Leonard Matlovich is buried the Congrsnal Cemeteray beneath a grave stone that reads, “A Gay Vietnam Veteran.”
Contents:
- LEONARD MATLOVICH TOMBSTONE: GAY VIETNAM VETERAN'S GRAVE RURFAC IN REDD ONLE DISCSN (PHOTO)
- THE HISTORY BEHD FAMO ‘GAY VIETNAM VETERAN’ HEADSTONE
- THE HISTORY BEHD FAMO ‘GAY VIETNAM VETERAN’ HEADSTONE
- THE HISTORY BEHD FAMO ‘GAY VIETNAM VETERAN’ HEADSTONE
LEONARD MATLOVICH TOMBSTONE: GAY VIETNAM VETERAN'S GRAVE RURFAC IN REDD ONLE DISCSN (PHOTO)
* a gay vietnam veteran headstone *
On April 30th, the 37th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, the photo of gay Vietnam veteran Technil Sergeant Leonard Matlovich's powerful tombstone rurfaced onle -- sparkg discsn of s famo phrase:"When I was the ary they gave me a medal for killg two men and a discharge for lovg one.
"Matlovich's stggle triggered a natnal movement and discsn of gay rights -- pecially the ary. Matlovich died on June 22, 1988 om plitns of HIV/AIDS after years of speakg out for the the sectn of the webse dited to the story behd tombstone, not the scriptn of his last name at the foot of the memorial is the only tie to Matlovich himself, as he wanted the stone to be a monument for all gay veterans. ”And while many of the plot’s occupants were Foundg Fathers or lawmakers om the Revolutnary War era, there is one more recently terred man whose tombstone is noteworthy bee don’t actually bear his Force tech sergeant, LGBTQIA+ advote, and HIV/AIDS activist Leonard Matlovich is buried the Congrsnal Cemetery beneath a grave stone that simply reads, “A Gay Vietnam Veteran.
THE HISTORY BEHD FAMO ‘GAY VIETNAM VETERAN’ HEADSTONE
He published a memo March 1975, after 12 years the Air Force, announcg his g out as a gay man. “After some years of uncertaty I have arrived at the ncln that my sexual preferenc are homosexual as opposed to heterosexual, ” Matlovich wrote to his mandg officer.
“Durg his admistrative discharge hearg, Matlovich was asked by an attorney if he would be willg sign a document pledgg to ‘never practice homosexualy aga’ orr to rema the ary, ” acrdg to Air Force history. ”Comg out, however, ma Matlovich to a major player what would bee the gay rights movement, even landg him — uniform — on the ver of a September 1975 TIME magaze issue alongsi a headle that read “I Am a Homosexual.
Instead, Matlovich beme a gay rights activist the fight for the equal treatment of the LGBTQIA+ muny until his ath. The headstone belongg to a gay Vietnam veteran still today remas a poignant remr of the homophobia faced by the LGBTQ+ muny on a daily basis.
THE HISTORY BEHD FAMO ‘GAY VIETNAM VETERAN’ HEADSTONE
He arranged for his own burial at Congrsnal Cemetery, and signed his tombstone which reads: “A Gay Vietnam Veteran.
Had Leonard Matlovich (1943–1988) never publicly admted his homosexualy to Air Force officials 1975 he might have retired om the ary and slipped quietly to oblivn. Instead, on March 6, 1975 wh 12 years of exemplary ary service, he wrote and livered a letter to his mandg officer which he openly admted his homosexualy. For thoands of gay and lbian Amerins, particularly durg the 25 years followg World War II, exprsg their homosexualy publicly remaed unthkable.
That changed one warm June night 1969 when a route police raid agast the Stonewall Inn, a private gay club New York’s Greenwich Village, met wh unexpected opposn.
THE HISTORY BEHD FAMO ‘GAY VIETNAM VETERAN’ HEADSTONE
The men who had always been easily targeted for their homosexualy cid to fight back.
The movement for gay rights was still young 1975 when Leonard Matlovich revealed his sexual orientatn a letter to his mandg officer. Emblazoned across his cht bold black letters, acrdg to The New York Tim, on September 19, 1975, was the ptn, “I Am a Homosexual.
Tryg to supprs the sexual clatns he nsired aberrant behavr, Matlovich joed fellow soldiers who mocked homosexuals.