The United States may soon open its doors for transgender participation as military allies from around the world gathered in Washington on Monday to discuss the issue and ponder its effect on operational effectiveness.

At present, 18 nations allow transgender individuals to serve openly in their respective armed forces.

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The American Civil Liberties (ACLU) is hopeful the U.S. will approve policies to allow similar conditions, especially after the Pentagon eased restrictions on lesbians, gays and bisexuals three years ago.

According to San Francisco-based research group Palm Center, more than 15,000 transgender troops serve in the military, the Reserve and the National Guard. However, these individuals are in constant jeopardy dismissal based on medical issues particularly if they decide to alter their gender.

U.S. Defense Department guidelines consider transgender individuals as deviants and describe their condition as "paraphilia," the New York Times relayed.

Royal Australian Army nurse Maj. Donna Harding, who has transitioned from being male to female, argued that putting policies into place that supports these practices is key to improving mental health and the overall efficiency of transgender troops.

The anxiety and stress that comes with hiding weighs heavily on the individual and could potentially affect job performance, she said.

Britain Royal Air Force Squadron Leader Sarah Maskell shares Harding's sentiments.

The more inclusive the policies, the better operational performance becomes, she said, arguing that people who are allowed to be themselves in the workplace without having to worry about personal problems translates to better job concentration and effectiveness.

But for transgender individuals openly serving in the armed forces, there are still hurdles to overcome.

There is still room for improvement, said Canadian Corporal Natalie Murray, citing problems with Canada's privacy regulations.

The fate of transgender troops in the U.S. still remains uncertain. But advocates are optimistic equality and civil rights would prevail.

Last May, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called for a continuous review of the U.S.' prohibition of transgender individuals in the armed forces but warned it was a "complicated" matter because of the issue's medical aspect.

The panel, titled "Perspectives on Transgender Military Service from Around the Globe" and hosted by the ACLU, saw the participation of officers from allies including those from Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Sweden.

TagsSocial Issues, Sexual Orientation, LGBT, Gender, LGBT movements in the United States, American Civil Liberties Union, transgender