Australia’s first soldier to transition while serving her country took on the Australian Defence Force and won, paving the way for other trans personnel and veterans.

Bridget Clinch dedicated a decade to training with the ADF and was deployed twice to East Timor.

But when she told her bosses she wanted to identify as her true self she was slapped with a termination notice.

Bridget Clinch was Australia’s first soldier to transition while serving her country. (Nine/Supplied)

“I had a medical review and they said I had to leave,” Ms Clinch, of Brisbane, told 9news.com.au.

“My fight was about getting the policy cancelled. It stated trans people have a psychiatric disorder and need to be kicked out of the military."

The 39-year-old challenged the ADF’s transgender policy in 2010 - and succeeded.

Previously, every trans member of military personnel had been medically discharged from service.

Since then, a total of 44 trans personnel have had treatment for gender dysphoria paid for by the ADF to December last year, with 21 members being referred for surgery.

But Ms Clinch says more needs to be done for retired trans soldiers whose applications for gender reassignment surgery still gets refused by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Bridget Clinch at a marriage equality rally. (Walkom Photography)

One anonymous woman recounted her bureaucratic nightmare to 9news.com.au.

She told how her request for surgery was rejected by the DVA last month because she had a “sexual disease”.

‘YOU CAN’T RUN AWAY FROM YOURSELF’

Ms Clinch joined the defence force in 1997 to mask her gender dysphoria.

“A lot of people go into these hyper-masculine jobs thinking it will fix them,” the 39-year-old said.

“In the military they refer to you by rank so you don’t get that jarring gender-based thing thrown at you all the time.

“I went to mostly all male areas in the military to avoid having women stuck in my face to continually remind me.

“I kept myself busy and distracted. But once I was promoted to captain and was stopped doing ground-level work, I let it come to the surface and I scared myself with my thoughts.”

Ms Clinch said when she was in primary school, she didn’t have the language or knowledge of what transgender was.

Members of the The International Stabilisation Force Quick Response Force demonstrate their equipment and tactics to members of the East Timor National Police Rapid Intervention Unit. (AAP)

“At school, when we were lining up as boys and girls, you’d be looking at the other line thinking you should be over there,” she said.

“I’m sure I said something to my parents when I was very young and they freaked out. You learnt from reactions like that not to talk about it and just try and bury it but eventually it comes back and bites you.

“You can’t run away from yourself. You just try and avoid gender-related stuff.”

CHANGING HISTORY

Towards the end of 2009, living as a male was getting too much for Ms Clinch.

She enjoyed her job but knew the consequences if she told her superiors of her need to transition.

But after having precedent from Canada and UK on her side, as well as seeking legal advice, the ADF remarkably abolished its policy.

“The hierarchy of the army in Canberra was skittish and scared about changing the rules but it was 10 years behind our allies,” Ms Clinch said.

“This was not progressive, crazy or radical. After the policy change, there were about a dozen trans people who popped up in the first couple of years.”

Group captain Catherine McGregor was one of them – she went public as trans in 2013, and soon after became the highest ranking gender diverse person in the army.

Catherine McGregor went public as trans in 2013. (AAP)

“Everyone thinks that you have some Disney princess thing that happens to you when you transition but it’s really more that you get to start your life,” Ms Clinch said.

She said when defence, which consists of just under 80,000 personnel, eventually overturned its ban on transgender personnel after she pleaded her case, commanders tried to keep the fact she was trans a secret.

“They made me feel like I had something wrong with me but I didn’t feel crazy,” she said.

“They were trying to put me back in my box and they started stuffing me around with career management.

“It made me feel stressed because they weren’t overtly supporting me.”

Ms Clinch was discharged from service in 2013.

‘YOUR REQUESTED PROCEDURE HAS BEEN DECLINED’

In a letter seen by 9news.com.au and addressed to the veteran, who wished not to be named, it stated the Melbourne woman “did not meet current DVA policy and guidelines” for gender reassignment surgery as she was discharged in 2009 for a shoulder injury.

The 29-year-old said DVA only provided mental health counselling and therapy as “being transgender was not related to an injury sustained during service”.

“They said they had sensed that psychological treatment won’t help but they’ll pay for me to have it,” she said.

“But the one treatment that will help, they won’t pay for. They are happy to ignore the recommendations of experts and spend thousands of dollars on psychological treatment.

“In the long run, not performing the surgery is a lot more expensive as well as what the people need to go through by not having surgery.”

The letter dated January 29 this year read: “DVA will pay white card patients’ medical costs if the requested treatment is directing treating an accepted condition on their card.

Soldiers hold the national flags of the participating countries during military excercises in Dili, East Timor, in April 2011. (AAP)

“The veteran is not currently eligible for the procedure under her current white card accepted disabilities.”

A white card is issued to members of the ADF who have an accepted condition and need ongoing treatment.

However, A DVA spokesman told 9news.com.au each request was “considered on a case-by-case basis following advice from medical advisors”.

“DVA has funded components of gender reassignment surgery in the past,” the spokesman said.

“Requests such as gender reassignment are complex and depend upon multiple factors, including clinical need.

“Transgender veterans are entitled to the same benefits and services as other veterans. The department funds all clinically required health care for veterans, with restrictions applied to some dental and optical services.”

Meanwhile, defence’s current health policy is designed to “ensure the health services available to the general community through Medicare are also available to all ADF members”.

“All ADF personnel are entitled to full medical care as a condition of service,” a defence spokesperson told 9news.com.au.

“Defence does not record whether members are transgender. Transitioning personnel are administratively managed as their affirmed gender.”

'DVA HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO'

Ms Clinch had gender reassignment surgery in 2011 to alter the physical appearance and function of her existing sexual characteristics, which was funded by the ADF in line with its health policy.

“Of course defence should be covering this because a trans person just needs to get their life on track,” Ms Clinch said.

“Before, expensive training and invaluable experience was being thrown away. My surgery was covered under the usual medical benefits like it would’ve been if I had of broken my spine, had cancer or needed knee reconstruction.

“The ideal situation is that it’s just covered under public health like it is in the UK, Canada and other places.”



Considering the ADF’s current health policy, Ms Clinch said DVA had “a lot of work to do” but was bound by legislation.

Bridget Clinch is enrolled to study law this year with the hope of later focusing on trans healthcare and veterans’ mental health. (Nine/Supplied)

“DVA is just applying its rules and legislation but then the person becomes the human causality where our medical systems are lacking,” she said.

“Today, there are even a few states in the US who are funding gender reassignment surgery for prisoners.

“We’re still putting trans women in mens’ prisons. We are slowly getting there but it’s like a glacial process.”

Ms Clinch is enrolled to study law this year with the hope of later focusing on trans healthcare and veterans’ mental health.

This story is part of a continuing series on trans children and gender diverse people in Australia.

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