User talk:8Burton Edit

Lance Cpl. Aaron Wixson The 20-year-old field artillery radar operator is one of the first transgender Marines to be formally recognized by his command as a man. [1]

Wixson's transition has been a long journey. Growing up as Ariel, he always wanted to be friends with boys and wear boys clothes. He played all the sports, thriving in soccer and golf. He had a hard time sitting still. In high school, Wixson came out as a lesbian, and for that moment in time it seemed to resolve his mixed emotions. "It calmed my brain from the feeling of being different," he remembered. "I was OK with that. I was OK with liking girls." Marine recruiters visited his high school when he was in 11th grade which started his interest in the Corps. The way they acted and their reputation as the most physically challenging branch of the United States military spoke to him. "I knew that's what I wanted to do,". "I saw the pride that they had, and I thought, 'I want to be a part of that.'" The infantry at that time wasn't open to women, so Wixson signed up for artillery. field artillery radar operator to be exact. He felt pride for being a female Marine and showing that a woman was physically capable of keeping up with all the guys in the unit. [1]

On October 1, the military changed from the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that was in force during the Clinton administration and now stated that military personnel can transition while serving if they follow the correct protocol. [2] During combat training, he said "something didn't feel right,”. He started talking to his transgender friends and the idea that he could be a man in a woman's body began to form in his mind as a real possibility. The professional diagnosis of gender dismorphia helped him fully take on being transgender. His family supports him, and he said he has not faced amy backlash or hate from the Marines with whom he serves with. [1]