Interestingly, some of you have brought up conscription. That was actually on my mind when I started this thread, but I had not included it initially. This would be legal discrimination based on gender. But it's germane in a similar manner to the topic of age discrimination.
First, there's a difference between Conscription and registry for service. Conscription is the governmental act of forcing you into service. Whereas registration (via the SSS) is merely accounting for your presence and whereabouts, should you need to be contacted. But, admittedly, the topics co-mingle fairly easily and it's realistic to say the registry would lead to Conscription, should our leaders set a "draft" in place again.
I have a 21 year old daughter, and a 19 year old son. Just last year, my son had to sign up in the SSS (Selective Service system), as a male. That started the conversation in my family about why my daughter didn't have to do so. Well - because SCOTUS ruled back in the early 1980s that a female was not required to do so, because Congress established "due process" by deliberating the act of Conscription when it debated it on the floor of each House.
This, too, is full of massive irony. In today's world, we're told that women are equal. OK - why are they not eligible for Conscription then? We let women serve voluntarily, but not mandate them to sign up? What kind of moronic garbage is that? If we're so "enlightened" as a society, why delineate the mandate at the chromosome level?
And what of the topic of selective gender assumption? The SSS actually has a policy for all that, based on the "law", but I would argue that it's outdated as well. As far as the SSS is concerned, if you were born with a male genitalia, you must register, regardless what you walk around with now, and vice-versa for those born with female genitalia; you get to walk away, even though you're a "man" now.
Believe it or not, the SSS actually addresses most of this; main page:
https://www.sss.gov/
who should register:
https://www.sss.gov/Registration-Info/Who-Registration (note - illegal aliens .... I'm sorry, "
undocumented immigrants" ... must also register. Perhaps a few are missing from the registry?)
https://www.sss.gov/Registration/Women-And-Draft/Backgrounder-Women-and-the-Draft
"
The exclusion of women from the registration process was challenged in the courts. A lawsuit brought by several men resulted in a 1980 U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania decision that the MSSA's gender-based discrimination violated the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment, and the District Court enjoined registration under the Act. Upon direct appeal, in the case of Rostker v. Goldberg, 453 U.S. 57 (1981), the Supreme Court reversed the District Court decision and upheld the constitutionality of the exclusion, ruling that there was no violation of the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment. The Supreme Court based its decision largely on DoD's policy that excluded women from combat. The Court reasoned that since the purpose of registration was to create a pool of potential inductees for combat, males and females could be treated differently. The Court also noted its inclination to defer to Congress since draft registration requirements are enacted by Congress under its constitutional authority to raise armies and navies, and observed that Congress had in 1980 considered but rejected a proposal to expand registration to women."
But again, in my opinion, the topic itself is full of hypocrisy. It's time to revisit this as a Nation.
Born with a male or female genitalia? Does not matter to me. Decide to alter your physical equipment? Does not matter to me.
I'll coin the old phrase .... What's good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander.
Equal Rights should also mean Equal Risks, regardless how you're equipped.
I see this no different than the hypocrisy of age discrimination in some topics. Yes - I would support my daughter having to register for conscription. I've taught her that she is every bit a person as any other human, but with those rights and privileges also comes responsibility and accountability. She is no more or less a human person than my son, and why should have to take a risk that she does not have to take, simply because of gender? I am for conscription; I have no issues with the registry itself. Only the gender discrimination I find fault with. And it's not the SSS at fault here; it's we as a Nation not demanding equality in every circumstance.
At some age, you shall have your "rights" acknowledged as an adult. My opinion is that whatever that age is (18, 19, 20, 21), it should be fully equal across the board for all rights.
At some point in your life, you choose to retain or attain a gender. My opinion is that whatever your choice is, you should still have to register for Conscription.
I get angry at all the talk of equal this and equal that, but we still tolerate serious age and gender discrimination at many deep, fundamental levels.
If we are so forward-thinking and enlightened as a society then why are these practices still in place?