LGBTQ Times

NAVADMIN-055/25

It seemed to come out of nowhere. I knew there had been discussions about discharging transgender service members, but I thought I had more time. In truth, I had failed to stay informed. If not for the connections I’ve built within the SEABEE community, I wouldn’t have known about it until much later—it was only brought to my attention about an hour after its release.

The language of the NAVADMIN is both simple and insidious, crafted with a precision that ensures maximum damage. It explicitly prohibits the chain of command from seeking out transgender service members, from identifying them, and—most devastatingly— from speaking to them about it.

At first glance, that might not sound so bad. It seems like it protects transgender service members from being singled out or asked uncomfortable questions before they’re ready to answer them. But that’s precisely why this is such a crushing blow—why it’s a masterstroke of bureaucratic cruelty.

Transgender service members have until March 28th to voluntarily discharge or face involuntary separation. The result is the same either way: removal from the Navy. But one path offers significantly more benefits than the other. The Navy is so determined to remove us that they’re offering twice the severance to those who leave voluntarily. With the chain of command forbidden from seeking out or advising those affected, I fear that many will slip through the cracks and end up with far less than they deserve.

Even my own chain of command was blindsided. It’s an odd feeling to be an E5 who knows more about a NAVADMIN than an E8, but again, I believe this was intentional. Dropping this policy so suddenly, with such a short deadline, has left many scrambling—confused and desperate to figure out how to process it correctly for everyone involved. There’s barely time to react, let alone process the reality of what’s happening.

I am going to be discharged. Not for failing at my job. Not for misconduct. But simply for existing—for choosing to live as my true self. For embracing an identity that has given me comfort, confidence, and happiness.

The end of 2024 and the start of 2025 have been an emotional roller coaster, both for me and my family. I won’t lie—there was a time when I slipped into my own darkness, and I was lucky to walk away from it.

To those reading this in the early days: speak up. Speak loudly. Know your rights. Know your worth. And most importantly, remember that you are not alone. There are many of us in this fight, and we need each other now more than ever. Lean on each other. Trust in each other.

And if you ever need someone to talk to, I am here.

Good luck. Fair winds and following seas.