Statement on the Department of Defense’s Dangerous Effort to Remove Transgender Servicemembers from the U.S. Military
Washington, DC – Today, Out in National Security (ONS) CEO Luke Schleusener issued the following statement after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth directed the Department of Defense to effectively remove transgender servicemembers from the U.S. military. “Our servicemembers—and our country—deserve better than politically motivated orders that threaten the strength of America’s All-Volunteer Force by rejecting the service of thousands of transgender Americans in uniform. Anyone who is willing and qualified to sign up for military service deserves our respect, gratitude, and support. Make no mistake:
Pardon of LGBTQI+ Service Members Wrongly Convicted
Today, President Biden pardoned thousands of former U.S. service members convicted for engaging in consensual sexual activity under the now-repealed UCMJ Article 125. "Righting a historic wrong on this scale is one culmination of decades of advocacy, stretching from Frank Kameny and Mattachine to ONS and many of our close partners today,” said ONS CEO Luke Schleusener. “It’s proof that fighting for what’s right is always worth it." The move is a testament to the ability of the LGBTQIA+ community to effectively advocate the U.S. government
