How can you teach LGBT students to think more critically about the ways they experience the world?
How can your children be more respectful of others’ experiences?
These are questions that are being asked by many schools in the US and around the world, and they’re getting more pressing as more LGBT people are being admitted to the military.
“I’m trying to get the military to think about the transgender community, to talk to the families about their concerns,” says Jennifer Stoddard, a transgender activist and educator in Atlanta.
She is also one of the many parents and educators working to educate young people about the impact of the war on transgender children.
“I think a lot of parents are looking for a more inclusive, inclusive conversation about their child, because their children are going to be in combat,” Stoddards says.
Stoddards’ son, Tyler, is one of more than 100 children who have died in combat since the end of the Iraq War.
He was born with female genitalia.
The military has yet to release the full list of soldiers and veterans who have been transgender, but it appears that transgender troops are the most recent casualties, according to the Washington Post.
The Pentagon did not respond to the AP’s request for comment.
But in a statement to Fox News, it noted that the department has made efforts to increase inclusion of transgender troops.
“We are pleased to have identified more than 1,400 transgender individuals serving in the military as of April 2020,” the statement read.
“We have made progress in the past year, and we continue to expand access to gender-neutral bathrooms, locker rooms, and shower facilities.”
While many parents are struggling to figure out how to address these issues, the Department of Defense is stepping up efforts to help educate young students about the risks of sexual assault and suicide.
It has created a “gender-inclusive” “training initiative” called “LGBTQ+ Outreach,” which aims to help military personnel and staff in the “tough choices” of transitioning to another gender.
In a statement, the military added: “We are committed to ensuring that all our service members are trained to be safe and supported in the fight against sexual assault, suicide, and violence against LGBT people.”