A male Army veteran underwent feminizing procedures—and became known as Jessica Watkins, ’the transgender J6‘er’ who holds unexpected views on transgenderism.
While serving in the military, an Ohioan harbored a painful secret.
After being “outed” for identifying as transgender, the Afghanistan veteran was discharged from the Army, took on a new name, and underwent feminizing cross-sex hormones and surgery.
Now, more than two decades later, Jessica Watkins, 42, expresses some surprising stances—including supporting President Donald Trump’s decision to bar transgender people from military service.
While pro-transgender groups oppose that policy as discriminatory and unconstitutional, Watkins said, “the military is no place for ‘transition.’”
“The military is not about the individual; you don’t matter. All that matters is the mission—period,” Watkins said.
“Our mission is to kill our enemies and to keep our country safe; that’s it.”
Watkins, who previously had remained low-profile, became known as “the transgender J6’er” after being prosecuted for the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021. Watkins was among hundreds of former Jan. 6 defendants who were set free when Trump became the 47th president and granted them clemency in January.
Saddled with this higher-profile status, Watkins decided to publicly push for prison reform. Watkins reports experiencing “horrific” conditions while incarcerated for four years and three days.
Watkins also wanted people to understand how someone could serve in the military, then undergo gender-transition procedures, and yet support policies that many condemn as “anti-transgender.”
Watkins never considered transgenderism desirable, yet felt compelled to go down that path. Since childhood, Watkins felt an unshakeable disconnect between a self-perception of being female and the fact of having been born male.
“Being transgender is anathema to me. I don’t like it. It’s not fun, a community, or a deviance,” Watkins said.
“I just want to live normally without pain, and the recent ‘trans’ agenda has made a mockery of people like me.”
Despite expecting backlash for going public with atypical views about transgenderism and Trump’s policies, Watkins said doing so is “important to our country.”
Still, Watkins said, “As a transgender woman and a veteran myself, it pains me to agree with President Trump in his executive order banning transgender individuals from military service.”
Opponents have filed lawsuits seeking to throw out Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order.
By Janice Hisle
