▁the ▁first ▁such ▁political ▁out ing ▁of ▁an ▁elected ▁official ▁by ▁American ▁activ ists . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁years , ▁Pet rel is ▁became ▁an ▁out sp oken ▁pro ponent ▁of ▁out ing ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁most ▁prominent ▁pract ition ers ; ▁at ▁a ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁press ▁conference ▁on ▁the ▁steps ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Capit ol , ▁he ▁out ed ▁a ▁dozen ▁public ▁figures , ▁although ▁no ▁news ▁out lets ▁published ▁the ▁names , ▁and ▁he ▁played ▁a ▁p iv otal ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁out ing ▁of ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Def ense ▁for ▁Public ▁Affairs ▁P ete ▁Williams ▁by ▁writer ▁Michel ang elo ▁Sign or ile ▁in ▁The ▁Adv oc ate , ▁an ▁American ▁L GB T - inter est ▁magazine . ▁ ▁When ▁Terry ▁M . ▁Hel vey ▁and ▁an ▁accomp lice ▁murder ed ▁Hel vey ' s ▁ship mate , ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁Se aman ▁Allen ▁R . ▁Sch ind ler , ▁Jr . ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁because ▁Sch ind ler ▁was ▁gay , ▁Pet rel is ▁tra ve led ▁twice ▁to ▁Japan ▁to ▁press ▁the ▁Navy ▁for ▁justice ▁on ▁Sch ind ler ' s ▁beh alf ▁and ▁to ▁monitor ▁the ▁ ▁trial , ▁while ▁raising ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁the ▁hate ▁crime ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁ ▁After ▁re loc ating ▁to ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁California , ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁Pet rel is