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05/01/2007
Even if you 'don't tell,' will your telling life get you booted?
There are many issues which folks must consider before deciding to serve their country by joining the armed forces. For example: Will camouflage make my ass look big? Will closely cropped hair frame my face in a becoming fashion? If I do know about something even though I've never been officially told, is it ethically responsible of me to say in a chant regarding that particular subject that "I don't know but I've been told"?
Just a lot weighs on the soldier-to-be's mind!
However, for the LGBT potential recruit, there are a whole other slew of "issues" that run through the mind. This email that was sent to us raises just a few of them:
Tomorrow, I'm meeting with a National Guard recruiter. I'm 18, so I can enlist, and I probably will (maybe after a week or so though...and if I don't get steamrolled by basic training), as a medic or in a related MOS. I was wondering if you happened to know of any GLBT veterans'/servicemembers' organizations or people I could contact to find out more about life in the army with the policy. I mean, obviously, that's not going to be the biggest issue in the army, where you're probably more concerned with saving people's lives/not dying yourself, but I know that in Bleu Copas's case, they definitely asked, pursued, and harassed him about his sexual orientation beyond all anything. I know that's anecdotal, but I still worry a little. The reason is that I have participated in gay rights things groups, organizations, and events (Gay-Straight Alliance is right on my college resume, and I'm sure they have access to that), and not only do I want to go as a medic to help American soldiers and innocent Iraqis (not that I'm necessarily going to Iraq, but you know), but I also don't want to get barred from going because of prior participation. If I can keep doing gay rights things while in the military, believe me, I'll do as much as I can. I've removed any references to being "interested in women" (as Facebook would have it) from my Facebook profile, and I'm conflicted as to whether or not to remove the other pro-gay rights references, including groups such as "Legalize Same-Sex Marriage". This email is even from a fake name that I invented a while ago; I doubt it could be traced back to me, and I doubt they would even try for people who aren't higher-ranking officers. My pathetic number of pushups probably jeopardizes my chances more than my same-sex attractions, but I still worry a little...I guess you know how it is. So in conclusion, I was wondering if you happened to know any gay military organizations or people that I could contact. I have tried to do some research on my own, and so far I have the SLDN and some blogs.
So not only is it the reality of their physical attraction that LGBT soldiers worry about stifling, but also their political involvement with causes in which they believe. As if one does not have enough things to worry about when making such a momentous life decision, LGBT soldiers-to-be must also worry that in this day of available information and access, someone might stumble upon something that is considered too "telling" for the openly gay-banning armed forces.
Sad. Offensive. Un-American.
To get involved in helping to lift the ban, visit SLDN:
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network [SLDN]
Your thoughts
Hey, tell him to check out my blog. I'm active-duty and gay, and I write a blog about what it's like. http://verbotenverbiage.unsilence.com
Actually, Unsilence.com, is a network of gay military blogs. He's not alone, I suck at pushups too.
Posted by: Verbo | May 1, 2007 4:42:46 PM
Verbo, it sounded like a girl from the writing, not a guy - and *many* more lesbians enlist than gay men (at least, that's how it is here in Australia, where people are allowed to be open about it).
I joined the Navy not able to do a single pushup lol... luckily girls only have to do 10, which is easy to train for...
Political issues are a problem for everyone when joining the military - you're allowed to support anything you like; as long as no one connects you to the defence force when you do it. Again, I only know the rules where I am, so it might be different in the US.
I've spoken to some older serving members who were around when openly gay people weren't allowed to serve in our defence forces, either... it's not the nicest thing to join, but the ones I've spoken to were the ones who stuck it out, so obviously they loved it anyway. Also seen a documentary from the early 80s (so, just a little before the ban was lifted) called "Real Man's Porsche", about life on DDG's ("Don't Do Girls" - the last of the ships in Australia's navy that didn't have the facilities for two sexes aboard at once). The captain was asked what he'd do if he found out one of his men was gay. His response (remember, this was the 80s) was basically that he would quietly arrange for the man to be put ashore and flown home, to do desk duty somewhere else. The men were asked the same question ("what if you found out one of your shipmates was gay?"), and a couple of them said things on the lines of "Already have. Won't rat him out.", but even the ones who didn't know of one personally basically gave a "Who cares?" type of answer...
[Sidenote: I saw this documentary when I was quite young - my dad was working in the Navy's media relations unit, so he had a copy on tape. My memory is a little vague, and the quotes are my impressions - certainly not verbatim]
I don't know for sure what it's like in America, but the average serving member - even under a ban - cares less about the sexuality of his (or her) mates than what the top brass would have you believe...
Posted by: Anon | May 1, 2007 6:39:25 PM
Hey, thanks for posting this, and thanks for the responses too. =)
Posted by: marie s, formerly jaj | May 7, 2007 12:22:14 PM
Talk to us
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