About Me

New Trump HIV Military Ban

By Charlotte Robinson, July 24, 2018
Last February the Trump administration unveiled new policies that would bar people living with HIV from serving in the military. The policy was outlined in a Department of Defense memo & described by Under Secretary of Defense for Personal Readiness Robert Wilkie as a “deploy or be removed policy” which the administration claims is meant to improve military readiness for deployment. The policy instructs the Pentagon to discharge any service member who is unable to be deployed outside of the country for more than 12 months. This new Department of Defense policy would result in the discharging service members living with HIV. Lambda Legal & OutServe-SLDN along with pro bono counsel from Winston & Strawn LLP filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in Harrison v. Mattis challenging the military’s discriminatory policies governing the enlistment, deployment & promotion of service members living with HIV. Sergeant Nick Harrison stated, “This case is not just about me. This is about every person living with HIV knowing that they can perform any job in the world, including serving in the military. Together, we must stop the Pentagon from closing its doors to successful & talented service members. I look forward to the day that I can serve my country to the full extent of my abilities, based on my performance & unfettered by unfounded fears and misperceptions about HIV.” An estimated 1,200 people living with HIV currently serve in our military. Like the recent attempts to bar transgender individuals from military service this latest discriminatory decision is rooted in prejudice & the politics of division. This horrendous “deploy or be removed policy” is scheduled to go into effect in October 2018.
For More Info: lambdalegal.org
LISTEN: Jewelle Gomez Talks New Play “Waiting for Giovanni”
Hear Audio Interviews w/ LGBT Leaders @OUTTAKE VOICES™
OUTTAKE VOICES™ ON HUFFINGTON POST

SUPPORT OUTTAKE™ @ OUR EQUALITY STORE

1 comment:

Marilyn Rosen said...

Another regime ploy toward a 'cleansing' of America to reshape it as a straight white male 'Christian' dominated country by dividing and pointing fingers as Hitler did in Germany in the 30's. Put pressure on our rep's and vote, vote, vote. Grateful to Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDN and Winston & Strawn LLP for their defense against bigotry.

Featured Post

10th Annual Drag Queen Christmas Tour

After this disappointing election cycle & before Trump’s second term begins, I think our LGBTQ community needs to really celebrate the u...

Popular Posts