FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
Veteran and LGBTQ+ advocate spoke during the Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s first Pride Month event at DLA Headquarters, June 18.
This year’s theme, Pride in All Who Serve, A Place for All, placed emphasis on coming together to honor the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community.
Guest speaker Alleria Stanley, took the audience on a journey of her experience as a transgender woman. She is the mother of five children, a retired Army veteran, and the former Director of Advocacy for SPARTA, a nonprofit organization committed to ensuring the rights and opportunities are protected for transgender service members and aspiring transgender recruits. She also works with Minority Veterans of America, Transgender American Veterans Association, and the Modern Military Association of America.
At age 29, Stanley said she realized she was in the wrong place and felt the call to join the Army. She enlisted and became a crew chief on the Apache helicopters serving in Afghanistan and deploying on several tours. She transitioned her career to become an Army X-ray technician, serving as the non-commissioned officer in charge of several medical departments.
“All while serving in stealth,” she said. “My family knew. Some of my closest friends knew, but very few because a secret is no longer a secret when you start telling people.”
She said she’ll never forget the day on June 30, 2016, when it was announced that transgender individuals in the U.S. military were allowed to serve in their identified or assigned gender upon completing transition.
“I was finally able to be my authentic self. The freedom to be who you are is incredibly powerful,” she said.
Almost as soon as she felt she could serve her country as her true self, it was almost stripped away.
She told a story about a 2017 social media announcement stating transgender people had no place to serve in the military. “After consultation with my Generals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow Transgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the U.S. Military.”
“I’d been fired by tweet,” she said. Thoughts raced through her mind. She asked herself, “Will I have a job when I return home? When I report in, will I also report out? Do I have housing? Do I have healthcare? What’s going to happen?”
Fortunately, she was allowed to continue to serve. But was told not to talk about it.
“So, we kept quiet and went about our business serving our country,” she said.
It wouldn’t be until January 25, 2021, that restrictions were lifted on military service by transgender individuals.
She said she is one of the very first transgender persons who joined the military, served, transitioned on active duty and continued all the way to retirement.
“Diversity is a force multiplier for the military. It doesn’t reduce our abilities, it enhances them,” Stanley said. “If we are monolithic in our thinking, in our culture, in our ranks then we wouldn’t have different solutions. Monolithic for clothing but not for thought.”
“This month, as we continue to foster a culture of inclusivity and respect within our workforce, let’s remind ourselves that it’s our differences that make us stronger,” she said.
During his remarks, DLA Energy Commander Navy Capt. Brian Anderson, highlighted cultivation of an inclusive workplace and nurturing cultural intelligence. “Our collective experiences, personalities, personal choices, and diversity are what makes us more vibrant and our work environment more dynamic.”
“We will thrive when our workforce not only reflects the diversity of the American people, but when our workplace cultivates a culture where each person can bring their true selves to work without fear of discrimination or prejudice,” he continued. “By embracing one another for who we are, we build stronger teams, foster greater creativity, and enhance our ability to serve our nation.”
As the event concluded, Army Sgt. Trishana Hines gave closing remarks.
“Events like these will go a long way toward recognizing that our differences should be celebrated, not feared,” she said. “
For Hines, celebrating Pride Month enables us to send a powerful message of hope and support by letting the LGBTQIA+ community know they are not alone, and we reaffirm our commitment to the ongoing fight for equality.
Pride Month is one of the 11 Department of Defense and the Office of Diversity Management annual observances where people come together to celebrate our progress, acknowledge the challenges that remain, and reaffirm our commitment to equality for all people.