Margarethe Cammermeyer, born in 1942 in Oslo, Norway, served in the US National Guard. She went into active duty in 1963 and was a decorated Soldier. Cammermeyer was married to her husband during this time, and later divorced after 15 years of marriage and having 4 sons (1). In 1992, after years of loyal service, she was honorably discharged for openly stating her sexuality in an interview from 1989 (2), by saying “I am a lesbian” (1). Her, and her attorneys, fought against the ban on homosexuals in the army, and pushed for Ms. Cammermeyer’s reinstatement. 25 months later, a judge ruled that this was prejudice and Ms. Cammermeyer was reinstated in 1994 followed by her retirement in 1997 (1).
Cammermeyer
became more involved in the gay community, and her actions helped overturN the
Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. For her heart and bravery, I believe that she is one
of the most overlooked heroes in the fight for equality.
1. Cammermeyer, Margarethe. "Biography." Breaking The Silence. Grethe Cammermeyer. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2015. <http://www.cammermeyer.com/bio.htm>.
2. "National News Briefs; Cammermeyer to Run For Congressional Seat." New York Times (1997). Web. 17 Feb. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/16/us/national-news-briefs-cammermeyer-to-run-for-congressional-seat.html>.
3 (picture). Web. 16 Feb. 2015. <http://www.cammermeyer.com/popups/vertical.htm?photoid=7>.
Hey Colby! I was intrigued by your comments on Margarethe in class today so I just had to come read your post about her. She sounds like a very honorable women that was just trying serve her country and unfortunately got ran over and thrown under the bus for being honest. Props to her and her attorneys for standing up for what is right and getting her back in the game. I can't imagine being ripped away from something I am passionate about just because someone doesn't agree with my sexual preferences whenever sexuality has nothing to do with it.
ReplyDelete^^ This is Morgan Reed's comment by the way!
DeleteThis is really interesting! After reading it, I definitely agree with you that Cammermeyer is an overlooked and important facet in the fight for equality. I had never heard of her before this, and I feel like there's so much more to her story than just a couple paragraphs can tell. She's the kind of person who history books should make sure to include. – Kelsey Baucom
ReplyDeleteAs a woman who is interested in the military, Margarethe Cammermeyer is extremely inspirational to me. I love her dedication to her cause. Even though she faced opposition, she persevered and now other members of the LGBT community can benefit from her efforts. I’m sure getting discharged because of her sexual orientation was discouraging and it had to take a strong personality to try anyways. Unrecognized people like Margarethe are making the world a better place.
ReplyDelete