Happy Memorial Day!  I hope many (all?) of you know that May is recognized as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) History Month.  As we close out the month and head into June, those of us who are lesbian/ gay/ bisexual/ transgender (LGBT) dive into yet another month of “recognition” as cities and localities around the country celebrate LGBT Pride through parades, festivals and other activities.  June emerged as “Pride Month” in commemoration of the Stonewall Riots that took place on June 28, 1969 in New York City. 

In May, President Obama made a Presidential Proclamation for AAPI Heritage Month, and Margaret Cho and my new friend at angryasianman.com wrote about the reception that brought together leaders from AAPI organizations and communities around the country.  Similarly, his office recently put forth a statement in recognition of June as LGBT Pride month.  Last year, our own Curtis Chin attended President Obama’s reception for LGBT leaders celebrating LGBT Pride Month.  The event was covered by news media in the context of the tensions over ongoing delays in passage of legislative priorities for the LGBT community, including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and the repeal of the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) prohibition of open military service for gays and lesbians.  

Memorial Day’s straddling of these two months has a special resonance this year for AAPI and LGBT communities.  My own work on behalf of Filipino WWII veterans has always been informed by the irony that I myself cannot serve.  The military that now finally recognizes the service of those Filipinos who fought more than 60 years ago in defense of democracy is now poised to remove another historical barrier of discrimination.  As the Congress moves forward to on historic legislation to repeal DADT, another AAPI military hero, Lt. Dan Choi, is leading the way.  His direct action tactics, including getting arrested in front of the White House and the “dignity fast” he has recently undertaken, has not come without controversy from the mainline LGBT political organizations.  As he continues to speak his own truth, he joins a longer line of AAPIs whose service to the military was called into question not because of its quality or authenticity, but because it failed to meet the political and politicized definition of who gets to serve.

So wherever you are today, take a moment to recognize not only those who gave their lives in defense of our country, but also those who continue to struggle to make sure that our nation’s military TRULY embodies the principles of freedom and equality.