President Joe Biden will issue a mass pardon on Tuesday for veterans convicted of gay activity, the White House announced.
This move, aimed at addressing historic injustices, will impact thousands of individuals convicted under UCMJ provision 125.
Biden’s announcement precedes his appearance with pop star Elton John at the Stonewall Inn on Friday, commemorating the 55th anniversary of the modern gay rights movement.
Despite voting for the 1993 “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy as a senator, which banned openly gay service members, Biden now seeks to rectify past discrimination.
The pardon reflects his commitment to supporting all service members, veterans, and their families.
While Biden prepares for a CNN debate against former President Donald Trump at Camp David, it remains unclear if he will publicly address the pardon or his past votes on LGBT issues.
Both Biden and Trump have been courting gay voters, with Trump hosting Log Cabin Republicans events and Biden advocating for LGBT rights.
Biden’s record on LGBT issues is mixed. He voted in 1996 to ban same-sex marriage federally and supported a 1994 rule to bar schools from promoting homosexuality.
However, as vice president in 2012, he endorsed same-sex marriage and, as president, repealed Trump’s ban on transgender military service members.
He appointed Pete Buttigieg as the first Senate-approved openly gay Cabinet member in 2021.
This mass pardon follows Biden’s 2022 amnesty for federal marijuana possession convictions, though it fell short of his 2019 campaign promise to free all individuals imprisoned for cannabis offences, leading to protests.
