Dan Rafter
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta Releases
Historic Pride Video Message
2012 LGBT Pride season is first in which
service members can openly participate
“Secretary Panetta’s Pride video is a tremendous indicator of the progress we’ve made for lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “It sends a powerful message to the brave men and women of the military that they are valued for their dedication to our country and their expertise, and that they are deserving of the exact same respect and equal treatment that their straight counterparts receive. By embracing Pride month, Secretary Panetta also is telling LGBT youth in communities across our nation that they live in a country that values them for exactly who they are. We hope this is a sign that the Department of Defense will continue tackling the obstacles that prevent lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members from receiving full equality.”
View Secretary Panetta’s historic Pride message.
While Pride month provides a powerful opportunity to reflect on the change we’ve seen in the military in just the last eight months, there is more work to be done to ensure full equality in the military for all members of the LGBT community. The discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act still denies hundreds of critical benefits to same-sex military families; and officials must do more to address the obstacles that prevent transgender Americans from serving their country.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
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