for being transgender.

[morningfog]

15. Didn't you already post this smear?

[michigandem58]

23. How about respecting her opinion? n/t

[morningfog]

24. I swear I thought you already posted this smear.

[Bluenorthwest]

28. I'd have more respect for Beck had she come out while in service rather than waiting 20 years to

'fight for equality and dignity'. She put up with a closeted life lacking in dignity and she took part in a culture that has no equality at all. She was part of the oppressing side, not on the side of GLBT people, she pretended to be straight and male, she married two different women as a man while in the military.
Her real life actions were an extended fight for secrecy and a tight closet door until it was safe for her to write a book and go on TV in her civilian life.
Not much hero sauce in that casserole.

[Number23]

17. Have never heard of Kristin Beck until now. This has been one hell of an informative weekend.

[arely staircase]

29. here is a good salon story on her

http://www.salon.com/2013/06/08/im_the_transgender_navy_seal/

[Jake2413]

18. What

This is crazy....

[La Lioness Priyanka]

20. the beloved and the disliked should both be afforded some basic respects/rights

such as the right to be referred to with the right pronouns. no one has to admire manning to respect her pronoun choices

[Electric Monk]

21. It's interesting how similar the words "uniformed" and "uninformed" are when written down. nt

[Octafish]

31. Wrong argument, Beck. Manning is fighting for democracy.

You might remember it. Instead of a secret government running wars for profit, We the People do the deciding.