President Joe Biden has issued pardons to LGBTQ service members who were previously discharged for their sexual orientation or gender identity under discriminatory military policies, including “don’t ask, don’t tell.” “Today, I am righting a historic wrong by using my clemency authority to pardon many former service members who were convicted simply for being themselves,” Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. “Our nation’s service members stand on the frontlines of freedom and risk their lives in order to defend our country. 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.”
Despite courage and sacrifice, thousands of LGBTQI+ service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
I’m using my clemency authority to pardon certain former service members who were convicted simply for being themselves. pic.twitter.com/KquoMizp1V — President Biden (@POTUS) June 26, 2024
Biden’s actions today remedies a period when the U.S. military prosecuted individuals under Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which was in place from 1951 until 2013 and prohibited gay relations among service members. It’s estimated that somewhere around 100,000 service members have been expelled from the military because of their sexual orientation since World War II, including more than 13,000 under DADT between 1994 and 2011. Related: LGBTQ Military Veterans Discharged Under DADT To Receive Full Benefits As a result of Biden’s pardons, those discharged or convicted under the now-defunct policies will allow veterans to access benefits they have long been denied. With a certificate of pardon, these veterans can now successfully change their discharge from something like “dishonorable” to “honorable,” unlocking a number of veterans’ benefits that were inaccessible due to their discharge status. Among those benefits are pensions, healthcare, and more, marking a huge impact on the lives of those who were unjustly discharged.
President Biden is pardoning LGBTQ+ veterans who were convicted of a crime under military law based on their sexual orientation.
The pardon could affect thousands of service members convicted over the six decades that military law formally banned consensual homosexual conduct. pic.twitter.com/81OlJjT2BY — CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) June 26, 2024
WIN: President Biden will pardon thousands of LGBTQ+ veterans who were convicted and forced out under a now-revoked discriminatory policy that punished them for who they are.
Thank you @WhiteHouse for showing up for LGBTQ+ veterans. https://t.co/dzWpO01jDc — Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) June 26, 2024
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