Tag: Defense Department

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News Round-Up: May 29, 2021

The Pentagon will host a Pride Month event including an address by the Defense Secretary
Some news items you might have missed: • Washington Blade: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to deliver the keynote address for an upcoming event at the Pentagon recognizing Pride Month. Defense Secretaries attended such events during the Obama years, but the practice halted during the “other guy’s” administration. • Instinct Magazine: When the pandemic shut down many restaurants and bars, several states legalized to-go cocktails. Now, 14 states have made ‘roadies’ legal forever. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPeeH3htbAp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link • Washington Post: Vietnam’s Health Ministry announced Saturday that it had detected a highly transmissible new variant of the coronavirus that has helped fuel a recent wave of infections in the country. • Dallas Voice: Out writer/actor Ryan O’Connell chats with the Texas outlet about his TV series Special. The Netflix show is loosely based on his own life as an out gay man living with cerebral palsy.

• HuffPost: Brazil’s homophobic President Jair Bolsonaro is moving closer and closer to being defeated in next year’s election. As he edges towards crisis mode, he is becoming more abusive toward his adversaries. • Hulu: The documentary Changing The Game takes us into the lives of three high school athletes—all at different stages of their athletic seasons, personal lives, and unique paths as transgender teens. The film centers on Mack Beggs, who made headlines when he became the Texas State Champion in girls wrestling – as a boy – and all he wanted to do was wrestle on the boys team. Also featured are Sarah, a skier and teen policymaker in New Hampshire, and Andraya, a track star in Connecticut openly competing on the girls track team.

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News Round-Up: April 23, 2021

Brody the wonder pup
Some news items you might have missed: • Brody Watch: Long day of real estate-ing for me today, and I come home to this guy (above). Brody was pretty much giving me “Where have you been???” #doglife #CutenessOverload #ThatFace • Washington Blade: President Biden is set to nominate members of the LGBTQ community with a background in LGBTQ rights for high-ranking civilian positions at the Defense Department. • BosGuy: Our stalwart Boston-based blogger offers this week’s ‘Furry Friday’ installment – equal parts cute and sexy. Worth the click 😉 • Instagram: My good friend Larry at TheOUTfront.com sent this to me with the caption, “Something tells me his name is Brody.” #NailedIt #elephants https://www.instagram.com/p/CN_SDsHDaIP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link • New York Times: Now that more than half of adults in the United States have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose and the country has surpassed 200 million administered doses, demand for shots appears to be slowing in many areas. Some county health departments have started closing some of their mass vaccination sites for lack of customers. • NPR: Caitlyn Jenner, the Olympic gold medalist with a reality-show family, announced Friday that she will run for governor of California as the state’s current governor, Gavin Newsom, is likely to face a recall election this year. #NoThankYou • Gr8erDays: Lee Majors (Big Valley, Six Million Dollar Man, The Fall Guy) turns 82 today. Check out photos from across his nearly 6 decades-long career below. https://www.instagram.com/p/COAmDWHhfdA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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Pentagon Refuses To Acknowledge Pride Month For First Time Since ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

For the first time in six years, senior Pentagon officials have declined to acknowledge LGBTQ Pride Month.

Ever since the misguided ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy was repealed in 2012, the Pentagon has issued an official memo which served as an official endorsement of Pride Month and effectively encouraged local events.

A former senior Obama administration official, speaking off the record, told The Washington Post, “It makes it known that there’s an authorization, that there’s support.”

But this year, there was no memorandum issued for Pride.

That said, there was an event held at the Pentagon on Monday by DoD Pride, the LGBTQ employee group at the Defense Department. However, unlike previous years no high-level department officials showed up to address the crowd.

According to The Washington Blade, the tension at the DoD event was “palpable” as folks were keenly aware of the elephant in the room – President Trump’s proposed ban on transgender service members.

Even though the policy proposal is held up in four federal courts, LGBTQ military service members are wary.

In another sign of lagging support, the Defense Department’s Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity’s web site lists event-specific posters designed for Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Dr. Martin Luther King Day. But nothing for Pride Month.

So, DoD had to create its own poster (see above).

When asked why there was no official declaration this year, Pentagon spokewoman Air Force Maj. Carla Gleason sidestepped the question.

“The Department of Defense supports diversity of all kinds across our military and we encourage everyone to celebrate the diversity of our total force team,” said Gleason. “We value all members of the DOD total force and recognize their immense contributions to the mission.”

This is also the second year that Donald Trump’s White House failed to acknowledge Pride Month.

There were presidential proclamations to recognize June as Great Outdoors Month, National Ocean Month, National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, African-American Music Appreciation Month, and National Homeownership Month, but no presidential proclamation for Pride Month.

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Defense Department On Pride Month: “We Celebrate The Diversity Of The Total Force”

Donald Trump may be ignoring Pride Month, but following in the U.S. Navy’s example, the Department of Defense issued this statement observing Pride Month.

The Defense Department is observing June as LGBT Pride Month to recognize DoD’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members and civilians. DoD Pride, an employee resource group, is hosting its annual celebration June 12 at the Pentagon.

Tolerance and Justice

“The struggles, sacrifices and successes among the LGBT community continue to shape our history and remind us to uphold tolerance and justice for all,” Anthony M. Kurta wrote in a memo announcing the observance today. Kurta is performing the duties of the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

“Integrity and respect are fundamental qualities of our military and civilian culture,” Kurta noted in the memo.

Celebrating Diversity

“As we celebrate the diversity of the total force, we honor all who have answered the call to serve, and their unwavering commitment to our shared mission,” he wrote. “During the month of June, let us celebrate the diversity of the DoD workforce and rededicate ourselves to equity, dignity and respect for all.”