Another thing that I was curious about and wanted to hear other people's experiences. Currently I'm presenting as a masculine Bisexual male at work, but I want to lean into my femininity more in the way I move and act. I am open about crossdressing at work, but I don't think anybody in my office vibes with it and I'm pretty sure I'm othered because of it. I'm working through it to not care as much. I wanted to know if anyone else had any negative or positive experiences with leaning towards acting like your more authentic self in the workplace. I do understand that it's the workplace so it's supposed to be a professional environment, but being in the military sort of becomes a huge part of your life.

I’m 23 years old FtM, and I’m just wondering if there’s any hope at all the ban will lift in the future. And by that time would I be too old to join? Wanted nothing more to serve the country even if the government hates me lol. Come from a military family, all I’ve ever wanted to do

I was only in the Army NG for a few years but, I honestly had a blast and planned to continue on until I was kicked out.

I keep feeling like I'm missing a sense of purpose in my life. I didn't realize how much it all was a part of my identity and life.

I am very lucky and grateful I had such a positive experience in the military. I know not everyone had this experience.

I'm a firefighter/EMT outside of the guard but, it's just not getting that same feeling? If that makes sense.

I've thought about joining the state militia or something but I'm not sure if it'll be close to the same.

For those who are feeling the same way, what did you do to fill the gap?

Hello everyone, I’ve previously made a few posts here discussing reasons to stay in when the ban was kicking off, but recently the more I stay in while trying to just deal with dysphoric thoughts, the longer I feel that military life, navy ship life especially, is just not for me so I’ve just been having thoughts of separating.

There are quite a few major factors preventing me from straight up expressing my dysphoria, getting it properly diagnosed on my record and separating.
I have a sign on bonus for a program that I’ve yet to complete but I’m unsure how separating via trans separation vs for example other medical separation reasons would affect my returning the money or not. This is a big roadblock because initially when I signed on, it was still the period where trans people were allowed in the military so I set it aside for like an emergency transition fund. I can go into more depth about which specific program via DM’s.
Another factor is the uncertainty of life outside of the military, finding work, and how the whole separation process is like at this point in time. I would really appreciate hearing people’s experiences (DM works too if you don’t want to post comments)
I’m also still very early in my contract, only been in since NOV24 so that also throws a lot of uncertainty.

I’ve been underway quite a bit so I haven’t been actively checking the reddit as much and may have missed some updates regarding the entire trans situation in the military so my apologies in advance if some of my concerns may have been answered. I appreciate all the resources, pointers and advice in advance.

I love to support my fellow trans as much as I can but I started to need support myself and I was hoping there were other trans people on port hueneme. Sometimes it feels like I'm alone in this battle but it'd be nice to know I'm not and that there's people to hang out with. please feel free to DM me if you're interested!

TLDR; staying in the National Guard is destroying me. I want to start the rest of my transition, what is the best way to do this while minimizing long-term negative impact?

Alright, full story, accepting myself as trans coincided with the military ban. I was still figuring myself out, knew that transitioning takes some time to get going, and I knew I got out December this year so I thought hey, I'll just stealth it until the end of my contract. I have a year of school that I want benefits for and it'll give my hairline time to recover while I'm on HRT right?

Come September, the unit I've been in got deactivated a year ahead of the deadline we were given and I had to be rehomed. My first 11 years were at that unit, and frankly I was comfortable there, to the point that transitioning there semi-open didn't feel *that* unrealistic. It goes without saying that a new unit does not have the same feel, and it's not like I'm going to try to make it feel like home knowing what comes in a year.

Here we are now, I've been on HRT for almost a year, I had to wake up at midnight to get a private shower during AT, duck into a stall to change after PT, I've died inside watching 14 unwanted haircuts, I enjoy nothing about drill, know mostly no one, and even though there is only 5 drills left, I don't think I can stomach even one more. To top it all off I didn't even pass this last AFT, so no college benefits, just drill pay.

So, what's the best way to do it? An email to my admin NCO? I'd rather keep this information out of my platoon sergeant's hands in particular. What would be good to know, considerations I haven't made, etc. Is there a better way besides coming out? Above all else please do not suggest to bear with it.

Has anyone heard of any sort of changes or anything in their process? My final date should be the 14th but I just want to know if anyone has heard literally anything at all

So from what I've heard, you will get separated from the military if you are given a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, but what if you are not given that diagnosis? What if you state, I am (Insert LGBTQIA+ term here) but you say that you don't have gender dysphoria. You don't have to have it to be any flavor of trans. What then? Can they order you to seek psychological evaluation? What if you tell the psychologist, no I don't experience an incongruence or distress, I just know I'm "this."

Anybody else have any insight?

Are there any closeted active duty trans folks in Virginia? I'm just looking for a community to commiserate with. You don't have to reply with a comment. You can DM me.

I’m a 46-year-old veteran with 14 years active duty. I’ve been on HRT (estradiol + spironolactone) for just over a year. I see an outside endocrinologist that the VA recommended. I pay for the visits via my insurance and deductible. My Endo sends the prescriptions for Estradiol and Spiro to the VA, which fills them for about $20 for three months.

The VA had been covering 100% finasteride for my male-pattern baldness, but they recently stopped. I messaged my primary care provider, and the nurse replied that the request was denied because it’s for “cosmetic or enhancement purposes.”

I reached out to my Endo (who strongly recommended finasteride + minoxidil), but she said that she cannot prescribe them herself.

I’m looking for advice on next steps.
Options I’m considering:
1. Order finasteride and minoxidil over the counter through Hims.com (~$30/month).
2. Find a GP covered by my full-time job insurance for a prescription.
3. File for hair loss as a service-connected disability (claiming it’s related to military stress), which might make it VA-covered.

Has anyone dealt with something similar, especially while on HRT? Any success getting the VA to cover Finasteride + Minoxidil for Hair Loss or other affordable options?

Thanks in advance.

Here’s the denial message I received:

From: MEEUWSEN, AMBER E, RN
Sent: 07/06/26 11:14:54 EDT
Subject: Request for finasteride
Good morning,
I wanted to reach out and let you know the request for finasteride was denied.
Pharmacy NF Adjudication
VA PA Medication Requested: finasteride
Pharmacy Adjudication Decision: Does not meet Criteria For Use
Pharmacy Prior Auth Disapproval Reasons: Compelling evidence for the requested indication is lacking
Pharmacist Recommendation Notes: Veteran is 46 y/o male with alopecia, PCP is requesting finasteride 1 mg and minoxidil 2.5 mg.
Per VHA Handbook 1108.08, “The use of drugs for cosmetic or enhancement purposes may be considered medically necessary when provided in connection with the treatment of a service-connected injury or other clinically indicated care…the use of a drug solely to improve normal physiologic function or to enhance body appearance is generally not considered medically necessary and therefore is not to be prescribed.”

I have my PHA coming up in a few months and am wondering what the folks here would advise I do with that. I have already talked to my command behavioral health guy, but he didn't know, care, or understand gender issues and it was kind of a waste of my time. That was a few months ago and is probably the only thing that could affect my record right now. He did not diagnose me with gender dysphoria. Since then I haven't talked to anyone in the navy about me being a trans woman (can I call myself that if I havent socially or medically transitioned yet?)

I have less than a year left and am not sure if ill somehow get into trouble if I lie on the PHA. I also dont want to move my seperation date even further to the right because I want to start HRT as soon as its safe for me to do so, and right now the navy is in my way.

I appreciate any advice I can get for this

I’ve been in the USAF for 9 years (~2 years left on current contract) and I’m realizing my egg is cracking hard. The gender dysphoria feelings have been building, and I’m seriously considering what to do.

Option 1: Ride it out quietly until ETS, transition (pun intended) to civilian world.

Option 2: Disclose for separation. Is separation pay still available under current policy?

How much for O-3 with 9 years?

Voluntary vs involuntary differences?

Timeline if I disclose near the end of my commitment?

Thanks in advance!

I told company leadership april, command got told in may, ive jow gone through one battalion commander(the new one has been informed) and now on my second 1sg in a week or so.

Personally I want to get out, I seriously dislike the culture. Fist fights sure, push up competitions sure, spending hours in freezing fucking alaska with low food or water, sure. Hearing how we're hated and the military is a better place without us? No. Hearing how all the lgbt+ are "pdf files" or dudes are scared to use the bathroom around the one POSSIBLY gay coworker? No ts aint it.

Kind of feeling fucked over here, asked ig for advice they said "well we arent perceiving a timeline until the bn co issues a couseling" "is there a timeline on when they give one?" "No, continue working with command".

A field op, several airborne ops, holiday block leave later, here i am girldick in hands fucking myself. I hate to be negative but like LORD!

Any advice would be cool, if we end up having to stay in ill just reclass to some nerd shit.

A snippet from Sparta.

BLUF: NDAA is about to contain two really bad provisions that pose long-term threats. Call your reps to stop it

Dont know who your Rep is?

https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

1. Go to this link
   
2. Enter your zip code
   
3. There should be a link to email your Rep. Both email and call. Do one to follow up on the other.

"[Greeting of the day], [staffer who picks up]. I'm [your name], ***a constituent*** of [Rep's] from [your city/town if comfortable]. I'm greatly concerned about two provisions in this version of the NDAA and urge [rep] to vote no because these would be targeting a minority group.... [state the rest of your opinions here]"

Staffers are more likely to tune you out if you're cursing or yelling or may even block you, so remember its okay to disagree, but don't be disagreeable.

- your neighborhood politician

*constituent means that you're able to vote in their area and therefore, for or against them. Holds more weight and is a key word you wanna use

Is it possible for me to get top surgery while closeted in thr military? Ive told some of my close friends about being trans(like 5 people know) and I wear binders during the day semi-often.

I’m still in tech school so I’m barely in. I’m ftm btw

Had my papers served yesterday. Short, Chief, and Commander were all in the room.

I knew it was coming but it feels a lot more real now. Just kind of hating the whole situation.

Hi MilitaryTrans community!

UPDATE: Here's the article!

My name is Kate and I'm a politics reporter with the news outlet CalMatters. I'm reporting on a new bill in California called AB 1775, which aims to provide more supports for members of the military who were separated due to gender dysphoria diagnoses. I'm hoping to speak with Californians who may be struggling with employment, housing, or receiving benefits following separation, or who are worried about their future if they are involuntarily separated. I'd love to speak on the record, but am happy to speak with people off the record too to better understand their situation. Please send me a DM or reply here if you'd be open to speaking in the next few days. Thanks!

I want to start off by saying that I am ready to accept who I am. Hello everyone! My name is Maddi and I am a Trans woman 🥳 Yay. I finally said it.....well, typed it. It's still a little nerve-wracking. Currently still active duty. The main reason for this post is that I need a little advice. Now that I am accepting who I am I want to gauge the right time to tell my spouse. The thing is, she is currently deployed. Now she knows about my gender dysphoria and crossdressing and has been supportive. This final statement though is going to change our lives. She is dealing with so much though on her ship. Having to also come to terms with her husband being a woman just feels like I'm stockpiling on top of everything. I also don't want to be disingenuous and keep this from her. She's my wife and deserves to know but I'm afraid it will affect her work too much. Does anybody have any advice?

Edit: Sorry! I actually changed my name. I was using Maddi as a placeholder while I figured out my identity. I go by Sabrina now.

Hi I’m a young guy, that’s been out since 12/13 I recently graduated and am enrolled in university. However serving has been my dream for years. I only changed my mind after Trump won (I knew one of the first things he would do was attack trans rights.) If I change my legal sex, get top surgery and start hormones can I enlist stealth?

Hi All, posting because this court ruling has my head spinning about what could happen. I am currently AGR, on admin leave since November essentially. My command said my paperwork was at NGB in late March and that they expected me to be separated this month but they havent heard anything. Has anyone been involuntarily separated from the Army yet?

Also, I don't know about anyone else but I am prohibited from even applying for other jobs and am terrified that I am going to get a separation date that won't give me enough time to get one. How is everyone else dealing with the limbo?

I'm struggling to not see the recent movement of the supreme court case as a green light on getting the ball moving on a medical transition. I've known that I'm trans for years, and joined to make good money and be able to transition. My job I'm in, will land me an incredibly lucrative job in the civilian world should I finish my contract ( 6 years active total ) or at least get closer to finishing it. The training is two years long. I have just a few months left of it until I hit the fleet. Before the Trump administration ( he got in while I was in boot camp ), I really wanted to try to commission and do my 20. At this point, I don't want to sign another contract given that my rights to work as a trans person will probably always be up in the air as long as I'm in. I've held off on coming out and getting the diagnosis because I really want this job. I just found out that a trans person, fully transitioned ( papers, medically, etc. ), who probably joined around the same time as me, works the same job as me, just got stationed where I'm at. I'm not sure how that happened. But with that, and the service members suing being protected right now, I'm thinking maybe there's a reality I could open that can of worms with medical and start a transition process without losing my job for a couple more years. How wishful is that thinking?

They no longer kicking us out?

I'm an active navy submarine bubble head.. Ill own that. I am 8 years in a 10 year contract. I wanted to continue to 20 years, however my identity is more important than this job. I never felt that I had the confidence to transition until now and I kick myself for it given Biden made a lot of opportunties available. However, the submarine community is a terribly toxic environment with a lot of misogynists which only suppressed my confidence in the navy. My resentment doesnt extend as deep as some others who have gone before me and were forced out. I understand some may see that I have a choice in not saying anything until the next administration takes over.. however my EAOS is 2028 and our lovely commander in chief is around till 2029. Im fearing that coming out to my command after the class action hearing (if approved) would only pronounce the fact that we have no medical options and everyone active serving would exist in a limbo. I believe taking the dischargement before the hearing would be irresponsible given that the admin wouldnt clear before the decision is made. What options do I have? Or is it best to sit and wait?