"Military Transgenders"

FADE IN

Candice Bergeron and Colton Wyatt perch on chairs opposite each other at the round table in the KVCC studio as the lights come up. A GI Joe action figure, and a rainbow flag stand on top of the table. The audience quiets as the camera rolls.

CANDICE
Welcome to Cracker Croakers for Tuesday, January 29, 2019. I'm Candice Bergeron, your hostess with the mostest.

COLTON
And, I'm your other host Colton Wyatt.

CANDICE
Colton, aren't you a veteran?

COLTON
Army proud! Fourteen years.

CANDICE
Thank you for your service.

COLTON
No problem.

CANDICE
In fact, everybody in the audience today I want you to do just that. Tell a veteran how much you appreciate what they do for us all every day. That also ushers us into talking about a hot button, controversial subject no matter which side of the coin you come down on. And, that is should transgenders have the right to serve in the military?

COLTON
On January 22, 2019, a highly divided United States Supreme Court voted five to four to give the green light to ban or restrict transgenders and how they're allowed to serve.

CANDICE
In the short term, activists battling for the rights of transgenders to serve in the military expect anguishing consequences if their rights are restricted as they are expected to be.

COLTON
Long term, these same activists plan to battle so transgenders can openly serve. They also intend to keep state legal challenges continuing until this right is won.

CANDICE
Colton, I won't ask you for your opinion. I think I know you well enough to know what your answer to my question would be. But, for those in our audience who may not know, Lambda is a national organization committed to achieving the full civil rights of the LGBT community. Their Legal Director, Sharon McGowan, was quoted as claiming she's absolutely optimistic with respect to the long term prospects of transgenders being allowed to serve. She also acknowledged her bigger concern was how long the "long run" would be?

COLTON
Andy Blevin, the Executive Director of OutServe-SLDN, an organization that represents LGBT military personnel is also involved in litigation to help ensure transgenders the right to serve in the military.

CANDICE
In 2016, transgenders were told they could serve openly. Then, in 2017 that course was changed when the current administration proclaimed its intended ban on all transgender military members having the right to serve.

COLTON
Blevins called the Supreme Court decision a setback, referring to the vote as nothing more than a speed bump along the road of transgenders and their right to serve.

CANDICE
However, if these lawsuits on behalf of transgenders fail to reach the Supreme Court isn't it rather obvious what their outcomes will be?

COLTON
The solidified conservative majority of the Supreme Court is more than likely to uphold the ban on transgenders serving in the military.

CANDICE
Peter Perkowski, the Legal Director of OutServe-SLDN, agreed when he remarked a "certain segment" of the Supreme Court is hostile to issues involving the LGBTQ community. Perkowski went as far as to say he makes no predictions on the outcomes of these legal matters.

COLTON
According to a recent Pentagon report there are 8,980 transgender military members currently serving in the armed forces. While the slim prospect of them continuing to serve remains, it may be those transgenders desiring to enlist who are barred from doing so.

CANDICE
This decision by the Supreme Court also allows for transgender service members to continue serving in accordance to their biological gender unless they started a gender-transition under the Obama-era rules.

COLTON
Although current public opinion tends to favor transgender military service, the Republican-controlled Senate is not expected to block the transgender ban.

CANDICE
According to Lambda Legal top military commanders proclaim minimal problems have arisen under the Obama administration's allowing transgenders to serve.

COLTON
The transgender question permitting them to serve in the military is not about national security or unit cohesion. And, that brings us back to Square One with the real question being is the military's top priority to protect America or is it to help transgenders on their path to self-actualization?

CANDICE
An interesting observation there, Colton. That about wraps us up for this edition of Cracker Croakers.

COLTON
In that case smarty-pants, I suppose we better say adieu. She's Candice!

CANDICE
And, he's Colton!

CANDICE AND COLTON
And, we invite you to join us again tomorrow for another entertaining edition of Cracker Croakers (Featuring Candice and Colton).

FADE OUT