Wednesday 29 May 2013

Leonard Matlovich

Memorial Day Weekend Tribute 'When I was in the military they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.'
Although he was considered by many to have been an unlikely spokesperson for gay and lesbian civil rights. Leonard Matlovich became one of the most visible activists in the 1940's after he challenged the United States Air Force's ban on gay and lesbian service members. In 1975, a series of events landed him on the front page of every major newspaper in the nation and on the cover of T I M E the first out gay person ever to appear on the cover of the mainstream magazine. in 1978, a movie would be made about his experiences.

Born on
July 6, 1943 Savannah, Georgia, Leo grew up in a rather conservative religious family. His father had served for 32 years in the Air Force and retired as a chief - master sergeant in 1971. His parents were strict Catholics. Young Leo would later recount on how his childhood had deeply influenced his personal and political values.


In
1963, Matlovich enlisted in the Air Force & he was assigned to Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. There in spite of his Southern Democratic roots,


he identified with and became involved in Republican Party politics, campaigning for Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election. He converted to Mormonism in an attempt to reconcile his conservative values with his for a new direction in his life. A trait that would follow for the rest of his life, when Leo did something he gave 100%.
All told Matlovich sewed these brave tours of duty in Vietnam. Among the medals and commendations, he earned were both a Bronze star for meritorious service and a Purple Heart for being seriously wounded in a mine explosion during his second tour.

Yet for all his bravery and patriotism, there was something that he was learning as he matured would never go away. During his service in
Vietnam, Leo came to realize that he was not going to change into a straight man. Through his working relationships and friendships, he found himself unlearning many of the prejudice he had inherited from his upbringing in the South. Yet he remained deeply conflicted about living a lie.


In
1973 he read an interview in the Air Force Times by Frank Kameny who had counseled several gays in the military. Leo called him in Washington DC and learned that Kameny had long been looking for a gay service member with a perfect military record to create a test case challenge the military's ban on gays. With Kameny and ACLU Atty. David Addlestone they formulated a plan and Leo hand-delivered to his Langley AFB commanding officer on March 6,1975. When his commander asked, "What does it mean?" Mr. Matlovich replied "It means Brown versus the Board of Education" (suggesting that his actions would be similar to the Supreme Court case outlawing racial segregation in public schools).  
   
He didn't seek publicly, but eventually he came to expect the core values he was taught that "doing the right things is always right" to stand for everything, including not hiding his sexuality anymore. Before the world and press, he would twice be excommunicated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for "homosexual" acts. He was first excommunicated on Oct. 7, 1975, in Norfolk, Virginia, and then again Jan. 17, 1979, after his first appearance on the Phil Donahue television show in 1978. But by this time, Matlovich had stopped being delivered in what others said and he knew in his heart and soul what was right
at the time the Air Force had a unique exception clause that technically could allow gays to continue to serve under undefined circumstances. During his Sept. 1975 discharge hearing an Airforce Attorney asked him if he would sign a document pledging to "never practice homosexuality again" in exchange for being allowed to remain in the Air Force. Matlovich refused. Despite his exemplary military record, tours of duty in Vietnam, and high performance evaluations the panel ruled Matlovich unfit for service and he was recommended for a General, or Les than Honorable, discharge.The base commander recommended that it be upgraded to Honorable, and the Secretary of the Air Force agreed confirming Matlovich's discharge in Oct. 1975.                                                                                                                                                           
He said for reinstatement, the Air Force offered Matlovich a financial settlement instead, and convicted they would find some other reason to discharge him if he re-entered the service (or the conservative Supreme Court might rule against him should the Air Force appeal), Matlovich accepted. The figure based on backpay, future pay, and pension was $160,000. Sergeant Matlovich vs. the US Air Force (1978) was a made-for-TV movies directed by Paul Leaf, written by John Mc Greevey.   
 

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