President Joe Biden issued a mass pardon Tuesday for veterans who were previously convicted or discharged under a now-repealed ban on consensual LGBT activity.
The White House expects that thousands of veterans will be eligible for the pardon who were convicted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice’s former Article 125, which was in place from May 1951 to December 2013, administration officials told reporters, though adding they could not provide an exact number. Biden said his pardon sought to right “an historic wrong” in a statement announcing his action. (RELATED: White House Leaves ‘Transgender Day Of Visibility’ Off Spanish-Language Accounts On Easter)
“Today, I am righting an historic wrong by using my clemency authority to pardon many former service members who were convicted simply for being themselves. Our Nation’s service members stand on the frontlines of freedom, and risk their lives in order to defend our country,” Biden said in a Tuesday statement.
“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. Some of these patriotic Americans were subject to court-martial, and have carried the burden of this great injustice for decades,” he added.
US President Joe Biden speaks during a Pride celebration on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 10, 2023. (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Though the president made his pardon today, when Biden was a U.S. Senator in 1993, he voted for legislation that prohibited discrimination against LGBT members of the military but barred them from displaying their actions and relationships publicly. The policy was later revoked by former President Barack Obama in 2011 when Biden was vice president.
The now-president also voted for a proposal to ban same-sex marriage on a federal level in 1996.
Since then, the president and his administration have voiced their support for the LGBT community, hosting several “Pride” month events at the White House.
“This is about dignity, decency, and ensuring the culture of our Armed Forces reflect the values that make us an exceptional nation. We have a sacred obligation to all of our service members – including our brave LGBTQI+ service members: to properly prepare and equip them when they are sent into harm’s way, and to care for them and their families when they return home. Today we are making progress in that pursuit,” Biden said in his statement.
