The Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) Joint Force Diversity Committee (JFDC) hosted a ceremony in celebration of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month at Sharkey Theater on JBPHH, June 21.
“Pride in All Who Serve” was the theme of this year’s observance, in order to recognize the contributions that LGBT service members and civilians have made through their dedicated service to defend the nation and raise awareness of the issues facing the LGBT community today.
“Throughout history, brave lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsman have served our nation,” said Cmdr. Cory Hurd, Chief Staff Officer of JBPHH. “Their hard work, courage and sacrifice has made our military stronger, our nation safer, and makes them respected members of our diverse Department of Defense (DoD) family.”
In 2016, the DoD instituted a policy change allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military as their preferred gender and is committed to recruiting and retaining top talent regardless of race, class, sex or background. Chief Personnel Specialist Alicia Keller said that the diverse culture and inclusive environment are some of her favorite things about the military.
“I love seeing everyone, from every culture, background, and walk of life, come together to complete the mission on time and on target,” said Chief Personnel Specialist Alicia Keller. “It’s something that I want to be around and it's something that I want my children to grow up around because everyone has something to bring to the table.“
Three guest speakers were featured at the observance: retired Master Chief James Miller, Dr. Dennis Neal, Diversity Officer and special equal opportunity advisor to Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and Rebecca Copeland, attorney and co-chair of the Hawaii Judiciary’s Committee on Equality. Each speaker related their own personal experiences to express the importance of diversity and inclusion, to provide a relevant and modern perspective on how far the nation has come.
Neal was the first to take the stage and opened his remarks by recounting the history of civil rights for LGBT Americans, starting with the June 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York, a three-day event that occurred when patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village resisted police harassment of the LGBT community. The Stonewall Riots are largely recognized as the catalyst for the LGBT rights movement, which works to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for LGBT Americans.
“LGBT Pride Month is celebrated each June to recognize the impact that LGBT individuals have had on history locally, nationally and internationally, to remember we must always continue to show respect for our service members, civilian employees, and family members, and to recognize their individual needs, aspirations, and capabilities,” said Neal. “Today, these views are shared by many because of the actions that took place in the 1969 Stonewall Riots.”
The observance was followed by a special meal hosted at the Silver Dolphin Bistro on Pearl Harbor.
Every month, JBPHH participates in events to celebrate and recognizes the diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise that enable the DOD to address the complex challenges of the global security environment. As a member of the JBPHH JFDC, Keller said that she would like to see more service members participate in these events and emphasized the value of the awareness that they can offer.
“I would ask everyone to please tell your Sailors, your Airmen, and your Marines to take the time each month, and tell us what we can improve in making these events more available to commands,” said Keller. “We want to get the word out and celebrate because you would be surprised what kind of things you can learn at each event.”