Five LGBTQ vets are suing the Department of Defense.
It’s been 12 years since the U.S. military overturned its "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy and allowed openly gay LGBTQ people to serve. But even though the discriminatory policy was overturned, tens of thousands of those dishonorably discharged between 1994 and 2011 still have to live with the scarlet letter of the designation.
Veterans who were thrown out of the military after their sexuality was discovered have to relive the trauma every time they present their DD-214 paperwork when accessing VA benefits or applying for jobs, homes or loans.
Further, dishonorable discharges often ban veterans from receiving essential benefits such as education, unemployment, healthcare, and housing benefits through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
But all of that may soon change if a civil rights lawsuit filed by five veterans against the Department of Defense is successful. The lawsuit claims that the DOD should overturn the dishonorable discharges and update discriminatory language on their discharge papers referencing their “real or perceived” sexuality.
“Thousands of veterans discharged for their actual or perceived sexual orientation often received a less than Honorable discharge or had their discharge flagged with separation codes publicly associated with ‘homosexuality,’ denying them benefits they rightfully earned based on their service,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit addresses the emotional damage caused by the discriminatory laws by referencing a quote on the tombstone of Vietnam veteran Leonard Matlovich: “When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.”
Although there is a process for altering dishonorable discharges, the lawsuit argues that it should be the job of the DOD to facilitate such changes instead of putting the burden on the victims of the discriminatory policy. It’s a lengthy bureaucratic process requiring some veterans to hire lawyers.
The grave of Leonard Matlovich
via Ryanhgwu/Wikimedia Commons
"Requiring LGBTQ+ veterans to first bear the stigma and discriminatory effects of carrying indicators of sexual orientation on their [discharge papers] and then navigate a broken record correction process to seek resolution violates their constitutional rights to equal protection, informational privacy, property, and due process protected by the Fourteenth and Fifth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution," the suit says.
The lawsuit does not aim for monetary compensation. Instead, it urges the DOD to proactively update the discharge documents for these veterans by eliminating any mention of sexual orientation instead of requiring the individual veteran to initiate the process.
This ruling could have a tremendous effect on the lives of thousands of veterans. It’s estimated that if the lawsuit succeeds, it could affect at least 35,000 service members discharged because of “real or perceived” homosexuality, homosexual conduct, or “sexual perversion.”
Although nothing can be done to completely repair the damage to the thousands of veterans who lost their military careers because of their “real or perceived” sexuality, let’s hope the DOD does its part to help right the wrongs committed in the three decades that LGBTQ+ people were discriminated against in the U.S. military.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.