30 Days of Pride!

June 16: Kristen Kavanaugh, Executive Director, Military Acceptance Project (MAP)

Kristen Kavanaugh is a 2002 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. She served for five years as an officer in the Marine Corps, eventually attaining the rank of Captain. Unwilling to compromise her integrity, Capt Kavanaugh voluntarily decided to leave the military under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) after no longer being able to lie about her sexual orientation. 

After leaving the Marines, Kavanaugh began pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Work at University of Southern California. In 2011, while a student, Kavanaugh co-founded the Military Acceptance Project - “a non-profit organization that promotes understanding, acceptance and equality for all service members, veterans and their families.” MAP provides essential resources to service members and veterans who have experienced marginalization because of their gender, sexual orientation, faith, race/ethnicity or because of trauma that they received while serving. 

Since the repeal of DADT, this work has become more critical. MAP’s recognition of the sacrifices service members and veterans make, and their commitment to ensuring that they are taken care of is vital to the work of achieving fully LGBT military equality.