The Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA) is an advocacy group for transgender veterans from the US military. The Don't ask don't tell policy did not apply to transgender members of the United States military. The group was founded in 2003 by a former Navy and US Army servicepersons.Transgender veterans seek recognition, by Lisa Leff, Associated Press for Boston.com, January 11, 2011LGBT Military: Atlanta transgender members, veterans await end to ban by Patrick Saunders May 26, 2016
Advocacy TAVA commissioned a 2008 report from the Palm Center at the University of California.Transgender people in the US military: Summary and analysis of the 2008 Transgender American Veterans Association survey . Palm Center, University of California, 2008. In 2014, they pushed for keeping current transgender members in the military under new Department of Defense rules.Loophole could allow transgender troops to serve by Patricia Kime, Military Times USA Today December 1, 2014.
In March 2015 the association issued two joint reports: one with the American Medical AssociationAmerica's Doctors: Transgender Military Ban Is Pointless By Dawn Ennis, The Advocate, June 8, 2015 and one with The American Military Partner Association.Survey: Majority of Americans Back Up Open Transgender Military Service by The Seattle Lesbian - September 9, 2015
In 2016, the association called for the U.S. Veteran's Administration to provide surgery for transgender veterans,ambda Legal and Transgender Law Center Petition VA to Provide Surgery for Transgender Veterans, May 10, 2016 in a petition filed by the Transgender Law Center and Lambda Legal.Exclusive: Transgender Veterans Petition the V.A. to Lift Blanket Ban on Surgery by Katy Steinmetz, Time Magazine, May 10, 2016
In 2024, TAVA sued VA with the aim of getting gender-affirming surgeries funded and provided by the agency.
Cultural representation According to The Advocate, "In 2005, when the TAVA put a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, there was a transgender person representing every U.S. military conflict since World War II."Trans American Military Stories, by Diane Anderson-Minshall, The Advocate, September 21, 2011
A button from the association is part of the National Museum of American History collection on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History.National Museum of American History Collects History Related to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History: Materials from Groundbreaking NBC Television Series Will & Grace, Renee Richard's Tennis Racquet and the Original Transgender Pride Flag
References
External links The Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA)