Despite momentous medical advancements in the treatment of HIV, outdated and illogical military policies still prohibit people living with HIV from enlisting in the military, serving as a commissioned officer, and deploying. These policies serve only to further perpetuate harmful HIV stigma, particularly targeting LGBTQ communities and communities of color, and to erase a professional career opportunity that leads to lifelong educational and employment advancement for communities that suffer from less access than their white peers. This panel will be comprised of diverse attorneys from legal organizations and law firms with professional expertise in complex federal litigation, including HIV discrimination cases. The panel will address legal and extralegal challenges to abolishing discriminatory military policies. We will discuss the power of legal and medical advocacy in this arena and the efforts to enhance community empowerment centered on the richness of identity. The workshop will also discuss recent legal cases and examine the public pressure points that support policy advocacy around this issue.

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