For the first-time ever, transgender military personnel from around the globe convened in the US to share lessons learned and best practices for open and inclusive military service. The Palm Center and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) hosted a daylong conference, Perspectives on Transgender Military Service from Around the Globe, on Monday, October 20th, 2014 in Washington, DC.
Currently serving transgender service members, as well as policy experts and ministry officials from the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Sweden gathered to discuss the experiences of 18 foreign militaries – including some of America’s closest allies – that allow transgender individuals to serve. The 18 confirmed cases are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.