The Human Rights Campaign Voices of Honor Tour will make appearances in central Florida next month. The Tour highlights an effort to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, a law forcing LGBTs serving in the U.S. military to remain in the closet.
“This tour focuses on the voices and stories of the qualified, patriotic gay and lesbian service members who are forced out of the U.S. Armed Services simply 
because of who they are,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Poll after poll continues to show the vast majority of Americans, including the majority of active members of the Armed Services, support the right of gay and lesbian service members to serve openly and honestly. We must repeal this discriminatory policy and ensure that our military can recruit and retain the best and the brightest troops regardless of their sexual orientation.”
Voices of Honor features both gay and straight veterans advocating against the DADT policy. They include Alex Nicholson, a U.S. Army veteran discharged under DADT and Army Staff Sgt. Genevieve Chase, a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Executive Director of American Women Veterans.
The HRC has nailed down the dates for the tour’s Central Florida stops: Sept. 16 in Orlando, Sept. 17 in Tampa. The exact locations will be announced soon.
“We are still working on the venues,” said Jarrad Chlapowski, HRC Public Policy Advocate.
