Biden's pardon of LGBTQ+ servicemembers celebrated by armed forces members from Massachusetts

President Biden's decision to pardon LGBTQ+ servicemembers convicted for their sexual orientation is being celebrated by members of the armed forces in Massachusetts.

Discharged over a joke

For U.S. Navy veteran Allie Thorpe, it started with an off the cuff joke about calling out of work.

"I made a joke that I was going to call in gay. Instead of laughing, she followed that with a bunch of questions," said Thorpe, who was interrogated by their fellow servicemember and forced to address their sexuality in 2006. Her fellow U.S. Navy sailor sold them out.

"I was called into my chief's office and they told me that they had begun the process of my separation due to homosexual admission and they gave me a copy of the letter that this sailor had written," said Thorpe.