Women and LGBTQ+ people have served in the military since before the nation’s founding. But until very recent history, they’ve been barred from leadership roles and from serving openly as their whole selves.

Since 2011 though, LGBTQ+ people have been able to serve, openly, in the military. And since 2014, women have been eligible to apply for combat jobs. In the last five years, transgender service members have been able to access gender-affirming health care and to be assured that they cannot be involuntarily discharged or denied reenlistment solely on the basis of gender identity. A modern military force requires the best and the bravest among us to enlist — and by adopting more inclusive policies, the military can attract and retain the most capable members.

Join The 19th for conversations with those who serve and lead in the military about the impact of improved policies on their ability to serve. How is the Biden administration thinking about gender inclusivity? What are the chilling effects of sexual assault on those who serve? And how are veterans finding the support they need after they return home?

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Capt. Deshauna Barber (@DeshaunaBarber) is the CEO of Service Women’s Action Network, a nonprofit organization advocating on behalf of all service women and women veterans in the country. She is also an Army Reserve Commander and the former Miss USA.

BriGette McCoy (@SheHeroIC_) is CEO and founder of the Women Veteran Social Justice Network. She was awarded the 2020 Congressional Medal of Honor for the Community Service Award. She is an Army Gulf War Era Veteran and Learning Sciences Instructional Technologies Ph.D. student at Georgia State University.

Shawn G. Skelly (@ShawnGSkelly) is the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness. She served on active duty in the U.S. Navy for 20 years as a Naval Flight Officer and retired with the rank of Commander. In 2018 she co-founded Out In National Security to increase opportunities and representation of the LGBT community.

Lourdes Tiglao (@DeptVetAffairs) is the director of the Center for Women Veterans within the Department of Veteran Affairs. Previously she was the global partnerships manager at Airbnb’s Open Homes program. She is a veteran of the US Air Force.

Moderated by Mariel Padilla (@MarielPadilla) a general assignment reporter at The 19th. Previously she covered breaking news at The New York Times where she contributed to COVID-19 coverage that won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize.

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The 19th is an independent nonprofit newsroom reporting at the intersection of gender, politics and policy. We aim to empower women, people of color and the LGBTQ+ community with the information, community and tools they need to be equal participants in our democracy. The 19th aims to level the playing field with:

Free-to-consume and free-to-republish journalism that reimagines politics and policy coverage through a gender lens

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The 19th's virtual events aim to bring women and people marginalized based on their gender together with elected officials, experts and community leaders to discuss issues at the intersection of gender, politics and policy. Visit 19thnews.org/subscribe to receive invitations for future 19th events.

Live With The 19th: Gender equality in the military