In a May 29 – June 4, 2017 issue of Asaval-Dasavali, the newspaper wrote that, allegedly, NATO adopted a new uniform for transgender military personnel. A photo illustration is attached to the material. According to Asaval-Dasavali, the photo shows the transgender soldiers of the alliance in the new uniforms. The newspaper disseminated identical information in May 2016, which was already checkedby Myth Detector.
Asaval-Dasavali: “We have already written that NATO, quite pompously, adopted new military uniforms for gay and lesbian ‘warriors’ last year!… Just try to deny that one of the pre-conditions for Georgia’s membership in the North-Atlantic alliance will be legalizing gay marriage!”
Fact #1: The photo shows not NATO soldiers, but rather the members of the American Civil Liberties Union
The photo was taken on October 20, 2014, on a forum organized by the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington DC. Transgender military personnel from Sweden, New Zealand, Australia and Canada were attending the forum and were sharing experience about military service with each other. The meeting was planned by the Palm Center and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Fact #2: NATO does not have a universal uniform
NATO does not have a single, universal uniform. NATO member states serve with their national uniforms.
Prepared by Novruz Mekhtiev
Myth Detector Lab
