President Biden pardoned LGBTQ+ service members who were convicted of a crime under military law based on their sexual orientation on Wednesday, a move that is expected to affect thousands of service members who were convicted over the six decades that military law formally banned consensual homosexual conduct, reports CBS News.
“Today, I am righting an historic wrong by using my clemency authority to pardon many former service members who were convicted simply for being themselves,” the president said in a statement. “Our nation’s service members stand on the frontlines of freedom, and risk their lives in order to defend our country. Despite their courage and great sacrifice, thousands of LGBTQI+ service members were forced out of the military because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Some of these patriotic Americans were subject to court-martial, and have carried the burden of this great injustice for decades.”
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