Itās that time of the year for my least favorite cultural tradition in our country ā grown ass adults uttering this statement:
āLGBTQ people get an entire month but veterans donāt.ā
Iām being generous in that sentence construction; itās typically said with far less grace and humanity.
Iām a veteran. Iām a proud veteran.
Iām also queer and proudly so.
Every June, I celebrate Pride. Every November, I celebrate veterans.
Because veterans do, in fact, have an entire month. Itās November. It is every November. Every November is National Veterans and Military Families Month.
Have I sufficiently made clear the existence of a monthlong observance in honor of our nationās veterans, particularly to folks who, apparently, are also not aware of the existence of Google?
[...]
Our military, our veterans, and their families are thought by Trump and his cronies to be little more than props in service to his flaming narcissism.
Even their performative antics are openly shameless: āinvitingā Active Duty service members to that UFC event being hosted on the White House lawn but refusing to pay for travel and lodging. Oh, and no family members. Oh, and donāt be overweight. Oh, and you have to wear your uniform.
Treated. Like. Props.
Maybe we need a National Lip Service to Military Appreciation Day, recognizing politicians and their supporters who only seem to care about our military, our veterans, and their families when they can their service can be cynically exploited as a cudgel against people that Trump and the GOP hate.
The past 18 months have seen members of the military and veterans who are women, Black, Latino, APPI, and LGBTQ broadly erased from any recognition by the Trump Administration and the Department of Defense specifically. Who doesnāt remember the government website purges touted by Trump and his cronies?
Last year, thousands of transgender service members and their families were kicked out, their lives uprooted, their service cruelly degraded, their characters slandered, all because of a senseless and bigoted policy created to placate anti-trans extremists, signed by a coward who avoided military service.
Iām proud of my service and grateful to all who have served and their families, and thereās plenty of time throughout the year to express that.
June is all for LGBTQ people, veterans and non-veterans alike.
Before youāre eager to offer a ridiculous comparison in recognition between veterans and LGBTQ Americans, Iād encourage at least a tiny bit of effort toward research and understanding regarding our military, our veterans, and their families.
Itās not difficult.
Excellent essay from Charlotte Clymer about Pride Month sums up the facts that those complaining about Pride Month need to hear. The title is right on the nose: "Yes, June is Pride Month. Get Over It."
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