LeAnne Stuart Withrow
LeAnne Stuart Withrow | |||||||||||||||
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| Born | Ian Stuart Withrow Illinois, United States of America | ||||||||||||||
| Pen name | Ian S. Withrow | ||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Soldier, Novelist, Playwright, Photographer, Military Journalist, Activist | ||||||||||||||
| Language | English, German, French | ||||||||||||||
| Nationality | American | ||||||||||||||
| Citizenship | American | ||||||||||||||
| Home town | Galesburg, Illinois | ||||||||||||||
| Genre | Paranormal Ficton, Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Newswriting | ||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Letisha R. Withrow | ||||||||||||||
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LeAnne Withrow is the first openly transgender service-member in the Illinois Army National Guard (ILNG),[1] and the first to officially serve in her corrected gender. She is also an author of young adult fantasy novels, and has used her position, as well as her writing and experience in public affairs to advocate for numerous causes, including suicide prevention and LGBTQIA+ rights[2].
Transition and post-transition service[edit]
In light of the 2016 lift of the Department of Defense ban on service of Transgender individuals, Withrow was among the first to begin the process to openly serve. She was the first transgender woman ever to openly serve[3] in the Illinois National Guard,[4] and the first in Illinois to officially change her DEERs gender marker through the official Department of Defense process.[5]
Military career[edit]
Withrow enlisted in Springfield, Illinois, into the Illinois Army National Guard in March, 2010, as a 92G (Culinary Specialist) and attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. After graduation she joined the 232nd Combat Support Sustainment Battalion. In 2013 she transferred to the 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment[6] as a result of her work at the 2012 Chicago Summit. She attended the Defense Information School in Fort Meade, MD, from 2013-2014. She subsequently provided Public Affairs coverage for the National Guard Association of the United States Conference Conference in Chicago in 2014[7] and various other missions prior to being deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2015[8] to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. During her deployment she served as a primary media engagement liaison for Joint Task Force Honor as well as being a staff editor and photojournalist for The Wire,[9] a weekly magazine created by the Task Force. She was also, notably, promoted to sergeant in a unique underwater ceremony[10] before returning from OEF in mid-2016. In 2017, she took on the role of training noncommissioned officer for the 139th.
She took part in Ready Response,[11] a large-scale flood fighting operation in Illinois during the spring and summer of 2019, where she served as one of the primary media engagement and public affairs non-commissioned officers under IEMA. She worked to develop social media messaging, as well as to provide photojournalism coverage of the ILNG and other state agencies involved in the operation.
Later in 2019, Withrow was activated as part of a two-person Public Affairs team to provide coverage for Exercise Eager Lion 19[12] in Amman, Jordan. Eager Lion, which is a multinational exercise involving more than 30 countries, is the largest middle-eastern training exercise that is conducted by ARCENT.[13]
In early 2020 she participated in Arctic Eagle 20 (AE20), a large-scale multi-component, multinational joint training exercise in Alaska.[14][15] She provided coverage around the state for Army, Air, and Navy assets used during the operation. Her work was featured on various national and state websites, and has been distributed globally.[16][17]
After AE20, she attended the Advanced Leadership Course in Ft. Meade, MD., and was promoted to staff sergeant.
Withrow also attended exercise Arctic Eagle-Patriot 2022, based in Alaska.
Writing career[edit]
Withrow's writing career began at an early age. She wrote and directed her own play "Dance Me To The Moon" in 2008, and both played a supporting role in and directed a rendition of the play in May 2009 at Springfield Southeast High School.[18]
During her deployment in 2015-2016 to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, she wrote her first full length novel, The Tragedy of Power. The novel is a dystopian coming-of-age tale that features paranormal romance, lgbt elements, and a strong female lead. The basic plot of the novel involves a supernatural child born with the ability to heal anyone she touches, and how the world reacts to her. The novel features mature content, including self-harm and substance abuse. The University Of Illinois Journal reviewed the novel in February, 2017, saying that:
"The plot is refreshing due to the fact that while it was a story about supernatural events, it does not introduce this in the same way other storylines have. Withrow lets Lauren live her life in a normal way before she embraces her healing powers. He also allows the story to move at an even pace, and despite the time jumps, it is still a steady read."[19]
The Tragedy of Power was followed by a sequel, Apathetic God, in 2018. Withrow's second novel continues the plot of her first novel.
Activism[edit]
Withrow has also taken an active role in promoting the causes of LGTB Rights[20]. Additionally, she serves as the Communications Director[21][22] of SPARTA Pride, the leading Transgender Advocacy Group for service members in the United States Military.[23]
Withrow has been cited in multiple articles[24][25][26] around the world while advocating on behalf of transgender service members,[27] particularly in light of the March 31, 2021 announcement that the ban on transgender Service Members will officially end. She was also the subject of a feature article[28] addressing the death of South Korean Sergeant Byeon Hee-soo, who was expelled from the military for being transgender.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Soldier's experience through evolving transgender military policies". foxillinois.com.
- ↑ Ferrannini, John. "LGBTQ Agenda: Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, striving for trans equality in recent announcements". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ↑ https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national-politics/the-race/transgender-soldiers-push-for-legal-protection-in-military
- ↑ "LeAnne Withrow". Spartapride.org. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ↑ Trubey, Devin (February 17, 2021). "Soldier's experience through evolving transgender military policies". WICS.
- ↑ "Author index | River Cities' Reader".
- ↑ "SD Guard Battalion receives national training, readiness award". DVIDS.
- ↑ "IL National Guard Unit Deploys". Chronicle Media. June 14, 2015.
- ↑ https://static.dvidshub.net/media/pubs/pdf_28956.pdf[bare URL PDF]
- ↑ "Hometown Military News: Dec. 11, 2015". WJBC AM 1230. December 11, 2015.
- ↑ "Illinois National Guard helps civilian agencies fight flooding". www.army.mil.
- ↑ Hutch, Liane. "Soldiers cause roar at Eager Lion 2019". Fort Carson Mountaineer. 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ↑ Bistarkey, Devon. "Friendship at center of U.S.-Jordan Exercise Eager Lion 19". army.mil. army.mil. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ↑ Liacko, Alexa. "Transgender soldiers push for legal protection in military". https://www.thedenverchannel.com/. https://www.thedenverchannel.com/. Retrieved 10 August 2021. External link in
|website=, |publisher=(help) - ↑ "Civil Support Team conducts CBRN training with agencies". www.army.mil.
- ↑ Thayer, Rose. "National Guard troops stand down following the election". Stars and Stripes. Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ↑ "Alaska Air National Guard Refuels C-130 at 20,000 Feet".
- ↑ "Newspaper Archives -". The State Journal-Register.
- ↑ Bruce, Jessey. "'The Tragedy of Power' by Ian Withrow".
- ↑ Lang, Nico. "Conservatives Are Blaming Trans Troops for Taliban Takeover of Afghanistan". Them. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ↑ Bellamy-Walker, Tat. "VA to Provide Gender-Affirming Surgery for Trans Veterans". Gay City News. Gay City News.
- ↑ "SPARTA's newest Board Member: LeAnne Withrow, Communications Director". SPART*A. February 14, 2021.
- ↑ https://www.seattlepride.org/news/remembering-lgbtq-veterans-on-memorial-day
- ↑ Lifo. "And yet, in America, right-wingers believe that the Taliban have returned because trans people are recruiting". LiFo. LiFo. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- ↑ "Armed Forces organizations, 500+ veterans announce support of LGBTQ federal protections". 20 May 2021.
- ↑ Kim, Joo-yeon. "고 변희수 하사가 미군이었다면…미국은 트랜스젠더가 '조직의 얼굴'".
- ↑ "Armed Forces organizations, 500+ veterans announce support of LGBTQ federal protections". 20 May 2021.
- ↑ Kim, Joo-yeon. "[취중생]미군 트랜스젠더가 한국의 '변희수'들에게".
External links[edit]
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