After a month of rejection and partial approval, Ashley Broadway has finally been granted membership to the Association of Bragg Officers’ Spouses at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.
We’ve been covering this story since Broadway’s membership application was declined in mid-December, presumably because she was in a same-sex relationship. She’s been married to her wife, Army Lieutenant Colonel Heather Mack, for 15 years and was recently named Fort Bragg’s 2013 Spouse of the Year by Military Spouses magazine.
After news of the incident made it’s way into the public sphere, Broadway was offered a “special guest membership” to the group, which she rejected, calling it “not only offensive, but just plain hurtful.”
But the group has now added sexual orientation to it’s list of nondiscrimination policies.
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“I am overjoyed to see ABOS’s inclusion of ‘sexual orientation’ in their non-discrimination clause,“ Broadway said in a statement Friday. “I have further reason to take pride in the Ft. Bragg military community, knowing that we, as military spouses, are able to come together to support each other, our soldiers, and our families.”
She plans to accept their offer this time.
Merv
That’s going to be one awkward first meeting.
Charli Girl
Welcome to 2013’…ugh paaleeeze
1EqualityUSA
I cannot think of better representatives of the LGBT community. Thank you for standing up against hate in such a gracious way. The combination of strength and forgiveness is inspired and inspiring. You two are heroes. Thanks for what you do for our Country and for LGBT Americans. I’m so proud of you. Your courage is immense.
Daniel-Reader
Everyone knows – time and persistence: The Land must give way to the Sea.
jwrappaport
YES! I definitely sent an angry email to ABOS. Glad to see justice done.
2eo
@jwrappaport: A person who is not me may have threatened to reveal something that the head of the organisation wanted to keep secret.
*cough* not that I’d *EVER* condone this person using leverage to humiliate a bigot.
yaoming
’bout time