Wednesday, Feb 25, 2015
The retired marine, who lost his leg in the Iraq War, advocates for gay rights in the military
by Sam Rivera '15
Gay rights activist Eric Alva, who was the first Marine to be seriously injured during the Iraq War, visited 天美传媒官网 on Feb. 17. Sponsored by Spectrum, 天美传媒官网鈥檚 Gay Straight Alliance advocacy group, retired Staff Sgt. Alva's appearance included a discussion of his personal history, including losing his leg after a landmine explosion, and support of the LGBTQ movement.
Alva says that fellow soldiers were aware of his sexual identity for much of his career. After he left the military, Alva received a Purple Heart from President George W. Bush for his wounds and became a spokesperson for gay rights, specifically in the military. He advocated for the repeal of Don鈥檛 Ask, Don鈥檛 Tell, the law that prohibited gay and lesbian people from serving openly in the military. The 17-year-old law was repealed in 2011.
Spectrum adviser Michael Rutkowski hopes the event helped students understand and appreciate the challenges faced by the LGBTQ community, particularly those who serve in the military.
"Alva had an excellent message," Rutkowski says. "He persevered despite a difficult recovery and found a new path. I hope that students took away his example that they should remain true to who they are and strive to improve their lives along the way.鈥