The Marine Corps is requiring spouses’ clubs operating on its installations to admit same-sex spouses if they want to remain on its bases.
According to a statement from OutServe, an advocacy group for active LGBT servicemembers:
The orders issued today are the latest reaction to a month-long controversy surrounding the exclusion of Ashley Broadway, a military spouse at Fort Bragg, NC, from the Association of Bragg Officers’ Spouses. In December, the group refused membership to Broadway, alleging that her lack of a military ID card made her ineligible. Broadway, a same-sex spouse, is not permitted to receive a military ID card under current Pentagon regulations. The Marine Corps action goes significantly further than anything Ft. Bragg or the Army has done to correct these issues.
A memo from the Corps’ legal advisory obtained by The Associated Press cautioned, “We do not want a story like this developing in our backyard.”
Noting that spouses’ clubs and other private institutions are allowed to operate on bases only if they adhere to a non-discrimination policy, the memo stated that the Fort Bragg club’s decision to bar Broadway was sexual discrimination as “the exclusion was based upon the spouse’s sex.”
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“The Marine Corps guidance issued today is a breakthrough and a clear indication that General Amos meant what he said when he promised Marines would lead the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’,” said OutServe-SLDN Executive Director Allyson Robinson. “Secretary Panetta should use his authority immediately to bring consistency across the services with regard to this issue and in doing so, a greater measure of equity to gay and lesbian service members and their families.”
Capt. Eric Flanagan, a Marine Corps spokesman, said the Marines cannot directly control the actions of independent organizations such as spouses’ clubs, but nevertheless “expect that all who are interested in supporting Marine Corps Family Readiness would be welcome to participate and will be treated with dignity and respect.”
avesraggiana
Pretty neat, that The Citadel is more enlightened than St. Peter’s Basilica.
Cam
These bigots and their BS will be chipped away.
technicolornina
Go Marines!
2eo
@Cam: They lose ground and they never get it back.
The only Anti-Gay actions are those shoring up the walls, they are no longer in a position to take humanity away from us and we are winning, because we are right.
Avenger
Then I say hold the club off base. Last time I checked, clubs are private and can pick and choose who fits the criteria to become members.
KARUADAM
I love you all hot sexy Marine men!!
TKnTexas
The purpose of the spouses club is the support of the spouses. For the clubs to discriminate is wrong. DADT was repealed. That means there will be more diversity in the military that will need to be mirrored with the support groups.
To continue discrimination in the clubs would be a slap to the principles being defended by the spouses.
1EqualityUSA
2eo said, “they are no longer in a position to take humanity away from us and we are winning, because we are right.”
Beautifully stated. This sentence really resonated with me. Thank you, 2eo.