2/4/2012
By CHRIS HUNTER
Less than a year after Congress enacted the "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy in late 1993 that kept gays from openly serving in the U.S. military, Jim Leckliter was one of the first 258 sailors to be discharged from the U.S. Navy.
Leckliter enlisted in the Navy in 1992 while living in Salina and had been stationed in San Diego when he was honorably discharged in 1994. It was one of the first times in his life he felt that he was discriminated against for being gay.
Eighteen years later, "don’t ask don’t tell" has been repealed by the Obama administration, Leckliter is back home in Salina going to school, and he’s fighting for the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Leckliter plans to be in Room 107 of the City-County Building at 4 p.m. Monday as Salina city commissioners are presented a proposed amendment to the city’s code that would prohibit people from being discriminated against based on their gender identity or sexual orientation.
"Our goal is that everyone in Salina be treated equal and be able to get employment, housing and applying for public assistance," said Leckliter, who serves as vice chairman of the North Central Kansas chapter of the Kansas Equality Coalition.


• To read the rest of this story, pick up a copy of Sunday's edition of the Journal.

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