Trans Universe

By Monica F. Helms

On October 20, 1994, the Navy lifted the ban on women serving on combat ships when the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) became the first US warship to deploy with women, departing Norfolk, Va. with 367 female sailors.  Six years later, in spring of 2000, Captain Kathleen McGrath became the first woman to command a combat vessel when she took over the frigate Jarrett, a 453-foot warship, with a 262-member crew.

On April 1, 1900, the US Navy commissioned their first submarine, the USS Holland (SS-1.)  In that short time, submarines have proven their worth to the fleet and our country.  In WWII, submarines sank 55% of all of the tonnage during the war, with just 1% of the Naval personnel.  However, they lost 52 submarines, 18% of all submarines which saw combat duty, and 3505 men, 13.3% of all of the WWII submarine personnel.  They know first hand that freedom is not free.

(Break)

During the Cold War, submarines protected our country from attack from the Soviet Union by patrolling the oceans with multi-warhead ballistic missiles.  I served on one of them.  During Operation Desert Storm, the USS Louisville (SSN-724,) became the first submarine since WWII to enter into combat, launching a Tomahawk missile on a target in Iraq, January 19, 1991.

When the Navy allowed women to serve on combat ships in 1994, submarines remained the only ones that women still could not serve on.  However, that may soon come to an end.  In an article in the Navy Times, SecNav, CNO: Women should serve on subs, posted September 25, 2009, and another one from Reuters on the same day called US military may lift ban on women in submarines, the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations both agree that the time has come to finally allow women to serve on submarines.  I guarantee you submariners are spitting vile on this issue.

However, in spite of what the Navy might think, women have already served on submarines.  They serve today and have done so for the last 100 years.  Sure, they didn’t appear as women at the time, but they were women nevertheless.  Over the last 13 years, I have met – either in person or on line – at least 30 or more transsexual women who served on submarines.

It stands to reason that in order for the Navy to truly understand the intricacies of cis-women on submarines, they only need to ask trans women who have already served on them.  I felt the need to point this out to the CNO and NAVSEC, so I sent the following letter to each of them.

Dear . . . ,

I have read a few articles on the idea of integrating women on board submarines.  You may find this a bit out of the ordinary and possible hard to believe, but I served on two submarines from 1972 to 1978 . . . and . . . I am a woman.

How is that possible?  I wasn’t a woman when I was in the Navy, but I am today.  As a woman with a transsexual history, I approach the idea of women serving on submarines from a whole different and unique perspective then any other person will . . . except other transsexual women who have also served on submarines.  In the 12 years of living as a woman, I not only advocate women serving on submarines, I know how it can be done and where on the different subs in can be done.  I have also met over 30 other transsexual women who are former submariners.  One of them attended a recent reunion of the ship she was on.

This is an issue that is going to be hard for men to understand, especially submariners.  But, former submariners who are now living as women can not only speak the language of that most unique part of the Navy, but fully understand the issues women can also face in that environment.

Submariners are a very proud and traditional group of men that are proud of their service for their country.  The trans women who also have served on submarines are no less proud of what they have done for their country.  Some are now lawyers, engineers, doctors and a host of other professions.  I, myself, work in the telecommunication business, and have done so for the last 20 years.

I know of one trans woman who served on six submarines and reach the rank of Lt. Commander.  She was a Navigator on her last boat.  She remained in Active Reserves and transitioned to become a woman.  Being in Active Reserves, she was required to wear a woman’s Navy uniform and on it, she had her gold Dolphins.  Needless to say, that surprised a few people.

I am going to suggest that if you were to speak with a few of us “Lady Bubbleheads,” you maybe surprised to find that we could approach the concept of integrating women on board submarines in a way that would make the transition smooth for both the women and the men.

I know the news media would go bananas if they were to catch wind of you talking with transsexuals who are former submariners on how to integrate women on subs.  We’re not asking to be public about it.  That’s your decision.  I’m only offering the knowledge from our special perspective, one that could add a few more torpedoes to the Torpedo Room in you approach to the Armed Service Committee.  Submariners always understand on how to sneak up on someone without them knowing it.  We would like to see this happen and we are willing and ready to help you make it happen.  Thank you for your time.

Monica F. Helms

President, Transgender American Veterans Association

Okay, I’m not thinking that the underlings of these two men will allow their bosses to read the letters.  However, the possibility still does exist that they just may read those letters, but responding to them still seems a bit far-fetched.  Yet, it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try.

As much as they would like to, the Navy cannot ignore the fact that trans people have served amongst their ranks on all ships and all parts of the Navy.  They may have kept cis-women off of submarines for 109 years, but we were there the whole time.  Maybe the Navy should take advantage of that.