Lgbtq Pride Month J U N E - J U L Y 2 0 2 1
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T H E C U Y A M A C A V E T E R A N S C E N T E R C E L E B R A T E S LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH J U N E - J U L Y 2 0 2 1 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer service members no longer serve with the looming threat of separation from the military for their sexual orientation or gender identity. Still, regardless of the relatively new protections regarding their military service, some fear backlash. Despite discriminatory policies, negative Supreme Court rulings, hate, and violence, 2021 is the year where (again) all those who identify as LGBTQ can freely serve in the U.S. military. 1 9 4 1 1 9 4 2 1 9 5 7 1 9 8 1 1 9 8 2 T h e U S S e l e c t i v e H o m o s e x u a l i t y w a s C a p t i a n S . H . T h e D O D i s s u e s D i r e c t i v e T h e m i l i t a r y S e r v i c e S y s t e m c l a s s i f i e d a s m e n t a l C r i t t e n d e n o f t h e 1 3 3 2 . 1 4 , s t a t i n g e n a c t s a p o l i c y i n c l u d e s d i s o r d e r a n d t h e U S N a v y B o a r d o f " h o m o s e x u a l i t y i s e x p l i c i t l y b a n n i n g " h o m o s e x u a l m i l i t a r y b e g i n s I n q u i r y i s s u e s a i n c o m p a t i b l e w i t h g a y m e n a n d p r o c l i v i t i e s " a s a w o r k i n g w i t h r e p o r t s t a t i n g m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e " a n d t h a t l e s b i a n s f r o m d i s q u a l i f y i n g p s y c h i a t r i s t s a n d t h e r e i s " n o s o u n d a n y s e r v i c e m e m b e r w h o m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e . c o n d i t i o n f o r r e c r u i t e r s t o i d e n t i f y b a s i s f o r t h e b e l i e f h a s e n g a g e d i n o r i n c l u s i o n i n t h e a n d e x c l u d e g a y m e n t h a t h o m o s e x u a l s a t t e m p t e d t o e n g a g e i n m i l i t a r y d r a f t . f r o m s e r v i c e . p o s e a s e c u r i t y h o m o s e x u a l a c t s w i l l b e r i s k . " d i s c h a r g e d . "You were being discharged for saying Ban, Repeal, Repeat... you were gay or for engaging in sexual behavior with someone of the same During the presidency of Bill Clinton, there was a push to end the gender or if you married or intended to ban on LGBTQ in the military. A push that President Clinton marry someone of the same gender. So responded to with the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy that the bans were exactly the same. The one in '93 was worse in that it became was signed into law. While this was appeared to be a good middle law as opposed to just regulation." ground for the President who wanted to appeal to the LGBTQ -Dixon Osburn, SLDN community and the military leaders who wanted to uphold the ban, the actual LGBTQ community and human rights activists did not agree. In the decade following the implementation of DADT, the attitude of the US regarding LGBTQ folks in the military changed. The Pew Research Center reported that in 1994, 45% of "When I was in the Americans opposed LGBTQ in the military, but by 2010 that military they gave number had dropped to 27%. This was after further gay rights me a medal for movements, Supreme Court battles and losses, which resulted in killing two men and a discharge for Massachusetts and California legalizing gay marriage. loving one." -Leonard Matlovich This change in American attitude led to the 2011 repeal of DADT by former President Barrack Obama. In September of 2011, the LGBTQ community could finally serve in the military openly without threat of discharge based on Photo link: Leonard Matlovich sexual orientation. Furthermore, the thousands of service members who were discharged under DADT were offered a re-enrollment. The battle continued, however, when in 2017 former President Donald Trump attempted, through a series of tweets, to impose a blanket ban on transgender people from joining the military. After 2 years of court battles, the blanket ban was not imposed but a ban reminiscent of DADT was imposed in 2019: openly transgender folks would not be allowed in the military. This ban was short-lived and was repealed in 2021 by now President Joe Biden. For now, all LGBT, open or not, can serve their country. 1 9 8 8 1 9 9 3 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 2 0 1 3 T h e D O D s u p p o r t s t h e T h e " D o n ' t A s k , F o r m e r P r e s i d e n t T h e " D o n ' t A s k , M i l i t a r y s p o u s a l c o n c l u s i o n s o f t h e D o n ' t T e l l " p o l i c y i s B i l l C l i n t o n D o n ' t T e l l " p o l i c y a n d f a m i l y 1 9 5 7 C r i t t e n d e n e n a c t e d a l l o w i n g a n n o u n c e s t h a t w a s r e p e a l e d b e n e f i t s a r e R e p o r t t h a t L G B T c l o s e t e d L G B T Q h e r e g r e t s a l l o w i n g L G B T Q a u t h o r i z e d t o b e p o s e n o s e c u r i t y r i s k s . f o l k s t o s e r v e i n a d o p t i n g " D o n ' t f o l k s t o s e r v e e x t e n d e d t o M i l i t a r y l e a d e r s t h e m i l i t a r y , A s k D o n ' t T e l l " o p e n l y i n t h e s a m e - s e x m a r r i e d c h a l l e n g e t h e v e r a c i t y r e f o r m i n g t h e p o l i c y . m i l i t a r y . p a r t n e r s .