12/6/2004: The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) filed a lawsuit today, Cook v. Rumsfeld, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on behalf of twelve lesbian and gay veterans seeking re-instatement in the U.S. Armed Forces. The vets were all discharged under the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on gay, lesbian and bisexual military personnel, and they all had served during the "war on terror." SLDN's executive director says, "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' creates an unacceptable and unconstitutional second class citizenship for our men and women in uniform. Forcing gays into a federally imposed closet and firing them for telling the truth is blatantly wrong. This law robs our nation of the talents and skills of thousands at a time when we can ill- afford to lose a single service member in the war on terrorism." Extensive info on SLDN's website.

Meanwhile, eight presumably straight soldiers are suing the US over the stop-loss policy. Six of the soldiers have served out their full contracts, but are being forced to extend their service. Read more from the Center for Constitional Rights. Several American soldiers have left the military and moved to Canada. Monday, December 6th, 2004 was the first Canadian immigration hearing for US Army Deserter Jeremy Hinzman. Democracy Now 10/15 | Democracy Now 7/15

December 2004: A predominately gay and lesbian group of naval academy alumni sought recognition as an official alumni association this month, and was rejected by the governing board of the Naval Academy Alumni Association. The chapter had reorganized itself this year in an effort to win recognition. It had established its base as the Castro district, a predominantly gay neighborhood of San Francisco, after trustees said last year that new chapters have to be "geographic in nature." The group also rewrote its bylaws to clarify that it doesn't exclude heterosexual graduates, and it inducted its first straight member. Castro Chapter Website Gayapolis Article