Ashleigh Buch

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Ashleigh Buch (born October 19, 1984) is a United States Air Force instructor, ultimate player, and transgender woman. [1] [2] She was the first out transgender airman to work at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, and transitioned under the Obama administration's policy that enabled transgender service members to serve openly. [3] [4] She taught linguistics at Offutt, and has mentored several other transgender airmen at the Air Force base. [5] Buch has also played ultimate for Kansas City Wicked, which competes in the USA Ultimate Club Women's division, and was on the first roster of Washington DC Shadow of the Premier Ultimate League before the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19. [6] [7]

Personal life

Buch was raised in Fairfield, Iowa, and attended Iowa State University where she studied Spanish and secondary education. [5] She then joined the Air Force in 2009 and started transitioning in 2012 away from work. [5] Once the Obama administration released its policy for transgender military personnel in 2016, though, Buch made the move to transition at work. [3] Since transitioning, she helped lead the way for other transgender service members, receiving messages from people around the country saying "you gave me the courage to come out." [8] In ultimate, Buch consulted with USA Ultimate on their transgender policy update in 2018. [9] She was also recognized as one of the "Rad Women of Omaha" in 2018. [10] [11]

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References

  1. ↑ "Staff Sgt. Ashleigh Buch". www.acc.af.mil. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  2. ↑ "My Experience as a Transgender Woman in the Ultimate Community". Skyd Magazine. January 30, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Bandur, Michelle (January 24, 2019). "First Offutt transgender airman says 'trans troops' will fight military ban". KETV. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Secretary of Defense Ash Carter Announces Policy for Transgender Servi". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Liewer, Steve. "For transgender service member at Offutt, 'the tears just kept coming' after Trump's tweet". Omaha World Herald. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  6. ↑ "#1 Ashleigh Buch — Wicked Ultimate | Kansas City Women's Ultimate Frisbee". Wicked Ultimate. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  7. ↑ "DC Shadow Ultimate | Womxn's Professional Ultimate". www.dcshadowultimate.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  8. ↑ Joseph, Devan. "Meet Ashleigh Buch, a transgender Air Force service member her boss calls 'outstanding'". Business Insider. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  9. ↑ Eisenhood, Charlie. "USA Ultimate Updates Transgender Inclusion Policy | Livewire". Ultiworld. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Rad Women of Omaha - Featuring Ashleigh Buch — Wicked Ultimate | Kansas City Women's Ultimate Frisbee". Wicked Ultimate. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Rad women of Omaha art exhibit". www.wowt.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
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