Cadet X clears a path for gender-neutral Aussie soldiers

The Australian Defence Force has recruited personnel who don’t identify as ‘male or female’.

Gender transition guidelines by the Australian Air Force Cadets.

The Australian Defence Force has recruited personnel who don’t identify as male or female, including one of the nation’s first gender-neutral cadets.

The Australian understands an Australian Defence Force Academy recruit has claimed gender neutrality, also identified as gender X status, which under national guidelines refers to a person who is of a “non-binary gender”.

The gender X category was ­entrenched in mid-2013 under new government guidelines issued for all departments and agencies, and promoted by former Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs.

“People who fall into this ­category may use a variety of terms to self-identify,” the guidelines state.

“Gender is part of a person’s personal and social identity. It ­refers to the way a person feels, presents and is recognised within the community.”

A Defence source yesterday told The Australian a cadet had been transferred from an all-­female block to a mixed block and could no longer be ­referred to by instructors as “he” or “she” but by their last name or as “cadet”.

An ADF spokesman confirmed that: “Defence currently has personnel who have identified as gender X. Due to privacy, ­Defence will not comment on ­individuals.’’

The ADF declined to answer 10 questions, first sent on Wednesday night, asking for more information about its gender X policy, and ­issues dealing with gender X personnel.

“The Defence of our nation is our first priority and we will examine anything that arises that may impact on our ability to achieve that,” a spokesman said.

“In this regard, the Government and the Australian Defence Force are currently considering the need for an exemption to the Act (Sex Discrimination Act 1984) and the guidelines due to the unique operational requirements of military service.”

Retired Major General Jim Molan, who previously served as chief of operations for multi­national forces in Iraq, told The Australian that “society has made the choice that there are more than two sexes, not the military”.

“It’s the military’s job to get-on and do what society has decided,” he said.

“If any gender can do a job, they should be welcomed. And we need to trust the leadership of the Defence Force Academy to administer the scheme logically and fairly and to look after a colleague.”

Bernard Gaynor, an Iraq War veteran who was sacked from the Army Reserves for criticising gender and sexuality diversity policies, yesterday told The Australian the ADF was “caught up” in a “bizarre politically-correct nightmare”.

Mr Gaynor initially won an ­unfair dismissal case against the ADF in 2015, only to have it overturned by the full bench of the Federal Court. “Soldiers are facing friendly fire for using the wrong pronouns when they should instead be ­focused on defending our nation,” Mr Gaynor said.

In 2013, the Sex Discrimination Act was amended to introduce new protections and recognise that individuals may identify as a gender other than the sex they were assigned at birth.

“This legislation is com­plemented by the Australian ­Government Guidelines on the Recognition of Sex and Gender, which commenced in July 2013 and allows individuals to identify as male, female or X,” an ADF spokesman said.

In addition to the military, ­universities and government ­departments have also begun to register gender X employees. The Department of Foreign ­Affairs and Trade issues passports to “sex and gender diverse” ­applicants including gender X ­people.

“If you wish to have your sex ­recorded in your passport as X, we need confirmation from a ­registered medical practitioner or psychologist that you are of indeter­minate sex or are intersex,” DFAT says.

DFAT warns applicants that they “cannot guarantee that a ­passport showing ‘X’ in the sex field will be accepted for entry or transit by another country”.

Public Service Commissioner John Lloyd yesterday told The Australian that the Australian Public Service Statistical Bulletin, which was conducted late last year, had reported that seven public service employees had identified as gender X.

“The number of current employees who identify as gender ‘X’ is likely to be under-represented, due to the recent implementation of the guidelines, and employees having to initiate the amendment to their gender in their personal record,” Mr Lloyd said.

On May 17 — the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia — Australian Air Force Cadets director of diversity and inclusion Laurinda Soemijadi said her team was committed to “enhancing the cadet and staff ­experience through inclusive ­practice”.

“As part of the Diversity and ­Inclusion Directorate’s approach to embracing diversity in the AAFC, we have launched a new resource called the Gender Transition in the AAFC Guidelines,” she said.

“This is to form the first part of a suite of resources being accumulated which are aimed to build understanding, knowledge and respect within our organisation.

“We are also creating opportunities to partner with organisations who support the LGBTI community and look forward to updating you soon.”

The ADF has funded more than a dozen sex changes for defence personnel to help deal with gender dysphoria (gender identity disorder).