Voting Station

Leonard Matlovich

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Military Personnel

The Resume

    (July 6, 1943-June 22, 1988)
    Born in Savannah, Georgia
    Vietnam veteran
    Came out as gay to his superiors and was discharged from the Air Force (1975)
    Sued for reinstatement
    Later opened a pizzeria and sold used cars
    Died of complications from AIDS

Why he might be annoying:

    He said that as a teen, he was a 'white racist.'
    When he came out to his parents, his father 'cried for about two hours.'
    He was excommunicated twice by the Mormon church.
    His prediction that his case against the Air Force would be another 'Brown vs. the Board of Education' didn't really pan out, considering that it took another decade and a half before the military would adopt a policy of 'you can be gay as long we don't have to hear about it.'
    He became increasingly uncomfortable about being a symbol for gay rights.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service in Vietnam.
    After finishing his cry, his father said, 'If he can take it, I can take it.'
    His suit against the Air Force was settled out of court for $160,000 and an upgrade of his discharge to honorable.
    The epitaph on his tombstone reads, 'When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2022, Out of 11 Votes: 81.82% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 49 Votes: 53.06% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 23 Votes: 52.17% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 40 Votes: 55.00% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 21 Votes: 61.90% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 80 Votes: 65.00% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 122 Votes: 52.46% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 243 Votes: 60.49% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 180 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 148 Votes: 66.89% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 150 Votes: 32.00% Annoying