When I served in the Army some thirty-odd years ago, there was no such thing as “don’t ask, don’t tell.” If you were homosexual, you were considered a deviant by the military. Two guys I served with were gay, and one was found out and kicked out of the Army—but not before the Army, and those he served with, put him through hell. The other lived in fear, hiding who he was lest he be found out and kicked out himself. He shared his secret with only a few close friends, and it was a secret we all closely guarded, as we knew the stakes if someone in the chain of command found out.
Over time, the military transitioned from an outright ban on homosexuality to the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy under President Bill Clinton. You could still be kicked out, but if you hid your sexuality, you could serve. This policy fell far short of what should have happened, which should have been that if you volunteered, you should be able to serve, regardless of your sexual orientation.
Under President Barack Obama, the restrictions on serving based on sexual orientation were finally eliminated. The current White House resident reinstated a ban on transgender individuals serving in the military because, well, he is a vile human being. But I digress.
The military has slowly but surely moved into the 21st century in regard to allowing anyone who wants to serve and meets the requirements (e.g., for height, weight, physical fitness, etc.) to serve (with the exception of Trump’s hateful ban on transgender service members).
The U.S. Navy has now taken one more step toward acceptance. A San Diego Union-Tribune report republished by the military- and veteran-focused website Task & Purpose notes,
Construction began Friday on the future Harvey Milk, a fleet oiler named for the slain gay rights leader and the first openly gay man elected in California.
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“Today the Navy's constructing a ship named after the first openly gay elected official in California," [California Assemblymember Todd Gloria] said. "It shows the progress we're making and a deepening of the commitment the military has to including gay and lesbian service members."
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Fleet oilers like the future Harvey Milk are used to replenish fuel oil and dry goods to Navy ships at sea. The Milk will be the second ship in the new John Lewis class of fleet oilers. The future John Lewis, named for the civil rights leader and congressman, also is being built at NASSCO San Diego.
Many are not aware that Harvey Milk was a U.S. Navy veteran who was forced to resign his commission. The article notes,
Almost 30 years before his election, Milk was a Navy dive officer based in San Diego. His nephew, Stuart Milk, attended Friday's event and said naming the ship after his uncle sends a message to people around the world.
"(This) sends a global message of inclusion more powerful than simply 'We'll tolerate everyone,'" Milk said. "(It says) We celebrate everyone."
Milk said his uncle was forced to resign from the Navy in the 1950s after being caught in a San Diego park popular with gay men. To be honored now with a ship showed how much things have changed, he said.
The changes over the last 30 years in the U.S. military as an institution in regard to its treatment of the LGBTQ community have been huge. The sad thing, as is shown in the case of bans on transgender personnel serving, is that the far right is still using LGBTQ people as a weapon in the ridiculous culture wars it is still fighting. If you care to, you can look at the comments under Task & Purpose’s Facebook posting of the article. While there are some who support the new ship’s name, there are others who are homophobic and hateful. I will not repeat their comments here.
While the military is doing the right thing, it is sad to see that many veterans cannot accept changing times. Many years ago my mom worked with a woman whose son had just come out as gay. She disowned her son. My mom, who did not understand homosexuality and who was homophobic, could never understand how any mother could disown their child.
When I see and hear my fellow veterans using slurs and homophobic language against those who served alongside us, I wonder what is wrong with them. How could they hate someone who signed on the same dotted line we all did, and did the same jobs, who put their lives on the line the same way we all did?
The Navy naming a ship after Harvey Milk shows how far we as a society have come. The hatred and vitriol on the Facebook post announcing it shows how far we as a society have yet to go.