SPARTA Pride

SPARTA at WorldPride 2025, Washington DC.

SPARTA Pride is an American nonprofit organization representing transgender service members, veterans, their families, and allies.

Founded in 2013, it provides peer support, mentoring, grants, education, and advocacy concerning transgender military service.

The organization advocates for open transgender military service and opposes policies restricting transgender people from serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Activities

SPARTA (Servicemembers, Partners, and Allies for Respect and Tolerance for All) was founded in 2013 by activists Allyson Robinson, Brenda Sue Fulton, and Brynn Tannehill. In January of 2014, they hosted the first conference for transgender service members in Houston. SPARTA has worked with multiple newspapers to run stories raising awareness of transgender military personnel, including the Washington Post in 2014 and the Capital Gazette in 2016.

SPARTA, in conjunction with the Human Rights Campaign, hosts the yearly Albert Cashier Awards. 2026 awardees included Paula Neira, for the Lifetime Impact Award, and Alexandria Holder, for the Courage Under Fire award.

Leadership and members

In 2021, Bree Fram was elected as board chair and president of the organization. She was reelected in 2022. Emily Shilling was elected SPARTA president in 2023 Shilling stepped down in November of 2025, after which SPARTA restructured its board of directors and replaced the volunteer president position with a paid executive director position. The first and current executive director of SPARTA Pride is Kara Corcoran.

References

  1. ↑ "About SPARTA Pride – SPARTA Pride". spartapride.org. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  2. ↑ Hearing (February 27, 2019). "TRANSGENDER SERVICE IN THE MILITARY POLICY HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY PERSONNEL OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION" (PDF).
  3. ↑ Belkin, Aaron (June 1, 2016). "HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW WHY THE US MILITARY'S TRANSGENDER BAN UNRAVELED SO QUICKLY" (PDF).
  4. ↑ "Transgender Navy pilot, barred from service, reflects on 'patriotism' ahead of Trump's military parade". ABC News. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  5. ↑ "New Pentagon policy undercuts trans troops' ability to ask to stay in the military, AP learns". AP News. October 31, 2025. Archived from the original on August 24, 2026. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Pentagon searching medical records to identify transgender troops". Federal News Network. September 7, 2026. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Belkin 2016, p. 18.
  8. ↑ Belkin 2016, p. 19.
  9. ↑ Wiggins, Christopher. "Trans troops honored as military ban grinds on | Advocate.com". www.advocate.com. Retrieved October 14, 2026.
  10. ↑ Wiggins 2026.
  11. ↑ Levesque, Brody (May 2, 2021). "National Trans military advocacy group elects new president". Los Angeles Blade: LGBTQ News, Rights, Politics, Entertainment. Retrieved October 12, 2026.
  12. ↑ LA Blade Digital Staff (May 9, 2022). "SPARTA announces legislative agenda & re-elects Bree Fram as president". Los Angeles Blade: LGBTQ News, Rights, Politics, Entertainment.
  13. ↑ Roeder, Kaela (May 12, 2023). "Trans military advocacy organization nominates new president". Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News. Retrieved October 12, 2026.
  14. ↑ SPARTA Pride (November 26, 2025). "Press Release: SPARTA Pride Announces Leadership and Organizational Transition to Face the Fight Ahead – SPARTA Pride". spartapride.org (Press release). Retrieved October 12, 2026.
  15. ↑ Reberkenny, Joe (June 29, 2026). "Court to weigh class action status in trans military ban challenge". Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News. Retrieved October 12, 2026.
  16. ↑ SPARTA Pride 2025.

See also