Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
( Washington, D.C. ) Servicemembers Legal Defense Network ( SLDN ) today welcomes the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ( DADT ) and the beginning of a new era for all patriots, who can now serve free from the threat of being fired on the basis of sexual orientation.
"Today marks the official end of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and is an historic milestone along the journey to achieving LGBT equality in America's military. Thanks to veterans, active duty, leaders, allies and supporters everywhere, this is a monumental day for our service members and our nation. Indeed, we have taken a tremendous leap forward for LGBT equality in the military," said Army Veteran and SLDN Executive Director Aubrey Sarvis.
"Our work is far from done, but today we pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of our patriots as we look forward to a new era of military service — one that honors the contributions of all qualified Americans who have served or who wish to serve," Sarvis continued.
One hundred events are taking place in all 50 states as repeal supporters celebrate the end of this terrible law. Below is a list of all events, including a link to the online details about each celebration.
Servicemembers United
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Servicemembers United, the nation's largest organization of gay and lesbian troops and veterans, celebrated the historic end of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law today with the release of the following statement from its founder and Executive Director, Alexander Nicholson, who was himself honorably discharged early from the U.S. Army because of Don't Ask, Don't Tell:
"On March 15, 1778 the first American servicemember was drummed out of the military for being gay. Since then, tens of thousands more have had their careers ruined and their lives turned upside down by a succession of anti-gay polices and regulations, culminating in the codification of an anti-gay statute in 1993 with the passage of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law. In all, 14,346 men and women were discharged pursuant Don't Ask Don't Tell. But thanks to the persistent hard work of unwavering advocates, especially those who have been directly impacted by this issue, and some courageous politicians over the past six years, Don't Ask, Don't Tell is now history. As a result, those who continue to serve can sleep easier tonight knowing that they can no longer be arbitrarily fired because of their sexual orientation. Justice has prevailed and Don't Ask, Don't Tell is dead. God bless America."
The Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, which was uncompromisingly pushed forward by Servicemembers United and its allies, was finally passed by Congress and signed into law by the President in December of 2010. In July of 2011, the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff submitted a certification to Congress that the military was ready to implement the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell in accordance with the requirements of the Repeal Act. After that certification was submitted, a 60-day waiting period commenced before the Repeal Act finally could go into effect and the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law could be stricken from the United States Code. That 60-day period ended today.
A grand total of at least 14,346 servicemembers were discharged pursuant to Don't Ask, Don't Tell in the law's nearly 18 years on the books. That final figure, attributable to Servicemembers United, combines the number of discharges reported by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, which obtained the data from the Defense Manpower Data Center, combined with the number of discharges reported by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Guard Bureau for fiscal years 1994 through 2010. One additional discharge was reported by the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2011, which is also included in the above figure.
Servicemembers United, which has been engaged in extensive education, advocacy, and organizing work on behalf of the gay military, veteran, and defense community since 2005, will continue to grow its membership base and serve as the voice of this newly legitimized community in Washington and around the country in the post-Don't Ask, Don't Tell era. For more information about Servicemembers United and the gay military community, please visit our new home on the web at www.servicemembers.org .
Lambda Legal
Col. ( Ret. ) Cammermeyer: "I think you never know at the time you're doing something what the repercussions will be, all you know is that you take a stand for what you believe is justice."
( New York, September 20, 2011 ) - Today marks the end of "Don't Ask Don't Tell" ( DADT ) - a discriminatory policy that banned gay, lesbian, and bisexual soldiers from serving their country openly. DADT ruined thousands of careers, and the frequency of discharges disproportionately affected women of color.
"This has been a long time coming. After 18 years and more than 13,000 people discharged based on their sexual orientation, the end of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law is here. Today, Lambda Legal celebrates with lesbian, bisexual and gay service members who for the first time in history will be able to serve their country openly," said Lambda Legal Executive Director, Kevin Cathcart. "We congratulate the many lesbian, bisexual and gay servicemembers who risked or sacrificed their careers to fight for justice, our colleagues at Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and Log Cabin Republicans and everyone who has valiantly helped bring the freedom to be out to those who fight for freedom for all," Cathcart said.
"But much work is yet to be done. The government has not yet taken steps to address the widespread and lasting harm that DADT continues to inflict upon previously-discharged service members - including a disproportionate number of African American women who were discharged at three times the rate at which they are represented in the armed services. Many who have been discharged received less than honorable discharges or have records noting that their discharge was based on DADT, outing them and adversely affecting their job opportunities," Cathcart added.
Lambda Legal's fight against discrimination in the military has been longer, by far, than the 18-year-old DADT law. Over the years, the organization has represented many members of the military including Margarethe Cammermeyer, Joseph Steffan, Dusty Pruitt and Copy Berg. Lambda Legal won its first case against antigay discrimination by the military in 1975, when the organization represented Ensign Vernon ( Copy ) Berg III. Berg was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and an admiral's aide in Italy when he was anonymously outed and then discharged. In 1979, the U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C. found that the Navy rules on homosexuality were too vague. Under pressure from the Carter White House, the Defense Department entered into a settlement. Fifteen years later, Lambda Legal won a federal court ruling that the prior ban on gays in the military was unconstitutional, resulting in the reinstatement of Col. ( Ret. ) Margarethe Cammermeyer, a 27-year service member and Vietnam veteran.
"I think you never know at the time you're doing something what the repercussions will be, all you know is that you take a stand for what you believe is justice. For me that's how it all began and all of the other things that have evolved over these past 17 years have been just remarkable opportunities to speak out on behalf of those who continued to serve and had to do so in silence," said Col. ( Ret. ) Margarethe Cammermeyer on a phone call with Cathcart. "A discriminatory law was set up by the American government and Congress and that had to be repealed, and that is what we are celebrating."
Equality Illinois
Today marks the official end of the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy! Congratulations to all lesbian, gay and bisexual service members who can now serve their country openly!
We applaud President Obama, Secretary Panetta, and Admiral Mullen for hammering the final nail in the coffin of the policy that has unfairly excluded openly gay and lesbian Americans from serving honorably in the military.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" hindered the lives of tens of thousands of gay and lesbian troops by forcing them to lie about their true identities while they were placing their lives on the line to defend our nation and our core freedoms. The seventeen-year-old policy also dishonored the careers of 14,346 decorated soldiers who honorably served their country, and our country owes them their due.
My colleague Joey McDonald, Equality Illinois' Operations Manager, put it eloquently when he said today: "As a US Navy Veteran who served for six years, the end of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is especially poignant for me. This sends a clear message that people, including those in uniform, must be judged by the caliber of their character and their ability to do the job, rather than by who they love. And while this is truly a great day, it is but one step of many to ensure that every capable man or woman is allowed to serve openly, honestly, and with dignity, instead of in fear or shame."
While it is wonderful news that the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is finally a reality, there is still much more work to be done to ensure that gay and lesbian troops stand on equal footing with their heterosexual counterparts. The final piece of legislation approving the repeal did not include nondiscrimination provisions related to sexual orientation or gender identity. Furthermore, the repeal mentioned nothing about transgender individuals.
Let us pause to reflect on this milestone and recognize all the work that our partners across the country have put into repealing this law. As we continue our fight for full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, please stand with us.
Bernard Cherkasov
Chief Executive Officer
Statement of Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin
"Today marks a new chapter in our nation's continuing quest for equal rights for all. With the end of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' America's armed forces are stronger, our policies are fairer, and our moral compass guides a truer course.
My thoughts, today, are with all those gay men and lesbians who suffered directly or indirectly because of discriminatory policies in our military. The injustice they endured is not undone by today's events. But, I also think of all the young men and women who now have great opportunities to serve their country and live their lives honestly and openly. I am grateful for this day."
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Today marks the end of an era.
The recent repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ( DADT ) officially goes into effect today, making this the first day in nearly two decades that lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans can serve openly and honestly in our nation's military.
Our national policy has finally caught up to what three in four Americans already believe — that our entire country benefits when fairness prevails.
It's been a long road, and the Task Force has been on the front lines since the beginning, persuading representatives and senators that DADT is discriminatory and wrong; preparing key witnesses who testified before Congress; supporting those currently serving in the military — and more. You and other Task Force supporters walked with us every step of the way, providing crucial grassroots support. Thank you!
Today we're one step closer to full equality, but we're not there yet. This victory only strengthens our resolve to continue our work toward open transgender military service. And with your help, the Task Force will continue to push for that inclusion.
And there's much more we're working on:
We're mobilizing grassroots efforts to help pass trans-inclusive nondiscrimination laws in cities across the nation;
We're an integral part of a coalition pushing for passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would ban discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers, and the Respect for Marriage Act to provide federal benefits for same-sex couples;
And we're continuing to fight behind the scenes making sure that federal rules ensure fairness and equality for LGBT people, which hugely impacts the lives of LGBT families. We've won some major victories — but our work is ongoing, and critically important.
With a presidential election next year, we have our work cut out for us — all in the face of well-organized and well-funded opposition from hatemongers like Focus on the Family and Americans for the Truth About Homosexuality.
And I can tell you this, our victory on DADT has made them even more determined to stop us.
The DADT repeal serves to remind us that, with a lot of hard work, we're getting closer — but we can't let up until we get there.
Rea Carey, Executive Director
The National Black Justice Coalition
Washington, DC - On September 20, 2011, the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal Act of 2010 became official and as of today all gay, lesbian, and bisexual people have the backing of the United States government to serve openly in the military.
Since 1993, the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy made it legal for lesbian, gay or bisexual servicemembers to be fired if they chose to live openly while they served. In December 2010, President Barack Obama signed the bill into law, and the Department of Defense commissioned a committee to embark upon a comprehensive review of military policies that would potentially be affected by the repeal of DADT, with the focus of guaranteeing military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion, and recruitment and retention of the Armed Forces.
In response to this landmark confirmation of equal rights for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks stated,
"This victory has been long overdue, but the joy of justice from a well fought fight to secure equality for lesbian, gay, and bisexual servicemembers who have risked their lives in order to protect American civilians, makes me even more proud of our freedom to advocate and protest in this country. This law was wrong when it was put in place back in 1993, and has negatively impacted the lives of thousands of servicemembers, many of whom are Black lesbians. We are thankful to the Obama administration for their steadfast commitment to closing out this shameful chapter in American history; to restoring dignity to lesbian, gay, and bisexual servicemembers; and to strengthening our military. With the victory of today's repeal under our belts, we must continue to organize on behalf of transgender people who want to serve openly in the military."
Lettman-Hicks adds,
"We, at the National Black Justice Coalition, are proud to have organized alongside hundreds of organizations and individuals to move America one step closer to becoming a land where all men and women receive fair and equal treatment under the law."
Black lesbian, gay, and bisexual military households stand to benefit the most from the repeal as Black lesbian servicemembers were being discharged at three times the rate of their counterparts and many who were not out lived in constant fear that phone calls and letters, the most vital forms of moral support, from their partners would be used as evidence against them, should they be overheard or found by another servicemember.
"Since I learned that September 20th is the official day that the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' will go into effect, the hot topic of discussion in my life has been with my partner about which photo I should put of her on my desk," said Petty Officer Mikelle Smith, Navy Photojournalist. "I have devoted five-and-a-half years of my life to serving my country. I've been deployed for several months at a time, sometimes in places most people would never want to see, and the one thing I asked for is the right to say 'I'm going home to my girlfriend' or to bring my girlfriend to the command functions and introduce her as my support system, as my rock. After spending almost the majority of my civilian life in the closet, and a good portion of my military career walking on eggshells I'm so excited to finally just be me."
Representative Mike Quigley
WASHINGTON —Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley ( IL-05 ) spoke from the floor of the House of Representatives in honor of yesterday's historic end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell":
"Mister Speaker, I stand before you today, under the dome of our nation's capitol, to applaud the final repeal of the discriminatory policy known as 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'
"The men and women who fight for our country as members of our armed forces fight for what's right, what's fair and what's just. They fight without asking at what cost, without asking why and how long they must endure.
"This September 11 marked 10 years since that fateful day when our country was attacked. As I returned home from Chicago, boarded my plane and landed safely in Washington, I marveled at the dome that still sat untouched by those who would do us harm, because of those who have no fear, those who gave their last full measure of devotion.
"And today, I'm emboldened further by the fact that these same soldiers, who continue to fight and to die for our safety, can now do so without having to hide who they are or who they love.
"Our soldiers fight for what's right, what's fair and what's just. Finally, we have managed to provide the same to them."
