WEBVTT

00:00.159 --> 00:02.420
I am Master Sergeant , Candace Taylor .

00:02.700 --> 00:05.219
I am the superintendent of the 78th Air

00:05.230 --> 00:07.659
Base Wing command post . Uh My

00:07.670 --> 00:11.659
experience in the LGBT community uh so

00:11.670 --> 00:14.489
far in the Air Force has been mostly

00:14.500 --> 00:16.333
positive , obviously , coming up

00:16.333 --> 00:18.389
through the , don't ask , don't tell

00:18.389 --> 00:21.790
era . It's been quite a challenge at

00:21.799 --> 00:24.250
first to try to live your truth , be

00:24.260 --> 00:26.799
who you are and , and serve your

00:26.809 --> 00:30.559
country without being judged or uh

00:30.569 --> 00:33.119
treated unfairly since the repeal of ,

00:33.130 --> 00:36.439
don't ask , don't tell the peers and

00:36.450 --> 00:39.200
the leadership support has been uncanny .

00:39.209 --> 00:41.290
It's been nothing but positive . And

00:41.299 --> 00:43.521
then seeing the dod and the rest of the

00:43.521 --> 00:45.709
military come around and uh being more

00:45.720 --> 00:48.020
supportive , more inclusive uh and

00:48.119 --> 00:50.430
diverse in their efforts to include

00:50.439 --> 00:53.250
everyone has been nothing but positive .

00:53.529 --> 00:55.990
Uh I've definitely seen some

00:56.220 --> 00:59.400
significant changes . Uh Biggest thing

00:59.409 --> 01:02.330
is allowing um you know , marriage uh

01:02.340 --> 01:06.019
between uh LGBT community . Um I

01:06.029 --> 01:08.500
myself uh the military and dod and

01:08.510 --> 01:11.410
federal government recognizing uh my

01:11.419 --> 01:14.129
marriage to uh my wife . Um

01:14.379 --> 01:18.230
also having that support to have I

01:18.239 --> 01:21.410
V F in vitro fertilization to have our

01:21.430 --> 01:25.389
daughter um being included a federal um

01:25.400 --> 01:28.660
leave program for civilians as well for

01:28.669 --> 01:30.709
parental leave so that my wife as a

01:30.720 --> 01:33.930
federal employee can get that 12 weeks

01:33.940 --> 01:36.349
to leave as well . So that was um that

01:36.360 --> 01:38.193
was a big change and it's really

01:38.193 --> 01:39.860
awesome uh allowing her to be

01:39.860 --> 01:41.693
recognized , become a spouse , a

01:41.693 --> 01:45.180
dependent um taking our daughter to ,

01:45.300 --> 01:48.930
you know , the CDC . Um and really the

01:48.940 --> 01:51.349
support uh of the wing and really the ,

01:51.360 --> 01:53.138
the base and the community just

01:53.139 --> 01:55.419
gathering around us to rally and , and

01:55.430 --> 01:58.220
just be supportive and inclusive . So I

01:58.230 --> 02:00.660
love it , I love the changes . I see it

02:00.669 --> 02:03.400
only getting better . Um And I'm , I'm

02:03.410 --> 02:05.279
very proud to be part of that community .