Joe Biden has moved to correct a “great injustice” by pardoning thousands of US veterans convicted over six decades under a military law that banned gay sex.

The presidential proclamation, which comes during Pride month and an election year, allows LGBTQ+ service members convicted of crimes based solely on their sexual orientation to apply for a certificate of pardon that will help them receive withheld benefits.

It grants clemency to service members convicted under Uniform Code of Military Justice article 125 – which criminalised sodomy, including between consenting adults – between 1951 and 2013, when it was rewritten by Congress.

That includes victims of the 1950s “lavender scare”, a witch-hunt in which many LGBTQ+ people employed by the federal government were viewed as security risks amid fears their sexual orientation made them vulnerable to blackmail. Thousands were investigated and fired or denied employment.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    The whole thing was stupid circular logic…

    many LGBTQ+ people employed by the federal government were viewed as security risks amid fears their sexual orientation made them vulnerable to blackmail.

    LGBTQ people weren’t allowed in the government/military, so if you were LGBTQ, they kicked you out because someone could blackmail you for being LGBTQ…

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        You’re confusing them thinking it made sense, and not just an excuse.

        But they stopped about a decade ago, it just took an election that Biden might not win for him to pardon the people who got fucked over for it.

        And I’m sure someone is about to explain to me while waiting 4 years for Biden to do this is “smart”…

        Because they don’t understand voters want politicians who try to help 24/7 and not just throwing out bread crumbs in the months before an election

      • eldavi@lemmy.ml
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        4 months ago

        biden believed it until 2012; so it’s easy to see why anyone else would