▁the ▁gay ▁sail or ' s ▁death ▁was ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁the ▁military ' s ▁ban ▁on ▁hom osex uals ▁that ▁Cl inton ▁had ▁promised ▁to ▁repe al . ▁He ▁tele phon ed ▁Sch ind ler ' s ▁mother , ▁Dor othy ▁H aj d ys , ▁and ▁told ▁her ▁his ▁intent ions ▁to ▁raise ▁aw aren ess ▁about ▁the ▁crime ▁for ▁political ▁reasons . ▁ ▁Pet rel is ▁v owed ▁to ▁turn ▁Sch ind ler ▁into ▁" the ▁gay ▁Rod ney ▁King ." ▁He ▁organized ▁a ▁press ▁conference ▁and ▁protest ▁on ▁the ▁steps ▁of ▁the ▁Pent agon ▁that ▁prompt ed ▁coverage ▁on ▁local ▁television ▁stations ▁that ▁night . ▁Activ ists ▁claimed ▁the ▁protest ▁also ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁Navy ▁to ▁disc lose ▁previously ▁conce aled ▁details ▁of ▁the ▁crime . ▁Pet rel is ▁believed ▁the ▁Navy ▁was ▁down play ing ▁Sch ind ler ' s ▁hom osex ual ity . ▁H aj d ys ▁compla ined ▁that ▁the ▁Navy ▁did ▁not ▁inform ▁her ▁until ▁December ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁that ▁her ▁son ▁had ▁open ly ▁identified ▁himself ▁as ▁hom osex ual ▁a ▁month ▁before ▁the ▁murder . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁six ▁months , ▁Pet rel is ▁organized ▁numerous ▁press ▁con ferences ▁at ▁the ▁Pent agon , ▁the ▁White ▁House , ▁and ▁in ▁Japan . ▁H aj d ys ▁said ▁that , ▁without ▁the ▁public ▁attention , ▁" the ▁Navy ▁would ▁white w ash ▁the ▁whole ▁thing ." . ▁She ▁fe ared ▁the ▁Navy ▁was ▁trying ▁to ▁cover ▁up