this post was submitted on 24 Jul 2026
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[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 1 points 1 hour ago

He's not?

I thought this whole thing was him caving to pressure to restore gender affirming care, with a PR spin

[–] forkDestroyer@infosec.pub 3 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Because that's actually what they believe. They believe that cis men naturally develop testosterone at those levels and that if they don't, or if they can't get an erection (not discussed in this article) then they need medication to "fix" them. They view it as general healthcare. They don't see this as a "gender affirming care" gotcha at all.

From the article:

He goes on to explain that this initiative will be part of servicemembers’ “periodic health assessments” and “is not about artificial enhancement; it’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”

I think this system is silly, but I also think it's important to understand how serious they are, even if we disagree.

[–] BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago

I'ma hold out for homeopathic testosterone or for them to genetically make rino horn with AI.

[–] Chessmasterrex@lemmy.world 7 points 5 hours ago

Linking testosterone to military readiness is pure bullshit.

[–] psycho_driver@lemmy.world 2 points 5 hours ago

He prefers getting boned by cis men.

[–] TranscendentalEmpire@lemmy.today 61 points 12 hours ago (3 children)

There has never been a secretary of defense hated by the military in my lifetime.

I work in orthopedics and rehabilitation, in the last year I have gotten more referrals for foot and ankle injuries for NCO and officers than any other year in my entire career. You have a bunch of 30 and 40 year old men who are generally fit but used to office work doing exercise regiments made for kids in their early 20s. Lord only knows how much this is going to cost the US gov in disability for the next 20-30 years.

Like, why does a Senior Master Sergeant need to be doing daily Pt? If during a war an E-7 or higher is needing to run for two miles for any reason, things have already gone extremely wrong.

[–] dreamkeeper@literature.cafe 63 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

Hegseth doesn't know shit about how to run a unit. That's why he implements all these stupid policies. The loser never even held a company command. He topped out at platoon leader which doesn't amount to jack shit.

It's like being a team lead at Walmart, then getting promoted to CEO and demanding that all all your lower level execs learn how to use a cash register because you think more cash registers = more money.

[–] stoly@lemmy.world 11 points 10 hours ago

What a fantastic simile!

[–] daannii@lemmy.world 7 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Im pretty sure I didn't even know the names of the past ones because they just weren't making a fool of themselves all the time where I had to hear their name.

[–] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 5 points 5 hours ago

I remember Mattis because he was widely respected and hailed as a good pick. He quit because Trump did Trump things.

[–] Almacca@aussie.zone 2 points 5 hours ago

I've come to the conclusion that the best we can expect from our politicians is that we never hear anything about them. It seems the only time we hear anything about them is when they're doing or saying something abhorrent.

[–] DrPop@lemmy.world 4 points 10 hours ago

Because a uniform approach is the only solution they know. Rather than using studies and case by case approach. They are all or nothing.

[–] Adulated_Aspersion@lemmy.world 24 points 10 hours ago

I for one am so glad to see that Pete is in support of Gender Affirming Care. Lets get him to say it that way amd we can all progress forward.

[–] chris@lemmy.grey.fail 141 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

💯 gender affirming care. So why do only some men qualify?

[–] joyjoy@piefed.social 40 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

sexism and gatekeeping

[–] chuckleslord@lemmy.world 13 points 12 hours ago

They're morons who think higher testosterone means more manly and they need the manliest army to compensate for their emasculatinity

[–] dizzle18@lemmy.zip 27 points 12 hours ago (3 children)

Since everything is projection with these fuckwads, I'll just go ahead and assume Pete has to take testosterone supplements because he lost his testicles in a really embarrassing, freak accident. Like his testicles got severed from his body because his pants were just too tight. Or he was using a car buffer to jerk off, but it slipped and took his scrotum off.

[–] Neon_Carnivore@lemmy.zip 27 points 11 hours ago (1 children)
[–] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 8 points 9 hours ago

A tale of two busted nuts told in a triptych.

[–] TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com 6 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

Contemporary middle aged males and even any age males take testosterone just because they don't want to feel old or vulnerable.

All the heroes of Western Toxic Masculinity ... none of them had access to male hormone therapy ... and yet they managed to be CHUD heroes.

The fact that contemporary men need hormone therapy and peptides to feel manly is the biggest sign of the loss of male virility.

[–] stoly@lemmy.world 5 points 10 hours ago

And testosterone will genuinely ages you. This stuff is not meant to be taken lightly.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 6 points 11 hours ago

I assume he mixes testosterone with the cocaine he snorts while he’s smoking PCP. That seems like him on a mellow chill day.

[–] RunningInRVA@lemmy.world 73 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

I hope this whole thing gets shot down. It’s disgusting that they cannot treat people with any dignity at all and instead must interfere in the lives of others by pushing their rhetoric and shitty beliefs on them.

[–] My_IFAKs___gone@lemmy.world 2 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

If this were applicable to the genpop, then yes, I agree. But in this case, I'm in MJ movie popcorn mode to see how this goes in the specific population of military personnel...the same personnel who had a not insignificant portion decline the COVID vaccine despite that decision resulting in their (temporary) forced separation from service.

In this case, I think it's a matter of not interrupting your enemy when he's making a mistake.

[–] gibmiser@lemmy.world 35 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

Well I don't know about you, but i don't want our military to become more impulsive and aggressive. That literally means more deaths and rapes both on and off the battlefield.

Shit, it also means they will be more likely to follow orders to fire on civilians and assist in suppression of protests. It is a bad idea all around.

If we were in the middle of a defensive war I could see a justification. Maybe. But this is just culture war that has an added benefit for psychotic leaders who want to be dictators.

[–] DrivebyHaiku@lemmy.ca 13 points 14 hours ago

This isn't really the biggest issue for those cis men. Testosterone is something different bodies behave differently to. Testosterone levels and what constitutes a healthy level of testosterone is unique to individuals. Someone who seems low by a universalized metric might actually be at the perfect level or them because their body is more sensitive to the Horomone. If something isn't actively the reason for a horomone treatment then you are risking elevating your blood pressure, putting strain on your liver, increasing infertility issues and causing a bunch of mental health side effects which are detrimental for a demographic already plagued by post career mental health issues.

This is an occupational health hazard that is going to be felt further down the line by these men and their families..

[–] voxthefox@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 14 hours ago

Even selfishly, considering said battlefield has a non-zero chance of being on US soil against protesters since apparently its ok now to mobilize the marines against protests now.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I hope this whole thing gets shot down.

Idk, I think there's a certain aesthetic virtue to seeing a bunch of roided out bald guys representing our country.

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 8 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

There is nothing deliciously homoerotic about wanting go to around hand testing each soldiers testosterone level to ensure we can create a force of muscular men who will exercise, glistening from militarily necessary baby oil, while kegseth watches, oh so carefully, from his office window, with the door locked.

its all 100% totally hetromanliness.

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 3 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

He's going to test each soldier personally, especially the manliest ones, by cupping their balls and judging the weight.

RFK, Jr. taught them all to do it. He's been doing it for his friends for years, and he showed them all how to do it in a raucous late night meeting in the Oval Office, where they could all practice on each other. Stephen "PeeWee Himmler" Miller had remarkably tiny balls, and they all roasted him until he cried. It was hilarious!

Good times, good times...

[–] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 1 points 6 hours ago

You need to write for the onion.

[–] Blibly@lemmy.world 25 points 15 hours ago

Bunch of low-T low-energy losers broadcasting their insecurities to all of us.

[–] stoly@lemmy.world 6 points 12 hours ago

Imagine having your brain so far up your bro science ass that you undermine a core principle of your party.

[–] politicalincorruption@lemmy.world 3 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (2 children)

Skelehesgeth says:

Remember, if you’re a cis soldier, testosterone is healthcare. If you’re a trans soldier, it’s a national security threat! NYEH HEH HEH!

Skelehegseth

[–] Wilco@lemmy.zip 9 points 11 hours ago

AI Slop alert

[–] chuckleslord@lemmy.world 17 points 12 hours ago (16 children)

Nah, fuck off with this slop. Either draw skeletor, use an existing image, or badly draw it in paint. All are preferable to the shit slop image.

Fuck, even leaving the image out is preferable to this crap.

The AI hate is strong in this one. 💀

[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 8 points 12 hours ago

Also, Skeletor would resent being associated with that dipshit.

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