Crosstalk: October 13, 2016

Tensions seem to be building all around the world. The United States is facing possible conflict with Russia over Syria. There's tension with Iran. China is causing friction with the U.S. due to their building efforts in the South China Sea region and North Korea continues to engage in rhetorical sabre rattling against us.

While all that is taking place, our government has been putting great effort into transforming gender into a fluid construct. In other words, you can be what you want to be, regardless of your biology and genetics. To allow this, the Obama administration is attempting to make gender socially and legally irrelevant.

One example of this is shown through what's taken place within the Department of Defense. They've issued rules to guide the implementation of the president's transgender policy in the military. The rules, released late last month, are compiled in a document called, 'Transgender Service in the U.S. Military: An Implementation Handbook'. It sets policy for when transgender persons can begin using restrooms, showers and other such facilities of their preferred gender. However, under the new policy, transgender service members cannot use these facilities associated with their preferred gender until they complete the gender transition process and their 'gender marker' is changed in personnel files.

Surgical change is not required for full transition, however, service members must provide documentation that medical transition to the preferred gender has been completed.

This edition of Crosstalk contains many direct references from the handbook and will answer questions you may have dealing with issues such as privacy considerations as well as what to call transgenders both while on and off duty.

On the other hand, this Crosstalk may also raise many questions for you. For example: How will these changes affect military chaplains? How will gender reassignment efforts and the medications involved affect a soldier's or the military's overall readiness?

This is a topic that is certain to stir debate and you can become properly informed when you review this Crosstalk broadcast.