“To Support & Defend” was produced by a group of LGBT journalists and film & TV professionals to provide a dignified response to grossly homophobic Senate hearings and a despicable re;igious right propaganda video back in 1993.
We wanted to give LGBT Service Members a chance to have their say. This film does that. But the threat is still there, and we want to support LGBTQ troops in this fight.
In 2024, UnAuthorized Films intends to update this video, out of concern that LGBTQ rights are once again under threat, including the right to serve in the Military. If you agree and want to help us, please click on the DONATE button:
We need major sponsors to make this happen. If you represent a potential sponsor, or know of an organizatrion who might be willing to join us, please FORWARD this page to them, or contact us at TSAD24@unauthorizedfilms.com.
Thank You!
On June 26 he announced pardons for more than 100,000 LGBT service members who had been convicted in a court martial or given a dishonorable discharge for simply being open about their sexuality.The pardons mean that potentially tens of thousands of LGBT veterans may have their records cleansed of the cruel and unjust stain of "dishonorable," and finally be given the "honorable" status they earned.
The Background
In 1992, Candidate Bill Clinton promised to lift the ban on LGBT citizens right to serve in the military. This led to the sham hearings of the Armed Services Committee, in which not a singles LGBT individual was called as a witness.
"To Support & Defend" was produced by a group of unpaid journalists and people in the entertainment industry in 1993 as a dignified response to the homophobic Senate hearings, as well as our answer to a deplorable and anonymous propaganda piece, “The Gay Agenda,” put out by the Radical Right.
Clinton failed to achieve his promise to lift the ban.
In 1993, the Senate -- after hearing from only officials opposing the ban, and not a single LGBT witness -- came up with the hypocritical "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, (“DADT,”) which allowed LGBT citizens to defend their country in the military, as long as they stayed in the closet. In effect, that policy forced honorable young people willing to die for their country to live a lie.
Incensed by ugly anti-gay propaganda and the one-sided Senate hearings, a group of voluteer journalists and film & television professionals -- gay, lesbian, and our straight supporters -- raised the funds to produce "To Support & Defend." We wanted to give LGBT Service Members a chance have their say in a dignified
way. The video does that.
We joined the estimated one million people who marched in Washington to oppose the ban. The video was screened on the National Mall for that crowd. 1500 copies of "To Support & Defend" were distributed by hand to every Member of Congress, inside the Clinton White House, and inside the Pentagon. The three Service Members who were distributing the video in the Pentagon were arrested.
An estimated 14,000 LGBT troops were discharged inder DADT just because they chose to be open and honest about their sexuality.
“DADT” was repealed by President Obama in 2010, ending 17 years of destructive policy.
But then in 2017, President Trump, with no input from any experts in the Pentagon or Academia, issued via Twitter his own baseless ban on Transgender people serving in the U.S. Military.
President Biden reversed that ban four days into his Presidency in 2021.
Now -- during Pride Month 2024 – President Biden has gone further.
But If Trump is elected, the battle begins again, as he promises to restore his "Trans Ban" and roll back decades of LGBT rights. In addition, 500 anti-LGBTQ bills are pending in State legislatures.
The fight is not over; "To Support & Defend" is just as relevant today as it was 30 years ago.
Our Truth Has Not Changed
If you are interested in participating in this venture or know of individuals or organizations who might be willing to sponsor the production, please contact us at TSAD24@unauthorizedfilms.com.
Thank you!
