Highest ranking trans member of US Space Force says ‘inclusion is a national security imperative’
Space Force Lt. Bree Fram (43), a transgender woman, uses her position as Lt. Colonel Bree Fram, 43, claims that “inclusion is a national security imperative.” Fram is trans and uses the platform of Lt. Fram made these remarks when Fram appeared at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, in October.
Fram added, “We will fight in the future with brain power.” If that brain who is going to revolutionize how we fight in cyber, in space happens to be in trans body, then you should want all of them serving with me.
The Most Powerful Women Summit took place on October 12th, just one day following National Coming Out Day (a fake holiday in the US to celebrate people who come out as non-straight). Lesbian, gay and bisexual identities are just a few of the many gender identities. Queer is not a sexual or gender identity, but a political one.
Fram’s introduction included a reference to the “power of Coming Out.”
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She said, “It is a day which will be of great significance to our next guest.” “Lieutenant Col Bree Fram is the highest-ranking transgender active duty officer in the US Department of Defense.
She is an astronautical engineering in the United States Space Force, and works for the Pentagon developing space acquisition policy. Bree Fram is also the co-leader of the Department of the Air Force LGBTQ+ Initiatives team, which removes barriers for LGBTQ+ service.
Fram was invited to speak “about trans rights being attacked across society and the importance for inclusion in the business world, the military and beyond.”
Fram talked about Fram’s work with Space Force. He said that it had “fuelled my other passion” of building culture, because this is a chance “once in many generations”. Fram also stated that this was an opportunity “once in many generations”. Space Force was Donald Trump’s first new military force for decades.
Fram emphasized the Guardian Spirits document that guides Space Force. He said it was what the military agency believed in. Fram noted that the document contains words that you would not expect to find in a leadership document for a military agency.
It talks about engaging in diversity and embracing it. It speaks about the importance of openness and authenticity. I mean vulnerability? What’s that? It’s crazy to think about. Fram explained that vulnerability and the ability to demonstrate that we are human opens up a connection. “Embracing that connection makes us better as a team,” Fram added.
The interviewer asked Fram, “To that point and in that spirit”, how he felt on his coming out day and what it took to tell the world he was a woman trapped inside a male body. Fram was in the Air Force at the time. Fram claimed that being trans was not allowed in the Air Force until 2016, when Barack Obama’s Secretary Of Defense stated it was perfectly fine for trans people to serve.
Fram announced on Facebook that his gender identity was transgender and received nothing but positive feedback from colleagues. Fram still doesn’t believe there is enough inclusion seven years after that. Fram stated that there was an “almost sense of duty or obligation” to help more transgender people.
Fram is one of the most senior trans people in the military. We embrace the leadership ethos ‘leave nobody behind.’ What can we do to bring others along with us? How can we ensure that our children don’t have to deal with the same obstacles that we did? If we can achieve this by cutting down trees and paving roads behind us, then the people who join the military today will be able to reach the places I have been with the energy they need to go even further. That’s success. This is leadership development. “We need to build leadership in the military if we want to be able to provide capability well into the future.”
The interviewer for Fortune agreed that there are still many more roads to be paved. The interviewer said, “I would like to delve a bit deeper into some of today’s barriers and challenges.” What are the specific challenges facing transgender military service members?
Fram stated that stereotypes are one of the most significant barriers. “Trans people in the military is an even more outrageous stereotype.”
Fram addressed stereotypes about transgender people that were aimed at women, assuming they would be concerned with their clothing or emotions. Fram said that these stereotypes are not appropriate for men dressed in women’s clothing, despite their dressing, acting and presenting themselves in a manner that mimics stereotypes of females.
Fram said that trans inclusion is needed everywhere. “And your organizations are no different.”
We need these perspectives. “Those perspectives we get from a diversity of individuals have been discussed a lot on stage regarding the science behind highly-performing teams. It’s inclusion, not diversity, that drives this. “You can bring in people, but if they feel unsafe to speak up or to bring their full selves to the workplace, you won’t get the value of diversity,” Fram said.
“For us, it’s absolutely crucial to our future success both as an organization and on the battlefield.” It’s the exact same for you all, I believe. We can’t imagine that the talent we have is going to revolutionize how we do business.”
Fram quoted himself and said, “In answer to a specific question, I concluded with ‘Highlight Us, Share Our Stories, Show the Achievement, and Watch Possibility Bloom in Young People’s Imaginations.’ Please show that the future is available to all, no matter what they are.”
A woman who wanted to support trans people asked “What can we to do help you continue to push forward your message and support you during your service?”
“I think that one thing we can all do is to tell stories, to share stories with the people you know and to highlight LGBTQ individuals in the work you do, in our companies. Representation is important. The ability to recognize someone’s accomplishments is important.
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