BIDEN TO PARDON US MILITARY PERSONNEL CONVICTED OF HOMOSEXUALITY
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Declaring on Wednesday that he was “righting a historic wrong,” US President Joe Biden pardoned military troops convicted under a statute that forbade homosexuality in the armed forces for many years.
“Despite their courage and great sacrifice, thousands of LGBTQI+ service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Some of these patriotic Americans were subject to court-martial, and have carried the burden of this great injustice for decades,” Biden said in a statement.
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He said that with the gesture he was “ensuring the culture of our Armed Forces reflect the values that make us an exceptional nation.”
Along with the symbolism, anyone granted clemency will also be able to have their military documents amended — which could in turn make them eligible for benefits they had previously been denied.
The United States barred homosexual personnel from serving in the military until 1994, when a policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” went into effect.
This regulation, which was repealed in 2011, prohibited inquiries regarding a service member’s sexual orientation but yet compelled homosexual, lesbian, and bisexual people to be quiet in order to avoid being discharged from the military.
The Defense Department stated in September 2023 that it would carry out an investigation to find veterans who, due to their sexual orientation, were discharged other than honorably, which could negatively impact their ability to obtain benefits and their ability to find new employment. If justified, these veterans’ records would then be updated.
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