Leonard Matlovich

Leonard Matlovich is the first service member to fight discrimination against gays and lesbians in the United States military. As a 12-year veteran in the United States Air Force, Leonard Matlovich decided to fight the ban on gays in the armed services. In 1975, Matlovich announced his sexual identity. The investigation that followed concluded that despite the fact that Matlovich was a decorated veteran, he was deemed unfit to continue his service to the military and was recommended for discharge.

By challenging the ruling, Matlovich found himself as a spokesperson for gay activism in the 1970s. On September 8, 1975, Matlovich became the first openly gay man to appear on the cover of Time Magazine. In 1978, the United States Court of Appeals ruled that it was illegal to discharge Sergeant Matlovich. In1980, the Air Force reinstated Sergeant Matlovich with back pay.

Matlovich was buried with full military honors in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. The inscription on his headstone reads, "When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men, and a discharge for loving one."