LGBTQ vets celebrated in NYC 15 years after Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal
As the Trump administration continues to enforce a ban on transgender people serving in the military, advocacy groups locally and nationally are working to create dedicated communities for the country’s trans veterans. On Sunday, Sept. 20, Equality New York (EQNY), Out in National Security (ONS), Minority Veterans of America, and other organizations gathered at The … Read More
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As the Trump administration continues to enforce a ban on transgender people serving in the military, advocacy groups locally and nationally are working to create dedicated communities for the country’s trans veterans.
On Sunday, Sept. 20, Equality New York (EQNY), Out in National Security (ONS), Minority Veterans of America, and other organizations gathered at The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (The Center) to recognize the 15th anniversary of the 2011 repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, which is also the basis for National LGBTQ Veterans Day.
A keystone of the event was the presentation of an official greeting from the Mayor’s Office of New York City and an official proclamation from the New York State Governor’s Office on the occasion of the anniversary.
“We reached out to let both the governor and the mayor know we were celebrating the 15 years of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell [being repealed] and asked them to make some recognition of it,” said EQNY Executive Director Amanda Babine. “It didn’t have to be a proclamation but more just acknowledging that it’s a big day and it’s exciting and we should be celebrating it.”
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Representatives of Equality New York (EQNY) and Out in National Security (ONS) join together with LGBTQ vets at The Center on Sept. 20.Donna Aceto[/caption]
This recognition from the City and State level is an important step in the work that advocacy groups like EQNY, Minority Vets, and ONS are doing across the country. ONS Vice President for Community Engagement Travis Barber spoke about working with EQNY and Minority Vets to raise awareness of the date and obtain the proclamations.
“...[M]ost startling is as we started doing this and getting more attention from inside the bureaucracies, we actually had a couple of state senators push [the resolution] to their national senators,” Barber said. “And there was a senate declaration yesterday acknowledging today as National LGBTQ Veterans Day.”
[caption id="attachment_65048" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Travis Barber of Out in National Security with veteran Tanya Walker and Equality NY executive director Amamda Babine.Donna Aceto[/caption]
On Sept. 17, 2026, S.Res.868 was introduced in Congress in an effort to reocgnize Sept. 20, 2026, as "National LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day."
The mayoral greeting will remain in the possession of EQNY, and ONS will hold on to the governor’s proclamation, both to be shared with their communities, according to Babine.
[caption id="attachment_65047" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Recognition from the city and state.Donna Aceto[/caption]
Minority Veterans of America is a non-profit organization based in King County, Washington, working to build an intersectional community of LGBTQ+ veterans and allies. They are also part of the movement to have more states and municipalities recognize LGBTQ Veterans Day.
“I want to see it be a thing across the country, so the LGBTQ veterans feel seen and recognized and honored for their service,” Army veteran and longtime Minority Veterans of America member and representative Kristen Rouse said. According to Rouse, Minority Vets has been involved in getting the date officially recognized by 15 states and six cities.
[caption id="attachment_65042" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Army veteran Kristen Rouse represents Minority Vets.Donna Aceto[/caption]
SPARTA Pride is a transgender military advocacy non-profit working to build a community that supports current and former transgender service members, as well as their families. Soldiers Gordon Herrera and Kai Proce spoke about the harsh contrast of the Trump Administration’s transphobic military regulations against their experiences of local leadership and veteran communities that are open and accepting.
[caption id="attachment_65044" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Kai Proce and Gordon Herrera.Donna Aceto[/caption]
“We’re just soldiers like anybody else. There’s nothing particularly special about our identity in the uniform,” said Herrera, who is currently on administrative leave due to the ban.
Herrera added: “My whole future is in question … I’m going through a process of being involuntarily separated from the military and so [I'm] facing the loss of my career over my identity.”
Representatives of Equality New York (EQNY) and Out in National Security (ONS) join together with LGBTQ vets at The Center on Sept. 20.Donna Aceto[/caption]
This recognition from the City and State level is an important step in the work that advocacy groups like EQNY, Minority Vets, and ONS are doing across the country. ONS Vice President for Community Engagement Travis Barber spoke about working with EQNY and Minority Vets to raise awareness of the date and obtain the proclamations.
“...[M]ost startling is as we started doing this and getting more attention from inside the bureaucracies, we actually had a couple of state senators push [the resolution] to their national senators,” Barber said. “And there was a senate declaration yesterday acknowledging today as National LGBTQ Veterans Day.”
[caption id="attachment_65048" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Travis Barber of Out in National Security with veteran Tanya Walker and Equality NY executive director Amamda Babine.Donna Aceto[/caption]
On Sept. 17, 2026, S.Res.868 was introduced in Congress in an effort to reocgnize Sept. 20, 2026, as "National LGBTQ+ Servicemembers and Veterans Day."
The mayoral greeting will remain in the possession of EQNY, and ONS will hold on to the governor’s proclamation, both to be shared with their communities, according to Babine.
[caption id="attachment_65047" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Recognition from the city and state.Donna Aceto[/caption]
Minority Veterans of America is a non-profit organization based in King County, Washington, working to build an intersectional community of LGBTQ+ veterans and allies. They are also part of the movement to have more states and municipalities recognize LGBTQ Veterans Day.
“I want to see it be a thing across the country, so the LGBTQ veterans feel seen and recognized and honored for their service,” Army veteran and longtime Minority Veterans of America member and representative Kristen Rouse said. According to Rouse, Minority Vets has been involved in getting the date officially recognized by 15 states and six cities.
[caption id="attachment_65042" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Army veteran Kristen Rouse represents Minority Vets.Donna Aceto[/caption]
SPARTA Pride is a transgender military advocacy non-profit working to build a community that supports current and former transgender service members, as well as their families. Soldiers Gordon Herrera and Kai Proce spoke about the harsh contrast of the Trump Administration’s transphobic military regulations against their experiences of local leadership and veteran communities that are open and accepting.
[caption id="attachment_65044" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Kai Proce and Gordon Herrera.Donna Aceto[/caption]
“We’re just soldiers like anybody else. There’s nothing particularly special about our identity in the uniform,” said Herrera, who is currently on administrative leave due to the ban.
Herrera added: “My whole future is in question … I’m going through a process of being involuntarily separated from the military and so [I'm] facing the loss of my career over my identity.” 
