Publisher's Synopsis
This military study explores the policies, problems, and prospects related to transgenders serving in the U.S. military. Simply defined, "transgender" refers to persons whose gender identity, behavior, or expression does not conform to their sex assigned at birth. Yet, as the present study shows, the terminology and associated issues are complicated and defy simple definitions. The U.S. military currently prohibits transgenders from joining or serving openly, as seen in policies and medical standards identified by the study. A number of other nations do not prohibit transgenders from serving in their military. The study focuses on the practices of two such nations, Australia and Canada. Also examined is the trend toward changing medical classifications of transgender, resulting from revised perspectives by the world's most authoritative sources. Notably, these sources have shifted away from classifying gender incongruence as a disorder or placing it in a mental health category. The study concludes that medical reasons for excluding transgenders from the U.S. military are inconsistent with prevailing views. Several areas for further research are recommended. CHAPTER I * INTRODUCTION * A. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM * B. NEED FOR STUDY * C. PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY * D. SIGNIFICANCE * E. SCOPE * F. RESEARCH QUESTIONS * G. METHODS * H. ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY * CHAPTER II * LITERATURE REVIEW * A. DEFINING GENDER, SEX, AND SEXUAL IDENTITY * B. UMBRELLA TERM: THE "T" IN LGBT * 1. Transgender * 2. Transsexual (Also Transexual) * 3. Transsexual (Male-to-Female) * 4. Transsexual (Female-to-Male) * 5. Transvestite * 6. Cross-Dresser * 7. Drag Queens * 8. Genderqueer * 9. Gender Identity Disorder (GID) * C. THE HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF THE TRANSGENDER PHENOMENA * D. SHIFTS IN TRANSGENDER MEDICAL CLASSIFICATION * E. RESEARCH THEMES AND FINDINGS IN SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE * F. SUMMARY * CHAPTER III * U.S. MILITARY POLICIES AND MEDICAL RESTRICTIONS * A. HISTORY AND TRENDS IN POLICIES AND PRACTICE * B. MEDICAL STANDARDS * C. INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF DISEASE, NINTH REVISION, CLINICAL MODIFICATION (ICD-9-CM) * D. MILITARY AND CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYMENT * E. SUMMARY * CHAPTER IV * COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES: AUSTRALIA, CANADA, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, AND AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION * A. AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE (ADF) * B. CANADIAN FORCES (CF) * C. RENAMING AND RECLASSIFICATION OF GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER (GID) * D. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION * E. AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION * F. SUMMARY * CHAPTER V * SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH * A. SUMMARY * 1. Definitions of Terms and Shifting Perspectives * 2. Defining Gender, Sex, and Sexual Identity * 3. Umbrella Term: The "T" in LGBT * 4. The Historical Evolution of the Transgender Phenomena * 5. Shifts in Transgender Medical Classification * 6. Research Themes and Findings in the Scientific Literature * 7. Military Policies and Medical Restrictions * 8. History and Trends in Policies and Practices * 9. Medical Standards * 10. International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) * 11. Military and Civil Service Employment * 12. Australian Defence Force (ADF) Policies and Practice * 13. Canadian Forces (CF) Policies and Practice * 14. Renaming and Reclassification of Gender Identity Disorder (GID) * 15. World Health Organization (WHO) * 16. American Psychiatric Association * B. CONCLUSIONS * C. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH * APPENDIX * DEFINITION OF TERMS * LIST OF REFERENCES
