Non-Discrimination Protections Announced For LGBT Troops

At the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) pride month observance for the Department of Defense (DoD) at the Pentagon, Secretary Ashton Carter announced that the Department of Defense has "completed the process for updating its military equal opportunity policy to include sexual orientation, ensuring that the department, like the rest of the federal government, treats sexual orientation-based discrimination the same way it treats discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, age, and national origin."

The American Military Partner Association (AMPA), the nation's largest organization of LGBT military families, praised the long-awaited news and urged Secretary Carter to also take action for the estimated 15,500 transgender service members who are still unable to serve openly and honestly due to outdated regulations.

"This long overdue and critical change to the military equality opportunity program will help ensure that LGB service members are treated fairly with the dignity and respect they deserve, " said AMPA President Ashley Broadway-Mack. "But it's incredibly important to note that we absolutely cannot leave our transgender service members behind. We again urge Secretary Carter to also order a full and comprehensive review to update the outdated regulations that prevent transgender service members from serving openly and honestly. It's just as important to our LGBT military families that these same non-discrimination protections be extended to our transgender service members."

AMPA has long advocated for these important changes to be made. Most people assume that with the repeal of 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' (DADT) in September 2011, the LGBT community achieved full equality in the military. The repeal only applied to LGB service members, and it meant that they could serve openly without fear of being discharged.

It did not, however, mean they were provided access to the military equal opportunity program in order to address harassment or discrimination. The repeal failed to include binding non-discrimination protections for gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members in the military equal opportunity programs. The repeal of DADT also did not change the outdated regulations that continue to prevent transgender service members from serving openly and honestly.

For more information about the American Military Partner Association and LGBT military families, please visit our home on the web at www.MilitaryPartners.org.