For #LGBTHistoryMonth , we recognize #WWII as a turning point in queer history in the United States. For the first time, young men and women left their rural communities and flocked to urban centers to join the draft and support the war effort. (1/5)

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Fort Cronkhite, in the #MarinHeadlands, was one of many hubs across the country where enlisted soldiers came together in droves. It was in places like this that many queer men and women found community for the first time. (2/5)

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But embracing queer identity meant potential for discrimination. Approximately 9,000 men and women were discharged during WWII with a “blue slip," or a behavioral discharge given at will to suspected gay men and lesbians, deeming them “undesirables.” (3/5)

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“Blue slips” denied veterans recourse for challenging the unjust discharge, and also GI benefits supposedly guaranteed to all Americans who served. Although gay, lesbian, and queer folx can openly serve in the military today, there is still work to do... (4/5)

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…as the battle for trans rights in the military still continues. The resilience, community, and identity found during WWII laid the path for the ongoing fight for the rights of all LGBTQ+ folx. (5/5)

#FindYourPark #FindYourPride #QueerHistory

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