And there always have been.
The issue has been around as long as our country. Above, some of the earliest LGBT activists assembled in 1945 to protest the Navy's ban on gay sailors.
Many people think the clock started on the gays and the military issue in 1993. But truth is, that was just when Bill Clinton managed to reset the clock on the issue. It had of course been perculating in LGBT activist circles for a long time. And it had built up enough steam Clinton thought he could utlize it to win the Presidency. The New York Times reported on November 5, 1992
Gay Areas Are Jubilant Over Clinton
After a bitter year in which homosexual issues figured in a Presidential election for the first time, men and women took to the streets Tuesday night in gay enclaves like San Francisco and West Hollywood, weeping, dancing and hugging to celebrate the victory of Gov. Bill Clinton.
Gay and lesbian leaders described the election of Mr. Clinton, an advocate of homosexual rights, as a historic moment in the history of gay politics. As recently as a decade ago, strong advocacy of gay rights was considered political suicide for just about any candidate, let alone one for the Presidency.
Yeah, that didn't really work out so well for us.
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From Randy Shilts' definitive book on gays in the military, Conduct Unbecoming:
Even before the Armed Forces of the United States were formally organized, gays were bearing arms for the yet unborn nation. The United States might never have become a nation, in fact, were it not for the services of one particular gay general in the first difficult years of the American Revolution.
In 1777, the rebellion was going badly. General George Washington made a dashing figure on horseback and was revered by troops, but he had little background in the art of military drills and training. Thirteen disparate and mutually suspicious colonies had contributed soldiers for what were, in effect, thirteen different armies. Though all fought in the fraying banner of the Continental Army, they were not yet one unified and disciplined force. The army desperately needed training, an in Paris, Benjamin Franklin plotted to supply the one man he believed could save them: Baron Frederich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Stueben., one of Europe's leading military prodigies.
Steuben was the son of a Prussian army officer of high enough rank to be able to secure King Frederick William I as the godfather for the infant. At sixteen, young Steuben followed his father into the army, and distinguished himself in the Seven Years War, in which he was taken prisoner by the Russians. While a prisoner, history records, Steuben became a favorite of Czar Peter III and Peter's ambitious wife, who soon overthrew her husband and became Czarina Catherine the Great. After his release, Steuben was a particularly valuable aide to the greatest military genius of the era, King Frederick II of Prussia.
Frederick was a master military strategist, and transformed Prussia into one of the strongest armies in the continent. As Frederick's protege, Steuben was groomed, educated, trained and became a member of the Royal Great General Staff. He moved on to other military positions in Europe. Franklin made several overtures to recruit Steuben but the nascent Continental Army could not afford him. Fate intervened, and complications arose. He was accused of he was having an improper relationship with a young man, a copy of the letter still exists. A newspaper at the time obliquely hinted at an "abominable rumor which accused Steuben of a crime of suspicion of which at another more exalted court of that time (as formerly among the Greeks) would hardly have aroused such attention." The time seemed right for Steuben to find a new geography. He accepted Franklin's invitation to join the American forces at the rank of Lt. General.
When Steuben arrived in America, it was in the company of a handsome seventeen-year-old French Nobleman who served as his secretary and interpreter. The pair was entertained by Governer John Hancock in Boston and was immediately the toast of the revolutionary leadership.
His impact on the Revolutionary cause was incalculable. Some historians have counted Steuben, along with General Washington, as one of the only two men who's services were "indepensible" to the success of the Revolution. When the American cause was won at Yorktown and Washington issued his letters of congratulatorty praise, Steuben was one of only three commanders he singled out for praise. In 1783, General Washington's last official act as Commander in Chief of the Continental Arm was to write a letter of thanking Steuben. As Colonel Hamilton later wrote, "Tis unquestionably to his efforts we are indebted for the introduction of discipline into the Army.
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JACQUELINE BEYER. WAC, WWII. Helped break Japanese codes.
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VINCENT MILES. US Army, WWII.
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HELEN HARDER. Women's Army Air Corps, WWII. Flight instructor.
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Roy Fitzgerald aka ROCK HUDSON. US Navy, WWII
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Harvey Milk
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DON SLATER. US Army, WWII. Cofounded "ONE," the first long-lasting US gay magazine in 1952. Fought Postal officials to landmark US Supreme Court ruling protecting freedom of speech in the mail. Led 1966 motorcade protest of gay ban in Los Angeles.
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San Francisco, 1966.
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September 1975 Leonard Matlovich was the first to volunteer to fight the military's ban on gays. A universal soldier in the fight against AIDS and for full LGBT equality in every arena. He was also a loving son, brother, uncle, friend, and "father" of untold numbers of lives. He lived out & proud.
Unfortunately, Matlovich never lived to see the Armed Services allow LGBT members to serve with integrity and honor.
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TRACY THORNE. US Navy "Top Gun" bombardier-navigator. One of only a few who volunteered to publicly out themselves as Leonard did, whom he often credits for inspiration. Discharged TWICE—under old ban & DADT. Upheld by courts. Courageous, eloquent leader who challenged Sam Nunn's shameless dog & pony show
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Margarethe Cammermeyer, In 1989, in response to a question during a routine security clearance interview, she disclosed that she is a lesbian. The "don't ask, don't tell" policy was not yet in effect at the time, and the National Guard began military discharge proceedings against her. On June 11, 1992, she was honorably discharged from the military. Cammermeyer filed a lawsuit against the decision in civil court. In June 1994, Judge Thomas Zilly of the federal district court in Seattle ruled her discharge, and the ban on gays and lesbians serving in the military, unconstitutional. She returned to the National Guard and served as one of the few officially accepted openly gay or lesbian people in the military until her retirement in 1997.
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BRIG. GEN. KEITH H. KERR, US Army Reserve, California State Military Reserve. Created Right Wing firestorm when he challenged 2008 Republican Presidential candidates during CNN debate to oppose DADT.
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Recent DADT casualties Joseph Rocha, Anthony Woods, & Dan Choi.
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We have two letters today. The first is from Aubrey Sarvis, Executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which has sponsored this series, and helped thousands of LGB service members battle this draconian law since 1993.
May 28, 2010
President Barack H. Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
For the past month, we have sent you personal letters from those harmed by “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” With the votes in the House and the Senate Armed Services Committee, we are bringing our series to a close. The final letter we are sharing with you was written by a World War II soldier to another service member. It is a love letter penned on the occasion of their anniversary.
The letter, which follows below, was published in September 1961 by ONE Magazine – an early gay magazine based out of Los Angeles. In 2000, Bob Connelly, an adjunct professor of LGBT studies at American University, found a copy of the letter in the Library of Congress. He brought the letter to the attention of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network last month.
We sincerely thank Mr. Connelly for his research and the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives for granting permission for the letter to be republished.
Please accept this letter on the behalf of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members on active-duty, in the reserve and in the National Guard; those who have been discharged; and those who didn’t enlist because of the discriminatory law now being dismantled.
With great respect,
Former Specialist 4th Class Aubrey Sarvis
United States Army
The final letter in this series was written by a World War II soldier to another on the occasion of their anniversary. It is a love letter. It was published in September 1961 by ONE Magazine – an early gay magazine based out of Los Angeles. In 2000, Bob Connelly -- an adjunct professor of LGBT studies at American University –- found a copy of the letter in the Library of Congress. He brought the letter to the attention of SLDN last month. We sincerely thank Mr. Connelly for his research and the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives for granting permission for the letter to be republished in this series.”
The letter as published by ONE Magazine, September 1961:
Dear Dave,
This is in memory of an anniversary – the anniversary of October 27th, 1943, when I first heard you singing in North Africa. That song brings memories of the happiest times I’ve ever known. Memories of a GI show troop – curtains made from barrage balloons – spotlights made from cocoa cans – rehearsals that ran late into the evenings – and a handsome boy with a wonderful tenor voice. Opening night at a theatre in Canastel – perhaps a bit too much muscatel, and someone who understood. Exciting days playing in the beautiful and stately Municipal Opera House in Oran – a misunderstanding – an understanding in the wings just before opening chorus.
Drinks at “Coq d’or” – dinner at the “Auberge” – a ring and promise given. The show 1st Armoured – muscatel, scotch, wine – someone who had to be carried from the truck and put to bed in his tent. A night of pouring rain and two very soaked GIs beneath a solitary tree on an African plain. A borrowed French convertible – a warm sulphur spring, the cool Mediterranean, and a picnic of “rations” and hot cokes. Two lieutenants who were smart enough to know the score, but not smart enough to realize that we wanted to be alone. A screwball piano player – competition – miserable days and lonely nights. The cold, windy night we crawled through the window of a GI theatre and fell asleep on a cot backstage, locked in each other’s arms – the shock when we awoke and realized that miraculously we hadn’t been discovered. A fast drive to a cliff above the sea – pictures taken, and a stop amid the purple grapes and cool leaves of a vineyard.
The happiness when told we were going home – and the misery when we learned that we would not be going together. Fond goodbyes on a secluded beach beneath the star-studded velvet of an African night, and the tears that would not be stopped as I stood atop the sea-wall and watched your convoy disappear over the horizon.
We vowed we’d be together again “back home,” but fate knew better – you never got there. And so, Dave, I hope that where ever you are these memories are as precious to you as they are to me.
Goodnight, sleep well my love.
Brian Keith
(Reprinted with permission of ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives,
www.onearchives.org, ONE Magazine, September 1961)
Images courtesy of LeonardMatlovich.com, a website in memory of Leonard Matlovich and dedicated to fighting bigotry and homophobia in our national's military. It is a treasure trove of information and history.
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NOTE ON POLL QUESTION: this much we know: it's impossible before October, when the final vote comes. The stall implementation study comes in December, the bill gives everyone time to crunch it. Then the Pentagon makes new rules, then President Obama, Robert Gates and Mike Mullen look at them, and then they presumably certify repeal. Then there's a 60 day wait period. President Obama could issue a stop-loss at any time, even this week.