Overview
Over the past 70 years, tens of thousands of LGBT Americans were persecuted and mistreated at the hands of law enforcement and government entities on account of their sexual orientation. Many victims were US military personnel, government officials, and civil rights activists who were investigated and forced to resign or mysteriously fired from their jobs. Some were even required to undergo medical “treatments” to change their sexual orientation.
DC-based partner Paul Thompson and New York-based partner Lisa A. Linsky are featured in the Mattachine Society’s documentary “Acknowledgement & Apology: The Time Has Come” which showcases this persecution, and highlights a movement throughout the world to acknowledge and apologize to LGBT Communities for past mistreatment.
The documentary follows the release of a white paper report, “America’s Promise of Reconciliation and Redemption: The Need for an Official Acknowledgment and Apology for the Historic Government Assault on LGBT Federal Employees and Military Personnel” which was developed jointly by a cross-practice, cross-office McDermott team and the Mattachine Society. The report outlines how the US government was involved in the mistreatment and persecution of LGBT Americans and it details how Congress has officially acknowledged and apologized for the mistreatment of marginalized groups on six different occasions over the last 30 years, including congressional apologies for Japanese-American internment, the mistreatment of Native Hawaiians, the failure to enforce anti-lynching laws to protect African Americans, the enslavement of African Americans, the mistreatment of Native Americans and the exclusion of Chinese immigrants. Now it is time for Congress to acknowledge the historic mistreatment of the LGBT Community and apologize for it.
Both Paul and Lisa have been working closely with the Mattachine Society to ask Congress to publicly acknowledge and apologize for the government’s misuse of power and irreparable harm caused to LGBT Americans.
Watch the documentary here.
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McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices, industries and more than 20 locations to deliver highly effective—and often unexpected—solutions that propel success. More than 1,200 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.
