National Veterans Coming Out Day

Happy Valentine's Day! ... please don't forget those who are serving in silence ...

2007-02-14T15:10:09Z

No troop should have to endure Valentine's Day alone or hidden away as a criminal.

To help spread the message about the plight of our Silent troops, please feel free to post the image to the left in any blog, or online journal you may keep, or on any website on which you are permitted to do so. To post this graphic, please copy and paste all of the HTML code snippet found below. Be certain to keep the link intact. Thank you for your effort to get the word Out!

<a href="http://www.aver.us" target="_blank"><img src="http://aver.us/06aver_valentine.gif" border="0" /></a>

11 October 2006 - NVCOD!

2006-10-08T02:34:36Z

According to Gary Gates' paper for the Urban Institute: "Gay Men and Lesbians in the U.S. Military - Estimates from Census 2000", on the 2000 Census, approx. one million Americans responded that they are both Uniformed Service Veterans and residing with a same-sex spouse or unmarried-partner.

Census 2000 data can only give stats for partnered Gay and Lesbian Veterans, no clear stats on single Gay or Lesbian Veterans, and no clear stats on single or hetero-paired Bisexual or Transgender Veterans. How many LGBT Veterans are there total - really?

<a href="http://www.aver.us/NVCOD" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.livejournal.com/userpic/52615179/6829140" /"></a>

That time again...

2006-09-28T06:35:20Z

We are two weeks away from National Veterans Coming Out Day 2006. Are you coming out this year? Make sure to add yourself to our 'NVCOD' Registry at http://www.aver.us/NVCOD/

In addition to being the time of year for Coming Out Day and AVER Membership Renewals, we are also gearing up for the 2007 AVER National Convention in Cleveland Ohio [April 2007] -- now taking presentation/panel proposals. For more information about this, please go to http://www.aver.us/convention/ Convention fees, the hotel discount code, and registration forms will be posted on that page shortly after NVCOD.

a moment's pause for Valentines

2006-02-14T23:23:28Z

Post it in your LJ too!

<a href="http://www.aver.us" target="_blank"><img src="http://aver.us/06aver_valentine.gif" border="0" /></a>

for 65,000 Americans - Stonewall never happened

2005-12-18T19:51:51Z

Gay soldier leaving Army after assault at Fort Huachuca

If you support ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in favor of open and honest service, please check the Bill Tracking (HR 1059) and if your Rep. is not listed, please write a compelling letter to your US Representative about supporting "The Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2005" (HR 1059) -- be sure to include the full name of the bill as there are literally thousands and numbers can get confusing. No joint Senate bill has been introduced yet, so please consider writing to your US Senators about sponsoring or supporting a similar Senate bill.

Whether you want to get personally involved or you just want to add a little support to those of us doing the leg work (supporting non-veteran civilians are welcome to join and membership does not imply sexual orientation or gender identity), please consider either becoming a member ($35) or making a donation to AVER. AVER is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations are 100% tax deductable.

Please feel free to pass this around.

GAY.COM joins the effort to get LGBT veterans stories Out!

2005-10-26T07:12:02Z

from James David at PlanetOut Inc.

Although only a month apart on the calendar, National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11) and Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11) couldn’t be farther from each other. Currently under the military’s "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, out members of the LGBT community are unable to serve in our country’s armed forces. GAY.COM wanted to revisit this important issue with content, polls and a story solicitation. We have invited people to contribute their opinion to a poll regarding "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," as well as their stories for an upcoming feature on LGBT veterans. Please take a moment to cast your vote in the poll, which made its debut on National Coming Out Day, and runs on GAY.COM until Veteran’s Day.

Be among the many who participate. Gay veterans, share your story at http://www.gay.com/personals/features/members/?sernum=1237&navpath=/channels/news/ and take the poll at http://www.gay.com/content/poll/?id=3876&navpath=/channels/news/comingout

Poll questions include:

If the "don't ask, don't tell" policy were repealed in the United States, would you join the military?
What do you think it will take for the U.S. military to lift its ban on openly gay personnel?
If the military's gay ban were repealed and you were going to join, which branch would you go into?
In an ideal world, without "don't ask, don't tell," what aspect of the U.S. military appeals to you the most?

The poll, and its official results to be unveiled on Veteran’s Day, is one of the many ways that GAY.COM is illuminating the plight of active and retired LGBT service members. For resources and information about being LGBT and in the military, please visit: http://www.gay.com/news/roundups/package.html?sernum=1238&navpath=/channels/news/comingout/

Updates

2005-10-16T13:28:02Z

Our third round of featured bios has been posted on the AVER website, with more coming through 11 November. Would you like to have your bio featured? Use the form and let us know your story. America needs to hear from her veterans! Would you like to stay up to date with AVER events or get involved in your local area? Join up and get AVER's quarterly - the Forward Observer as soon as it hits the post office, no waiting for the web archive. No local chapter? Join the Tom Dooley chapter for at-large members and stay connected.

events

2005-10-13T12:24:49Z

National Veterans Coming Out Day was a huge success, with veterans participating in numerous Coming Out activities all around the nation. If you are a veteran and you haven't already done so, please add yourself to our Coming Out Registry at http://www.aver.us/NVCOD/comeout.php Straight Ally veterans are welcome to register as well. The registries are pouring in and we are featuring different bio's continuously. We will be running this feature on our home page http://www.aver.us all the way through Veterans Day - 11 November, while rolling all of the previously featured bio's into their own archive in the Coming Out Day section. Anonymous registries are welcome -- America needs to know that you served honorably, even if you aren't ready to come out by-name to the whole nation. We are also taking silent service stories from folks currently serving to help get their word out. Our LGBT service members need your service, so tell your story. The military claims it has an EEO policy, but until it includes protection for LGBT service members to serve honestly and openly -- there is nothing "Equal" about it. Do you know any LGBT veterans? Pass the word!

All across America

2005-10-11T02:11:35Z

You can read about National Veterans Coming Out Day at the following links, and in the national news section of your outin[city].com website.

GAY.COM
PLANETOUT.COM
OutInAmerica.COM

Sign AVER's Coming Out Registry today!
If you have a LiveJournal, Friend us.

Coming Out Day Registry

2005-10-06T12:36:29Z

Many cities have a list published in their newspaper on 11 October of everyone who wants to Come Out. This year, AVER - American Veterans for Equal Rights, Inc. will be doing exactly the same thing on our website.

Whether you would like to tell us your coming out story, be listed on our registry, or simply send us your service details so that we can count you when we tally how many LGBT veterans came out / reaffirmed being out on 11 October 2005 -- please go submit your info via our online form. http://www.aver.us/NVCOD/comeout.php Even if you only come out to one person, please let us know about your act of courage so that we can count you among the standing. After you submit the form, please take a little time to surf around the site; there is a lot of useful information there.

Also, be certain to contact your US House Rep. about supporting HR1059 - the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2005. This is a bill to abolish "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and allow open and honest service for LGBT Americans. Bill tracking can be found at http://www.aver.us/alerts.php -- if your Rep is already there, please send them a thankyou note -- they don't get nearly enough. If your Rep isn't listed there, please send them a compelling letter stating why they should support this bill. Eradicating "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is as important to veterans as it is to service members, because the institutionalized homophobia and discrimination many veterans encounter in the VA system will not be eradicated until "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is brought to an end. Your Rep. can be contacted via http://www.house.gov

Stand up and BE COUNTED!!

In case you missed the press release from SLDN, here it is.

2005-10-05T22:18:53Z

1 MILLION LGBT VETERANS COME OUT FOR THE 65,000 SERVICE MEMBERS WHO CAN'T!

AMERICAN VETERANS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS CALLS ON LGBT VETERANS TO COME OUT ON OCTOBER 11

(Below is an update from Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN). This message is forwarded as a courtesy to American Veterans for Equal Rights. If you do not wish to receive further updates from SLDN, please follow the instructions at the bottom of this email to unsubscribe from this list.)

Attention Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Veterans: American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER) encourages you to 'come out' and tell your stories on National Veterans Coming Out Day, October 11, in conjunction with National Coming Out Day.

Starting on Coming Out Day and continuing until Veterans Day, AVER will be featuring veterans' Coming Out stories on the AVER website to honor all those who served in silence and still do.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, or to share your coming out story, please email the National Veterans Coming Out Day Chair - Marie Bohusch - at comeout@aver.us

To help increase support for HR1059 - The Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2005, a bill to abolish "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" - AVER hopes that veterans will use their strong voices to come out and change the image of what an LGBT veteran is all about.

AVER suggests coming out efforts such as getting involved with Coming Out Day activities in local communities, coming out as an LGBT veteran to friends, family and coworkers, writing a letter about serving in silence to the local news editor, using the military.com free Buddy Finder service to come out to old military buddies, and/or writing a compelling letter to your Member of Congress in support of H.R. 1059.

To learn more about AVER or National Veterans Coming Out Day, please visit http://www.aver.us

General Coming Out information can be found at http://www.hrc.org

And for those on campus taking advantage of the GI Bill, visit http://www.campuspride.net

AVER also suggests that retirees read the retiree section of the SLDN Survival Guide at http://www.sldn.org

Members of every other minority served in our military long before gaining their equal rights. AVER believes that gaining equal standing and protection from discrimination in the military is vital to gaining all other equal rights for LGBT service members and civilians alike.

HONORABLE SERVICE DEMANDS EQUALITY - JOIN YOUR FELLOW LGBT VETERANS AND 'COME OUT' ON OCTOBER 11TH!

Email Marie Bohusch at comeout@aver.us TODAY!

Don't forget the families

2005-09-29T21:22:19Z

While we are preparing for National Veterans Coming Out Day, please remember those who have already served, and those who are the forgotten loved ones of current LGBT service members. While the military is doing a LOT to help its own devastated by Katrina and Rita, it won't do anything for partners or the children of partners of military folks -- they are left to fend with FEMA and other sources of relief. While we all appreciate the help offered by so many kind Americans, it is important for veterans to reach out to other veterans and service families because we have a lot of different channels to pursue with which the average civilian is not at all familiar.

The San Antonio chapter of AVER is heading up a Katrina Relief Fund for America's forgotten, with the rest of the north Texas AVER chapters rounding out the board of trustees. Members of these chapters have opened their homes to the immediate needs of hurricane survivors with specific focus for the LGBT veterans and partners/family of LGBT troops in hopes that they can offer tolerance and understanding that Katrina survivors may not find elsewhere. They are also working to help find more long term housing and employ for Veterans who will be staying in the area. AVER is a 501(c)3 org. and requests mailing address strictly for the purpose of mailing hard copy receipts for IRS deductions.

Online donations are being fielded through the national AVER account, and can be made at http://www.aver.us/veterans_katrina_relief.php. If you would like to offer other forms of assistance, please contact the San Antonio chapter via http://www.aver.us/chapters.php

About.com coverage!

2005-09-29T21:01:12Z

National Veterans Coming Out Day has been covered in Gay Life at About.com!

Don't forget to check out Coming Out info at:
http://www.aver.us
http://www.sldn.org
http://www.hrc.org
http://www.campuspride.net
http://gaylife.about.com

More info about National Veterans Coming Out Day can always be found at http://www.aver.us/NVCOD

Gear up and COME OUT for those who CAN'T!

New Article Online!

2005-09-18T17:17:16Z

There is a new article on National Veterans Coming Out Day in the "Upcoming National Events" section of http://www.campuspride.net

The full text of the article can be found at http://www.campuspride.net/natvetcomingoutday.asp

Did you use the GI Bill to afford your college or university education? Let folks know!

Don't forget to use the buddy finder at http://www.military.com to track down folks you knew in the service. Let your old buddies, co-workers, and the brass who awarded you all of those ribbons know that honorable service has nothing to do with sexuality or gender identity!

Queer military reading

2005-04-23T23:31:02Z

If you know of any books about L/G/B/T life in the military that are not listed here, please send us a comment and we will be sure to add them in.

The following books are available through Amazon.com about gay life in the military:

Major Conflict : One Gay Man's Life in the Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell Military

Secret Service : Untold Stories of Lesbians in the Military

Guilty As Charged: The True Story of a Gay Beret

Serving in Silence

Conduct Unbecoming

-----------------------------

At Ease : Navy Men of World War II - This book is a photo archive that debunks the John Wayne loner stereotype that comes directly from the WWII era and instead displays that regardless of sexuality, to quote John D’Emilio: "Living in close quarters, not knowing whether they would make it through the war, and depending on one another for survival, men of whatever sexual persuasion formed intense emotional attachments."

Homoaffectionalism: Male Bonding from Gilgamesh to the Present - This book is about male bonding throughout history, including in the military. "Homoaffectionalism: As coined by the author, the word means same-sex relationships which do not necessarily involve homosexual sex acts, but do include strong emotional bonding, which may or may not include sexual conduct. The emphasis is on affection and bonding regardless of any carnal involvement."

Welcome

2005-04-18T01:07:44Z

This is the LJ for National Veterans Coming Out Day, a grassroots effort of American Veterans for Equal Rights, Inc. If you would like to become a sponsor of NVCOD, please go to our site for more information. If you post a banner in your LJ, please friend us; if you post a banner on your website, please send us the link.

Note: This is NOT an event for service members; it is for veterans. If you are already out of the service, please click the link above. You say your pastor, boss, and bartender already know you're queer. Do they know that you are a US Uniformed Service Veteran TOO? Come Out!

For those who still serve:

Do NOT endanger your career! If you feel like you can't finish your contract, whether for harassment issues, problems living in the closet, etc. - PLEASE contact SLDN - Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. They are a team of very highly skilled lawyers who focus specifically on your needs. AVER is not a provider of legal counsel, and we cannot give you any legal advice -- for that please contact SLDN. National Veterans Coming Out Day is an event for veterans who are no longer in service.

IF you will be out of the service prior to 11 Oct 2005, please feel free to contact us about joining in this important effort. We are doing this not only to raise awareness about ourselves within the VA system and publicly across the nation, but equally as important if not more so - we are standing up, raising our voices and Coming Out for those of you who cannot yet do so - those of you who still must serve in silence.

IF you exit the service after 11 Oct 2005, don't worry, this is not a one time event. We plan to continue this important event for years to come because we know that there will always be new veterans, and a need for LGBT Veterans to make their presence known. Other VSO's like the VVA and KWVA are still around decades later, still advocating for their Veterans. When the ban is lifted, AVER will not dissolve any more than those other VSO's have dissolved.

Click on the banner for more information, as well as the code to post your own NVCOD banner:

If you have the newest version of Semagic which pastes in code fragments instead of code, yes I know, pain in the butt when you don't want it, paste the code into your notepad first, THEN re-copy the code on the notepad and paste it into Semagic.