September 8th: The Day Soldiers Came Out of the Closet

On September 8th 1975, Time Magazine released a controversial edition of their newsweekly, featuring the face of Leonard Matlovich, a Vietnam War veteran, openly declaring himself as a homosexual. This iconic moment in history stirred a change of attitude and raised awareness of homosexuality and, as the image (left) states, 'the gay drive for acceptance'. Matlovich was universally recognised and celebrated for his bravery and honesty by the gay community. His exceptional service to the US military was rendered meaningless when he outed himself in 1975, but his legacy and his gay rights activism earned him infinite respect.
   As the first gay man to appear on the front cover of a popular magazine, openly as a homosexual, Matlovich triggered a frenzy of debate. This was especially true in terms of his position in the US military. During his administrative discharge hearing in September 1975, he was asked by the Air Force attorney if he would agree to 'never practice homosexuality again' in order to reenter the military. Matlovich refused and thus discharged, as if all his achievements and efforts for the country did not count at all, just because he was gay. 
   Despite being discriminated from his occupation and the US military continuing their 'don't ask, don't tell' motto regarding homosexuality, Matlovich continued to work as a gay rights activists, drawing parallels between racism and homophobia. His identification with Martin Luther King meant the world, and primarily the gay community, had a leading figure to voice their struggle to live in the current state of the world. 
   Sadly, Leonard Matlovich died from the HIV/AIDS virus in 1988, weeks before his 45th birthday. His tombstone remains nameless, and simply reads: 

A Gay Vietnam Veteran

When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.

The deliberate selflessness and anonymity of the tombstone is a symbol of Matlovich's fight against homophobia, and has motivated several gay people to continue his work. This unjust, but inspiring turning point in the social position of homosexuals in America is still honoured today worldwide and Matlovich remains greatly honoured for his revolutionary courage, both as an Air Force service member and a gay man. What do you think?