Margarethe Cammermeyer

Margarethe Cammermeyer is a renowned American Nurse, Veteran, and LGBT rights activist, who served as a Colonel in the United States Army Nurse Corps. She is best known for her high-profile dismissal from the United States Army in 1992, after disclosing her Lesbian orientation during a Security clearance interview, which led to a landmark court case, Cammermeyer v. Perry, against the United States Department of Defense and Les Aspin. Her story was later dramatized in the 1995 TV movie, Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story, starring Glenn Close and Judy Davis, and produced by Barbra Streisand and Columbia TriStar Television.

● Early Life and Education

Margarethe Cammermeyer was born in Oslo, Norway, to a Norwegian father and a Swedish mother, and later moved to the United States, where she grew up in Virginia and developed an interest in Nursing, inspired by Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton. She attended the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating with a degree in Nursing in 1963, and later earned a Master's degree in Nursing from the University of Washington in 1976, and a Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Washington in 1991, with a focus on Public health and Health policy, under the guidance of University of Washington School of Nursing faculty, including Ada Sue Hinshaw and Norma Lang.

● Military Career

Margarethe Cammermeyer began her Military career in 1961, enlisting in the United States Army Nurse Corps, where she served in various roles, including as a Staff Nurse at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and as a Head Nurse at Fort Lewis, and later deployed to Vietnam during the Vietnam War, where she worked at the 3rd Field Hospital in Saigon and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for her service, alongside other notable Women in the military, such as Deborah Sampson and Molly Pitcher. She rose through the ranks, becoming a Colonel in 1987, and serving as the Chief Nurse of the Washington Army National Guard, under the command of National Guard Bureau and United States Army Reserve.

● Personal Life

Margarethe Cammermeyer's personal life was marked by her Lesbian orientation, which she kept private during her early Military career, due to the Don't ask, don't tell policy, but later disclosed during a Security clearance interview in 1989, which led to her dismissal from the United States Army in 1992, sparking a high-profile controversy, with support from LGBT rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD, and opposition from conservative groups, such as the Family Research Council and American Family Association. She later married her partner, Diane Olson, in 2010, in a ceremony officiated by Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, and attended by Washington State Senator Ed Murray and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn.

● Later Career and Activism

After her dismissal from the United States Army, Margarethe Cammermeyer became a prominent LGBT rights activist, advocating for the repeal of Don't ask, don't tell and testifying before the United States Congress on the issue, alongside other notable LGBT rights activists, including Harvey Milk and Larry Kramer. She also worked as a Nurse practitioner and Health consultant, and served on the board of directors for several organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and was a member of the Democratic National Committee and the Washington State Democratic Party. Her activism was recognized by President Barack Obama, who awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, alongside other notable recipients, including Rosa Parks and Harvey Milk.

● Awards and Legacy

Margarethe Cammermeyer's awards and legacy include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, and Meritorious Service Medal, as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which she received in 2011, and the GLAAD Media Award, which she received in 1996, for her contributions to LGBT rights and Social justice, alongside other notable recipients, including Ellen DeGeneres and k.d. lang. Her story has been featured in several documentaries, including The Celluloid Closet and Out in the Silence, and she has been recognized as a Pioneer in the LGBT rights movement, alongside other notable figures, including Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. She continues to be an advocate for LGBT rights and Social justice, and serves as an inspiration to LGBT individuals and Allies around the world, including The Trevor Project and It Gets Better Project. Category:LGBT rights activists