Leonard Matlovich is buried the Congrsnal Cemeteray beneath a grave stone that reads, “A Gay Vietnam Veteran.”
Contents:
- THE HISTORY BEHD FAMO ‘GAY VIETNAM VETERAN’ HEADSTONE
- MEET THE GAY VIETNAM VETERAN WHOSE GRAVE IS A BEAN FOR HOPE
- GAY SERGEANT CHALLENG THE AIR FORCE
THE HISTORY BEHD FAMO ‘GAY VIETNAM VETERAN’ HEADSTONE
”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.
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.
MEET THE GAY VIETNAM VETERAN WHOSE GRAVE IS A BEAN FOR HOPE
”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.
GAY SERGEANT CHALLENG THE AIR FORCE
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.