Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative Pride Month 2021 Statement

In recognition of Pride Month, the Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative (SVI) of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division recognizes the contributions and sacrifices the LGBTQI+ community has made in service to the United States through its Armed Forces.  These Americans have faced historic and significant barriers to serving openly in our military, yet they currently serve at rates greater than their share of the U.S. population. [1]  

The Department of Justice, including the Civil Rights Division and SVI, is proud to protect the civil rights of all servicemembers, including those who identify as LGBTQI+.  We are grateful that our military once again allows them to serve openly, yet we recognize that this community still faces discrimination throughout our society.  The Civil Rights Division remains committed to ensuring that no one is discriminated against on basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  If you have any questions about SVI’s work or have a concern specific to the rights of servicemembers, please visit our website at https://www.servicemembers.gov.  For more information about the Division's efforts to protect the civil rights of LGBTQI+ individuals, please visit https://www.justice.gov/crt/lgbti-working-group.