- Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
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Official SLDN logo
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) is a non-profit legal services, watchdog, and policy organization founded in the United States in 1993. It is dedicated to ending discrimination and harassment of gay and lesbian U.S. military personnel negatively affected by the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy which was enacted in 1993. The SLDN documented over 700 violations in the policy's first two years of operation.[1]
As of January, 2011, SLDN has provided legal aid to more than 10,000 service members.[2]
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network defines its purpose as bringing an end to the U.S. military's "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy, which prohibits gays, lesbians and bisexuals from serving openly in the military, either by repeal of the statute that enacted it or by winning a judgement against the policy in the courts. It proposes to monitor the dismantling of the policy to protect service members during that process, and then to serve as a watchdog for the right to serve in the U.S. military without regard to "actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or militarily appropriate gender expression". It includes within the scope of its mission all active duty, National Guard, reserve and officer training programs.
SLDN provides free legal advice and assistance service members and potential recruits. It works with veterans organizations and allied organizations on behalf of their shared goals.
Lady Gaga addresses the crowd at the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network DADT "4the14K" rally in Portland, Maine, on September 20, 2010.In June 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled against SLDN's twelve clients who sought reinstatement in the military after being discharged under DADT.[3]
In December 2010, the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act established a process of review by senior military personnel designed to dismantle the DADT policy. In response, in January 2011, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network produced its own plan for ending the policy.[4] The DADT policy was ended in September 2011.[5]
Contents
Criticism
SLDN has also received criticism[6] from parts of the Transsexual and Intersex communities, due to the exclusion of these two groups from "Freedom to Serve" events and activism during the DADT debate.[7] Transsexual and Intersex servicemembers are banned from serving openly in the US Military under a "Medical Ban". This ban enforces DADT-style investigations,[8] though unlike DADT can be used to launch criminal proceedings against servicemembers. Throughout its existance, SLDN has refused to state their position on how these bans should be repealed while it has claimed to be the premier LGBTI military rights organisation in the US.
SLDN has also received criticism over its presentation of the "Barry Winchell Courage Award". Winchell, a Private in the US Army, was murdered after it was discovered that he was dating Transsexual activist and actress, Calpernia Addams. SLDN have claimed that Winchell was gay due to his association with Addams, which therefore allows them to use his name for SLDN purposes. Addams and others have stated however that Winchell was heterosexual,[9] making his murder an act of Transphobia rather than Homophobia. This award has never been awarded to a Transsexual person, even though the award was created due to an act of Transphobia and Transsexuals have been involed in prominent DADT repeal efforts.[10]
See also
- Blue Alliance
- Don't ask, don't tell
- Military of the United States
- Veterans Benevolent Association
- Witt v. Department of the Air Force
- Cook v. Gates
- OutServe
- Servicemembers United
- USNA Out
Notes
- ^ Conduct Unbecoming: 3rd Annual Report on Dont Ask, Dont Tell, Dont Pursue C. Dixon Osburn, Michelle M. Benecke, Kirk Childress. DIANE Publishing, 1997. ISBN 0788146785, 9780788146787.
- ^ San Diego Community News: Momentum on the Midway fund-raiser returns to San Diego Gay and Lesbian Times, 1 September 2005; Issue 923.
- ^ SLDN: Cook v. Gates, accessed July 11, 2011
- ^ "Next Steps for 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Repeal", accessed July 11, 2011
- ^ http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/09/dont-ask-dont-tell-officially-repealed.html
- ^ "The LGB simultaneously embraces, celebrates without the T"
- ^ SLDN Releases Post-DADT Freedom to Serve Guide and Demands Benefits - Bay Times - www.sfbaytimes.com/PDF/8-25-BayTimes-complete.pdf - 25th August 2011
- ^ DADT dead but ban on transgender service remains - Sept. 20, 2011 by Kate Sosin, Windy City Times http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=33840
- ^ "SLDN celebrates ten years fighting for LGBT people in the military" By Bob Roehr Originally printed 10/9/2003 (Issue 1141 - Pride Source - Between The Lines News) http://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=4817
- ^ "Case Examines the Law Regarding Transgender Discrimination" By: Gerri L. Elderhttp://www.totalinjury.com/news/articles/discrimination/federal-transgender-discrimination-case.aspx
External links
Categories:- Organizations established in 1993
- LGBT rights organizations
- LGBT political advocacy groups in the United States
- United States military support organizations
- Sexual orientation and the United States military
- Legal defense organizations in the United States
- LGBT military-related organizations
- Don't ask, don't tell
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