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The US Senate has just approved landmark legislation allowing openly gay people to serve in the military.

Senators voted by 65 to 31 to overturn the 1993 'don't ask, don't tell' law, which barred gay people in the military from revealing their sexual orientation.

One man who had campaigned for the change in the law was former US marine Justin Elzie.

In 1993, he became the first person to be discharged from the marines on the grounds of his sexuality under the 'don't ask don't tell' law.

But he took the army to court and was eventually reinstated to serve four more years.

Justin comes from a conservative Christian farming family in Wyoming.

He was bullied at school and later attended a Bible College.

In his teens he struggled to come to terms with his sexuality.

When Outlook's Matthew Bannister spoke to Justin Elzie on the line from New York, he began by explaining why he first decided to join the marines.