Eric Fanning to be awarded at Capital Pride
Eric Fanning, the first openly gay Secretary of the Army, will receive the Paving the Way award
Eric Fanning, who was last week sworn in as the first openly gay Secretary of the Army, will be honored at this year’s Capital Pride Heroes Gala.
Fanning will receive the Paving the Way award, honoring “those in public life who have shown courage and leadership in helping to advance the cause of LGBTI rights.” He joins eight other individuals being honored at the awards, including Bishop Allyson Abrams, Kathleen Matthews, Rayceen Pendarvis, and Julius Agers.
“The Capital Pride Alliance is grateful to all of the Capital Pride Heroes honorees, and their contributions to the advancement of rights for all Americans,” said Bernie Delia, President of the Board of Directors of the Capital. “We welcome the addition of the Honorable Eric Fanning for his groundbreaking military role, and we celebrate the advancement his recent appointment represents.”
At his swearing-in ceremony, Fanning called his appointment a “tremendous honor,” coming just five years after the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Alluding to Republican attempts to blockade his nomination, he said: “It has been a long process to get here, one that I don’t think even the writers from House of Cards could have scripted if they tried.”
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter called Fanning “one of our country’s most knowledgeable, dedicated and experienced civil servants.
“Eric embodies the kind of strong and steady leadership and civilian commitment to our men and women in uniform that have made our military the finest fighting force the world has ever known,” Carter continued.
The Capital Pride Heroes Gala will take place June 1 at the Carnegie Library, 801 K Street NW. For more information on the Gala and The Paving the Way Award, please visit the Capital Pride Alliance website at capitalpride.org.
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