Biden's pardon of LGBTQ+ servicemembers celebrated by armed forces members from Massachusetts
BOSTON - President Biden's decision to pardon LGBTQ+ servicemembers convicted for their sexual orientation is being celebrated by members of the armed forces in Massachusetts.
Discharged over a joke
For U.S. Navy veteran Allie Thorpe, it started with an off the cuff joke about calling out of work.
"I made a joke that I was going to call in gay. Instead of laughing, she followed that with a bunch of questions," said Thorpe, who was interrogated by their fellow servicemember and forced to address their sexuality in 2006. Her fellow U.S. Navy sailor sold them out.
"I was called into my chief's office and they told me that they had begun the process of my separation due to homosexual admission and they gave me a copy of the letter that this sailor had written," said Thorpe.
The consequences Thorpe faced were a dishonorable discharge, lost benefits and a permanent ban from the U.S. military. Thorpe said a lawyer fought for the dishonorable discharge to be reversed but most weren't as lucky.
"It makes me sad to think about all the people who this has affected, tens of thousands," said Thorpe.
Wiping away the pain of the past
But 10 a.m. Wednesday morning, the risk of repercussions for who you love were revoked. Biden signed a proclamation pardoning U.S. servicemembers convicted of sodomy, allowing veterans to apply for lost benefits and upgrade their discharge paperwork from dishonorable to honorable. It's a move that could erase negative service records that follow members for life.
"Who you are, who you love has no bearing on your ability to serve up your country," said state Sen. John Velis (D-Hampden and Hampshire). He's a major in the National Guard who served two tours in Afghanistan.
In 2022, Velis helped pass an amendment that allowed servicemembers to access financial benefits statewide. He now backs Biden's decision to wipe away the pain of the past completely.
"I give the president credit for acting on it," said Velis. "One of the coolest things to do when you're overseas, you pull out photographs of your family, you pull out photos of your loved ones. And the notion that someone wouldn't be able to share who their loved one is, a little bit about their story, to be honest with you, it's just outright sad."