In honor of Memorial Day, let me draw your attention to this post on the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network blog, written by the daughter of a lesbian servicemember. Among other things, she asserts, “No child should have to lie about their family just to ensure they have a roof over their head.”
Hear, hear.
When I interviewed a lesbian mom in the military and her partner last year, they said essentially the same thing. On a related note, more recently, I took a look at the many benefits afforded to the families of servicemembers married to opposite-sex spouses.
It’s disheartening, but also reminds me how much our various rights are intertwined. Repealing DADT would only lead to questions about relationship recognition for LGBT servicemembers; repealing DOMA would lead to questions of why those who dedicate themselves to serving our country cannot avail themselves of the right to marry the person they love.
And both would benefit our children–as would peace, so that we add no more names to the list of the fallen whom we honor on this day.