• Gays in the Military: Gen. Pace & Sen. Harkin Face Off

Letters From Supporters

Time to scrap obsolete, oppressive ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy

By Robert Schumacher

Since 1992, the armed forces have lived with the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, and since 1992, we have been asking gays to live a lie to serve in our Navy.

Many Western military forces have scrapped anti-gay policies, replacing them with strict policies on sexual harassment.

Why do we still have this outdated, discriminatory policy? To quote DoD Directive 1332.14 (from 1981, the policy prior to “don’t ask”): “Homosexuality is incompatible with military service. The presence in the military environment of persons who engage in homosexual conduct or who, by their statements, demonstrate a propensity to engage in homosexual conduct, seriously impairs the accomplishment of the military mission. The presence of such members adversely affects the ability of the armed forces to maintain discipline, good order, and morale; to foster mutual trust and confidence among service members; to insure the integrity of the system of rank and command; to facilitate assignment and worldwide deployment of service members who frequently must live and work in close conditions affording minimal privacy; to recruit and retain members of the armed forces; to maintain the public acceptability of military service; and to prevent breaches of security.”

I’ve wondered for years how the presence of a gay service member “seriously impairs the accomplishment of the military mission.” Does being gay prevent one from fighting fires, operating reactors, flying fighters or serving in a combat unit?

Integrity of rank and command? We have been able to accept women in command of ships, and co-ed carriers, and minorities represented in all communities of our armed forces and every rank.

Conditions affording minimal privacy? If you have issues with lack of privacy, you picked the wrong career.

Public acceptability? It’s the 21st century.

Breaches of security? I’ve read the stories of many former service members who were gay, and the breaches of security simply aren’t there. So, it’s down to “the ability of the armed forces to maintain discipline, good order, and morale; to foster mutual trust and confidence among service members.” Here’s where we get to the real reason for the military’s continued discrimination.

It’s not homosexuals who are the problem, it’s our straight members — those who fear what they don’t understand, who bring with them their prejudices and misconceptions of homosexuality. The ones who harass, humiliate, intimidate, assault and discriminate against those who are doing nothing more (or less) than any of the rest of us.

Homosexuals serve for the same reasons as the rest of us: for the college money, for the travel, for patriotism and service to our nation. Some came to the Navy because of the Sept. 11 attacks. Some simply needed a good job.

Our service values honor, courage and commitment. Where is the honor in telling those who serve with us to live a lie? Where is the courage in refusing to accept change? Where is the commitment to equality, the commitment we’ve shown in breaking down barriers for women, minorities and even foreigners who now serve in our ranks?

We have the ability to track our enemies from outer space, put missiles on target from under the ocean’s surface, to field the best-equipped and best-trained ground forces in the world. We certainly should be able to accept those who live a different sexual lifestyle and be able to realize that they are no different in any truly important way.

The writer is an electronics technician first class stationed in Hawaii.

-Jason Knight

Declassefied Discrimination

Posted on Military.com's forum, this declassified 1942 document from the Chairman of the General Board W.R. Sexton to the Secretary of the Navy is a 'tell-all' of just how discriminatory our country was and in some ways still is.

Excerpts:
On Negroes being enlisted.
"How many white men would choose, of their own accord, that their closest associates...be of another race? How many would accept such conditions, if required to do so, without resentment and just as a matter of course? The General Board believes that the answer is "Few, if any," and further believes that if the issue were forced, there would be a lowering of contentment, teamwork and discipline in the service."

Wait. Haven't we heard this same argument recently?

It goes on.
"One of the tenets of the recruiting service is that each recruit for general service is potentially a leading Petty Officer." And get this. "If Negroes are recruited for general service, it can be said at once that few will obtain advancement to petty officer." And that officers in general "will not recommend Negroes for promotion to positions of authority over white men."

If you continue to read it, it will only make you angry that we were ever that evil to one group of people. But has anything really changed? The Chairman goes on to say that it is much more important "that we have the full-hearted cooperation of the thirty million white southern Americans than that we satisfy the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People."

We hear discrimination along these same lines against 65,000 lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members that are serving today, which is an extremely low underestimate. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Peter Pace said in March that homosexuality is “immoral” and that he supports Don’t Ask Don’t Tell because “we should not condone immoral acts.” In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Pace also compared homosexuality to adultery, claiming that the military should “not tolerate” homosexuality just as it rejects “military members who sleep with other military members’ wives.”

The same underlying reason-discrimination-is used against groups of people that long only to serve the country they believe in, to protect the freedoms they live by, and to hold on to that glimmer of a great nation.

The Old Adventures of New Duncan Hunter?

There goes Duncan Hunter.

Yes, it's true. The notoriously homophobic Congressman from California - who steadfastly refused to appreciate or even acknowledge the service of the LGBT Americans in our armed forces - is retiring.

But, as the saying goes, there will always be another Duncan Hunter. And as The Hill reports, old Duncan (pictured) is stepping down just as "his 30-year-old son prepares to mount a race for his father’s seat."

Welcome to The Old Adventures of New Duncan Hunter.

[New] "Hunter says he will soon formally announce his candidacy, but not on April Fool’s Day," the paper reports. "'Not April 1 of course,'" he said, laughing. "'Maybe a day after.'"

Actually, April 1 may be all too appropriate for starting a new Duncan Hunter campaign.

If, like his father, 'New' Duncan thinks LGBT service members haven't earned the respect and admiration of our country, he's another fool, too. And if he thinks Americans will allow him to treat our men and women in uniform so dismissively, the joke's going to be on him.

Here's hoping the voters of Hunter's district are no fools, either. One Duncan Hunter seemed one too many; two Duncan Hunters would be much too much for sure.

The Hunters' anti-gay antics are becoming very, very old.

And while there may not be anymore dates for me with Old Duncan Hunter, it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make if I just don't have to put up with the 'New.'

- Steve Ralls

The Advocate turns 40!

Thanks in large part to the pioneering efforts of Cher, no one in LA actually looks their age. That fact was definatly true for the guest of honor at last week's party celebrating the 40th Anniversary of The Advocate -- the magazine itself!

Always topical, never boring -- The Advocate remains, forty years after its first publication, young, hip and relevant.

First published in 1967 by founder Dick Michaels, the Advocate gave voice to a community of men and women who had long been relegated to the fringes of society. Through the 1970's The Advocate helped to cultivate the LGBT community's sense of personal pride and in the 1980's The Advocate helped to bring national attention to the plight of our community as we suffered through the AIDS crisis. Today, the Advocate stands as America's preeminent LGBT magazine, attracting readers from all walks of life interested in a gay perspective on issues and events of the day.

As testiment to the important place The Advocate holds in the LGBT community, presidential aspirent Sen. Hillary Clinton will grace the cover of next month's issue and discuss, with reporter Sean Kennedy, political issues affecting the LGBT community and what is at stake in the 2008 election (including repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell").

Thank you to the editorial staff at the Advocate for hosting this event and for giving us all the opportunity to pause and reflect on just how far
our community, and our nation, has come in 40 years. When you think about it, that should be celebrated!

-Victor Maldonado

'Tell' Comes to Alexandria, Va.

The Alexandria Commission for the Arts has put together the “First Annual Alexandria International Film Festival” for this coming weekend. The festival's inaugural event will feature Tell, a film about the military’s "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" ban (details below).

The film screenings are free, and all films will be shown at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Madison Building, 600 Dulany Street (close to the King St. Metro). The complete line-up of films can be viewed here. Tell is the only GLBT-related film selected for the festival.

Here are the complete details:

Saturday, September 29

2 pm: TELL – The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy started well over a decade ago and banned gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. Director Tom Murray adds a human face to the debate as he set out across the country to talk with gay and lesbian veterans and their allies, about the struggles faced by dedicated and patriotic Americans who want to serve their country, but can only do so while not being honest about who they fully are. Directed by Tom Murray; 1:23; 2007

3:30 pm: Presentation by CAPT Joan Darrah USN (Ret.) and Paul Tschudi U.S. Army Veteran Spec. 5 and Asst. Professor at George Washington University who appear in the film Tell and will share their experiences, both with “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and in making the film.

- Steve Ralls

Honoring Our Fallen

A memorial service for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered men and women who died serving our country - in all our nation's wars - will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Veterans Day, November 11, at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C. I am honored to be leading this year's service, which is sponsored by the Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance and the American Veterans for Equal Rights. The service will take place at the grave site of Air Force Sgt. Leonard Matlovich, a Vietnam veteran, on whose stone is carved these words: "They gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one."

The entire community is invited. For more information, contact Mike at
NAVYDOCNOVA@aol.com.

- Mike Rankin, M.D., Capt, MC, USN, (Ret.)

Must See TV -- "Los Otros"

All this week, LOGO will be broadcasting a special news documentary speaking with "Los Otros," members of the queer Latin and Hispanic community who define themselves as "The Others." Former SLDN client Sonya Contreras is profiled sharing about her five years of service in the U.S. Army and her dismisall from the service in 2003 because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

The thirty minute special airs (all times are EST):

Friday: at 5am and again 8pm
Saturday: 9:30am
Sunday: 4:30am, again at 12pm and again at 8:30pm

So tune in to hear Sonya tell her story and learn more about the real costs inflicted on America's armed forces because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

Click here to find LOGO programing in your area.

-Victor Maldonado

Questions Surrounding a Lesbian Soldier's Death

Today's New York Times has the story of Army Sergeant Denise A. Lannaman, a native of Kingston, Jamaica who joined the U.S. Army and, by at least one account, became a stellar service member who, in the end, may have also been the victim of a blackmail campaign aimed at exposing her sexual orientation and drumming her out of the armed forces.

A veteran of the war in Iraq, Lannaman (pictured) was most recently assigned to a desk job at a procurement office in Kuwait. She carried out her duties there with "superb performance," according to one superior, and her steadfastness "eliminated misuse of [military] funds by 36 percent."

But some evidence also points to the possibility that another soldier - more intent on laundering money than saving it - may have tried to use Lannaman's sexual orientation as a way to blackmail her into silence.

From the Times:

"Sergeant Lannaman originally had been scheduled to leave her Kuwait assignment on Aug. 27, 2006. But 10 days earlier, the top logistics officer, Lt. Col. Marshall Gutierrez, was arrested outside a restaurant in Kuwait. He was accused of shaking down a laundry contractor for a $3,400 bribe.

After his arrest, Colonel Gutierrez was released to his quarters. He was found dead on Sept. 4, next to an empty bottle of prescription sleeping pills and an open container of what appeared to be antifreeze, according to military records."

Then the story becomes seemingly more complicated.

"On Oct. 1, [Lannaman] had a private meeting with a superior officer, said George Roach, a retired Army sergeant first class who served as the military liaison with the family," the story reports. "A military investigator later told the family that at this meeting, Sergeant Lannaman was told that she would be sent home in disgrace, according to Lannaman's sister. "We were not given a reason," the sister said. “Were they trying to scare her, had she stepped on toes of people who were profiteering, did someone threaten to expose her homosexuality?” she asked.

There don't seem to be any clear answers.

Did Gutierrez use the threat of an 'outing' to scare Lannaman into silence? Was her guilt over not holding Gutierrez responsible for his theft the reason behind her suicide? Was Lannaman the latest example of the untenable position LGBT service members are put in because of the ban on their service?

No one seems to know for sure.

"An Army spokesman, Lt. Col. William Wiggins, said yesterday that Sergeant Lannaman had not been teh subject of any contract investigations, and that he could not say whether she had been threatened with dismissal from the service," the Times reports.

Indeed, it doesn't appear that the full set of facts in Sergeant Lannaman's case have surfaced yet.

Stay tuned here at Frontlines for more information. SLDN will continue to monitor the case and try to find out more about what led to Lannaman's death.

- Steve Ralls

Talking About Heroes

The Advocate is out with its 40th anniversary issue, highlighting the LGBT community's top 40 heroes, as selected via an Advocate poll. Ellen DeGeneres (yep, she's gay) topped the list, and there are three entries in the top 40 of particular interest to SLDN supporters.

Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer, a member of SLDN's military advisory council, clocks in at #9. "Why should we be good enough to be cannon fodder but not good enough to serve at home?," Cammermeyer asked the magazine in 2001. "Twelve years earlier, as a colonel in the Washington State National Guard," the magazine writes, "she became the highest-ranking official in the U.S. military to come out of the closet while still in service. The result was an honorable discharge, a decision Cammermeyer fought until a federal judge ruled that the ban on gays and lesbians in the military was unconstitutional and reinstated her."

Colonel Cammermeyer also tells The Advocate that gay troops can have another impact. "Imagine if every gay military person said 'If I can't be open, I'm out of here - send the straight people to war, and I'll stay home and go to gay pride parades," she said. "Now is a good time to leave the military - the very time we are needed the most. The impact would be phenomenal. Maybe then we'd get rid of this stupid, half-assed law."

Leonard Matlovich, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, ranks #36 on the list. Matlovich was featured on the cover of Time magazine in 1975, and was the palintiff in an ACLU lawsuit challenging the ban on gays in the military. He won an honorable discharge and settlement in 1980.

And author Randy Shilts is #31 on the top 40 heroes list. Shilts is the author of Conduct Unbecoming, the definitive history on LGBT military service. (And, each year, SLDN presents its Randy Shilts Visibility Award to someone who has singificantly increased the visibility of gay service personnel.)

Congratulations to everyone who made the list of 40 heroes! And for more information on The Advocate's special 40th anniversary issue, click here.

- Steve Ralls

Biden Calls Military Ban 'Bizarre'

Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden (pictured) weighed in on a number of LGBT issues over the weekend, including the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual troops.

Senator Biden (D-DE) called the ban "bizarre," according to the Des Moines Register. "He recalled a conversation with a serviceman in Iraq," the paper reported. "Asked his opinion of the policy, the soldier's response to it, Biden said, was, 'What difference does it make? The question is, 'Can he shoot straight?'"

Indeed, that now infamous proclamation from former Senator Barry Goldwater is becoming a popular talking point on the Democratic campaign trail. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) has also used Goldwater's quote on the campaign, and even New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd brought it up in her recent column on the topic.

And while there are many other words that come to mind when thinking about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," bizarre seems to work, too. After all, it certainly doesn't make sense to fire two good people every day, only to replace them with two people who wouldn't be qualified for service under the enlistment standards of yesterday.

- Steve Ralls

SLDN at Lavender Law

It's September, so it must be time for Lavender Law!

For those of you who have never heard of it before, Lavender Law is the annual conference of the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association (NLGLA). This year, our entire legal team (Sharra Greer, Kathi Westcott, Emily Hecht, and Aaron Tax) packed their bags and headed off to Chicago to share with the LGBT legal community all of the good work SLDN has been doing over the past year and to hear about the latest developments in the LGBT legal world (for Sen. McCain’s benefit -- LGBT means Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender).

This year SLDN really expanded its presence at Lavender Law, participating in four of the nearly thirty break-out sessions at the confernce. This is due not only to the tremendous amount of political attention being focused on the issue of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," but also because of the increasing amount of (groundbreaking) work the SLDN legal team has been doing in the impact of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” on the families of LGB service members. A growing number of states provide recognition of same-sex relationships; including laws which govern civil unions, marriage, domestic partnerships, health benefits and adoption. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” however, prohibits service personnel from taking advantage of those new opportunities because of the ban on open service and, as a result, a new area of law is beginning to emerge.

Kathi sat on a panel entitled “In the Crosshairs: the Military Family,” where she talked about the plight of gay military families and how “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” impacts -- emotionally, financially, and legally -- the lives of the partners and children of gay service members.

Sharra sat on two panels - one entitled “From FAIR (v. Rumsfeld) to Equal: The Top Five Things Law Students Can Do to Address the Discrimination Inherent in the Solomon Amendment,” and another entitled “LGBT Pro Bono in Private Practice.”

Aaron and Emily, along with SLDN friend and attorney, Bridget Wilson, participated in a mock trial entitled “Representing the Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine in a (Mock) Separation Action and Board Hearing.” Sharra, Kathi, and Bridget served as the judges, Emily served as the defense attorney, and Aaron served as prosecutor. Luckily, for the “service member” involved in the mock trail, he was retained. Its too bad all cases don't have such a happy ending!

From our collegues at Lavender Law we learned that LGBT service members are not alone in the struggles they face. Other members of the community face quite different, but equally heart-wrenching, problems.

For example, we learned that many LGBT foreign nationals seek asylum in the United States because they are prosecuted in their home countries because of their sexual orientation. In some countries, like Iran, people are even executed simply for being gay!

Unfortunately, foreign nationals who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, run into a road block in their asylum applications. They must figure out how to “prove” to the U.S. government that they are in fact gay. We heard the story of a client who went so far as to provide copies of tickets from the Cher concert he once attended -- I don’t recall if he made the cut!

We are already looking forward to next year, when we’ll again be able to meet and share ideas with attorneys at Lambda Legal, the Task Force, and other allied organizations. Maybe Secretary Gates and the new Attorney General will join us for some good times and information sharing!!

-Aaron Tax

Great Britain Continues to Shine

It never ceases to amaze just how far the U.S. is in the closet, and with each new news-piece (as printed here today) we seem to dive farther in there.

Her Majesty's Armed Forces will be holding its third Joint Service LGBT Conference in November hosted by the Royal Air Force. The two-day event will focus on diversity training, presentations and workshops, and will be a social networking opportunity for personnel and their partners.

The Royal Navy and Air Force are both members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme and the Ministry of Defence, as a whole, strives to promote all of the armed services as "good employers for minority groups."

Since the country removed it's ban on LGB service members in 2000, they have since continued to affect social and policy change.

Things you may have missed:
Britain Apologizes to LGB Members Booted Under Ban
Britain Pays More than 6 Million to LGB Troops Booted Out

The examples that Great Britain continues to show are an overwhelming affirmation that we are able to look past our own prejudices and value persons for their actions and conduct. Now if we could only get our leaders to see things that way...

-Jason Knight

In His Own Words -- Eric Alva

Speaking at the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association’s (NLGJA) annual conference in San Diego, CA was a positive experience, not just for me, but for the many people in the audience. I believe that as much as you hear about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," you never fully understand the law until you hear about it, first-hand, from Veterans who have served under it. You never appreciate the sacrifice it takes to live under the policy, until you have the chance to look a gay service member in the eye. Panels, like this, are an opportunity for American’s to put a face, be it young or old, to the problem of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and, for the first time, meet someone who has experienced life in the military while being gay.

Discussions like these (with, hopefully, many more to come) are just what we need, so that American’s can hear the truth about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and finally make informed decisions about why the law needs to be repealed. Sitting next to people like Former Navy Petty Officer Jason Knight was a true blessing. When you hear from other service members, and learn about their experiences, you realize that you are not alone; and how important it is for Americans to elect leaders who will repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

-Eric Alva

What Does Rummy REALLY Think About the Gays?

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld (pictured) has given his first post-exit interview with, of all outlets, GQ Magazine. In it, we learn that Rummy's wife rides a mule, that he employs "two young, studly pilots" to fly him around the country and that maybe - just maybe - he was never all that in line with his boss when it came to LGBT issues.

From GQ's exclusive interview with the former Pentagon chief comes this exchange:

Q: How does Donald Rumsfeld feel about gay marriage, abortion, etc.?
A: "Um, I'm not gonna get into it."
Q: But why?
A: "The administration has positions on these things, and if you're part of the administration, you're supportive of the administration."
Q: Yeah, but you're not anymore.
A: "I know. But it's just not the way I am."

It's one of those things that make you go "hmmmmmm." Was Rumsfeld, in defending and implementing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" during his time as Secretary of Defense, simply towing the Administration line? Is it possible he actually wouldn't have any problem with gays in the military? And what's up with those two "young, studly pilots" he has at the controls these days?

OK - so the last question is purely for our own fascination. But the first two deserve serious consideration.

Will Rummy, after Bush leaves office, perhaps speak out on our side? As he himself might say, "There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know."

We may have to wait till 2009 to know for sure.

- Steve Ralls

SLDN Saves Career of Army MP

Many of you may have become familiar with the case of Chris Mastromario, an MP with the Army's Old Guard, who was charged with three counts of felony assult because he is perceived to be gay. The tragedy of Chris's story caught the attention of national figures, including House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Sen. Barbra Mikulski (D-MD), as well as local media. As a result this story has a happy ending!

SLDN is pleased to announce that Chris Mastromarino has been retained by the Army and will be allowed to complete his term of enlistment!! While the convictions will remain on his record, the fact that he is able to complete his term of service means that, after he leaves the service, Chris may still be able to fulfuill his lifelong dream of one-day becoming a police officer.

-Victor Maldonado

Equador Considers allowing Gays in the Military

The web site Blabbeanado is reporting that Ecuadorian Defense Minister, Lorena Escudero has announced her resignation from office in the wake of her efforts to allow gays and lesbians to serve in the Ecudorian armed forces.

Ms. Escudero's troubles began last week when El Universo reported that the Ecuadorian Defense Ministry intended to revise its regulations and allow gays and lesbians to serve in that country's military. Such a move would have placed Ecuador on a growing list of 24 nations that allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in their armed forces (Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland & South Africa).

According to the report, Ms. Escudero's efforts were part of a larger reform package that would have brought the country's military in line with the Ecuadorian constitution, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation.

In a carefully crafted statement to media, Ms. Escudero explained that her efforts were aimed specifically at retaining gay and lesbian soldiers who were already in service, and should not be seen as an effort to recruit gays and lesbians into the armed forces.

However, by Friday, August 31st Ms. Escudero announced her resignation. That same day, media outlets reported that Dr. Wellington Sandoval would become the next head of the Ecuadorian Defence Ministry.

All is not lost for Ecuadorians who beleive that gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve in their military. Before her departure, Ms. Escudero told reporters that Ecuadorian President, Rafael Correra told her, "It is the role of government to advocate for equal rights."

-Victor Maldonado

Details on the Ban

The October issue of Details Magazine includes a fantastic article by reporter Melba Newsome about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and changing attitudes about LGBT service members inside the military. The Military's New Gay Games features interviews with SLDN's Jason Knight, as well as with SLDN clients Brian Fricke & Austin Rooke and SLDN board member Chris Hammet.

"After 15 years, 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' has never been so ineffective - or so controversial," Newsome writes. "Some hail the law as a safeguard against unit polarization; others condemn it as an ineffective policy of dubious purpose, enforced virtually at random. High-ranking officials - including General John Shalikashvili, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff when the law was implemented - are increasingly calling for its repeal. Meanwhile, like-minded officers are finding themselves having to violate the law."

Newsome's article takes an especially close look at the experiences of Fricke, Knight and Rooke . . . all of whom served openly durinig their time in the military. "This is an old policy promoted by an old generation," Fricke tells her. "A wise commander knows that every troop is valuable to the mission, and he is not going to blindly enforce a policy of discrimination."

And Knight, who now serves as SLDN's communications associate, tells Details that he misses the Navy, but has found a new way to be of service. "I get to be the voice for the 65,000 gays and lesbians in the military who can't speak out," he said.

The October issue of Details is on newsstands now.

- Steve Ralls

Remembering Cheryl Spector

The SLDN family is pausing to remember Cheryl Ann Spector, who passed away earlier this week of leukemia. She was 49.

Cheryl was a well known—and well liked—Washington DC activist dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights; HIV/AIDS, women’s health and a myriad of other important civil rights and cultural issues. She is most known for her efforts to chronicle the history of the gay civil rights movement. She was most often seen with a video camera in hand and never seemed to miss a protest, demonstration, or special event.

Cheryl was not just a passionate activist, but she was also a friend, to both SLDN and to me.

I’ve known Cheryl since 1991, when I first met her at Queer Nation, ACT UP, and pro-choice activist meetings. Her dedication and commitment to the community seemed endless. We protested the lack of funding for HIV/AIDS research and services; held vigils for those hurt and killed in anti-gay violence; we gathered signatures on petitions seeking to end employment discrimination; participated in organizing national marches; and we worked to end the then policy against gays in the military. She continued to fight for all those causes until her death.

Cheryl has been a supporter and volunteer for SLDN since our start—volunteering to help staff SLDN’s first table at DC’s Pride festival. Since then she’s volunteered every time we called on her for help. Cheryl never said no to causes she supported. In fact, just this past March, she volunteered at SLDN’s National Dinner for part of the evening and then left to volunteer the remainder of the evening for DC-PFLAG. Later this month, Cheryl was to receive the “Unsung Hero Award” at the annual gala of The Mautner Project, a national lesbian health organization.

Cheryl was a rare and special person. She will be sorely missed by all of us here at SLDN. The District of Columbia is a much emptier place without her.

- Polly Stamatopoulos

Of John McCain, Acronyms & What America's About

Senator John McCain (R-AZ), speaking to students at Concord High School in New Hampshire, became quite confused when asked about the LGBT community.

According to The Trail, a student asked McCain what he "would do on LGBT issues." Then, "McCain, paused, confused by the question. Someone in the crowd shouted out 'lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.' 'I had not heard that phrase before,' McCain said of LGBT."

Good grief. Is John McCain - who is campaigning to be our country's chief executive - really so out of touch with the country that he doesn't even know who we are? (I remember well, during the 2004 campaign, when Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun was praised for referring to our community by the very same acronym. At the time, one press outlet reported her embrace of the phrase progressive. And in the 2008, it should just be plain common sense.)

But regardless, once educated about the four-letter reference, McCain caught on, and came out with his usual anti-gay tirade.

"McCain then explained that while he opposed discrimination, he also felt marriage was between a man and a woman and noted he supported the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy on gays in the military," The Trail reports. "The student, a junior named William Sleaster, then persisted, asking the candidate if he supported gay marriage or civil unions. McCain said 'I do not.'" The student, standing at microphone across from the stage where McCain was speaking then declared 'I came here to see a good leader. I do not.'"

McCain just said, "That's what America's about."

Oh really, Senator? Because I have this crazy idea that, in addition to the right to disagree and dissent, America is also about equal protection, equal justice and equal rights under the law. Some of us actually think it's OK to serve our country, love our partner and be full citizens . . . even if, yes, we're LGBT.

It's sad to see John McCain so out of touch with the country he wants to lead. The 'maverick' Senator, once admired for taking principled stands is increasingly standing alone.

Do we really want a president who divides and conquers and thinks inequality is what America is all about?

I do not.

- Steve Ralls

Honoring the History-Makers

This year, the GLBT Historical Society is paying special tribute to the men and women who have served in our nation's military. SLDN is proud to be an honoree at this year's Historial Society gala, and honored to join with the Society in recognizing those who have sacrificed so much for our country.

Now, you can be part of that, too.

The GLBT Historical Society is offering an opportunity for the public to pay tribute to someone who has served in the armed forces by placing ads in this year's program book, or by participating in the dog tag or 'Wall of Rememberance' programs.

The Dog Tag Program:

The dog tag is an instantly recognizable military symbol. In keeping with the theme for this year's gala, you may purchase a virtual dog tag which will be printed in clusters in the program. These tags are intended for you to honor the military service of a friend, family member or other loved one, either currently serving, or who who has served in the past. Whether it is a sister currently serving in Iraq or a grandfather who stormed the shores of Normandy, this is an excellent opportunity to give thanks for their courage and selflessness.

(In respect of individual privacy and recognition of certain current policies of the military, the program will clearly indicate that the inclusion of a name here does not imply the sexual orientation of the person being honored.)

The Wall of Rememberance:

We will also be including an opportunity to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice - giving their lives in active duty. Inspired by the Vietnam Memorial, the Wall of Remembrance will be a place to record a name, a quote or brief personal reminiscence. These entries will be featured among the names of celebrated and undersung heroes of our community gathered from the GLBT Historical Society archives.

(As with the dog tags, the program will clearly indicate that the inclusion of a name here does not imply the sexual orientation of the person being honored.)

For more information on these unique opportunities to honor someone in your life, click here.

It's in the Way He Walks

The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology has released a new study that looks at 'gaydar,' that elusive quality by which some people seem to be able to pick out the LGBT members of a crowd. What they've found is that 'gaydar' seems to be all about body type and motion, and specifically about the (yes) rear-end movements of the subject being observed.

"112 undergraduate observers were shown videos of the backsides of the volunteers as they walked at various speeds on the treadmill," the Journal reports. "The observers were able to determine the volunteers' sexual orientation with an overall rate of accuracy that exceeded chance, even though they could not see the volunteers' faces or the details of their clothing. Interestingly, the casual observers were much more accurate in judging the orientation of males than females; they correctly categorized the sexual orientation of men with more than 60 percent accuracy, but their categorization of women did not exceeded chance."

Interesting. But what does it have to do with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" you ask?

Well, as Bilerico.com explains, the study's author actually suggests that the findings may prove that the military's ban is completely irrelevant.

"Studies like ours are raising questions about the value of the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy," the author said. "If casual observers can determine sexual orientation with minimal information, then the value in concealing this information certainly appears questionable. Given that we all appear to be able to deduce this information to some degree with just a glance, more comprehensive policies may be required to protect gays against discrimination based on their sexual orientation."

So perhaps a soldier's sexual orientation is pretty difficult to hide anyway. And if it is, what's the use in trying to cover up a characteristic - especially one that has nothing to do with job performance - when it's all given away in the way he walks?

- Steve Ralls

Craig's Hypocrisy on Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Sunday's Washington Post featured a guest commentary by William Saletan about former Senator Larry Craig (pictured), hypocrisy and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

From Saletan's column:

Poor Larry Craig. He's being held to the same standard of sexual conduct he imposed on the U.S. armed forces.

Fourteen years ago, in his first term as a Republican senator from Idaho, Craig helped enact the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The Air Force, for instance, now says that any airman will be discharged if he "has engaged in, attempted to engage in, or solicited another to engage in a homosexual act."

According to the report filed by the police officer who arrested Craig at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in June, Craig stood outside the officer's bathroom stall for two minutes, repeatedly looked at the officer "through the crack in the door," sat in the stall next to the officer, tapped his foot and gradually "moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot . . . within my stall area." Craig proceeded to "swipe his hand under the stall divider for a few seconds" three times, palm up, using the hand farthest from that side of Craig's stall. Most of these gestures, the officer said, are known pickup signals.

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Indeed, as SLDN pointed out here at Frontlines last week, Craig was an ardent supporter of the military's ban on gay service members even in the days following his arrest in Minnesota. His letter to an active duty constituent made it seem as if he even thought openly gay troops would be a danger to straight service members.

Craig wrote that, "The armed forces exist to wage war. It is unacceptable to risk the lives of American soldiers and sailors merely to accommodate the sexual lifestyles of certain individuals." He also noted that, "I don’t believe the military should be a place for social experimentation."

Yet, as Saletan points out, "I'd rather live, let live and tell the guy waving his hand under the stall to buzz off. But that's not the standard Craig has applied to others. Any gay soldier, sailor, airman or Marine who admitted to doing what Craig has admitted would, at a minimum, lose his job for violating 'don't ask, don't tell.' In fact, many have been kicked out for less."

Indeed. Bleu Copas, Margaret Witt, Randy Miller and Alex Nicholson are just a few of the thousands of service members dismissed under the law Craig so ardently championed.

If former Senator Craig has had a change of heart about the matter in the past few days, it can be best described as "too little, too late." For, during his time in Congress, Craig was a leading proponent of a policy that he, himself, was ultimately subject to, in some small way.

Now, perhaps, he understands the pain of losing a job you love simply because of who you are, or who others think you might be.

- Steve Ralls

"We Can't Be That Desperate."

How's this for Army Strong?

Spc. Shawn Stacy Sapp, 38, is back on duty as a helicopter mechanic at Fort Hood, Texas, even though a judge in Florida placed him on probation and ordered him to be under supervision.

Why? Sapp is a convicted sex offender. But he was deemed "retainable in the U.S. Army" even after being found guilty of lewd and lascivious conduct with a teenage girl.

From Military.com:

A captain and a first sergeant at Fort Hood who were involved in the decision to retain Sapp didn't return phone calls Monday afternoon.

Sapp will be supervised by the Texas Department of Corrections under an arrangement with Florida, Florida corrections spokeswoman Jo Ellyn Rackleff said. Circuit Judge Robert Foster ordered that Sapp not be deployed overseas, Rackleff said.

Sapp was in Fernandina Beach on leave when his crime occurred in 2003, Rackleff said. She said he was arrested in Texas in 2005 after returning from overseas deployment and extradited to Florida. He was in jail for nearly two years before reaching the plea deal, Sacks said.

Initially he was charged with one count of lewd and lascivious conduct and four counts of sexual battery involving a minor. Prosecutors dropped the sexual battery counts under the plea agreement.

[A judge] sentenced him July 17 to 689 days time served and three years of probation, and Sapp was required to register as a sex offender. Florida's sex offender registry lists his location as Bell County, Texas, and says he notified the Florida Department of Law Enforcement about that address Aug. 10.

Sacks said Sopp presented a letter to the court in early August from Capt. Chad Corrigan, Sapp's commanding officer at Fort Hood.

"Upon review of the charges ... Shawn S. Sapp has been determined retainable in the U.S. Army," Corrigan wrote. "Service member is still on active duty."

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Assistant State Attorney Jonathan Sacks put it best, telling the media that "I just find it hard to believe that they would have convicted sex offenders in the military. We can't be that desperate."

But apparently we are. Other media reports have shown an alarming increase in the number of recruits with criminal backgrounds, including felony convictions. The military, it seems, is issuing waiver after waiver to allow those who wouldn't normally meet enlistment standards to sign up for duty. And yet, the welcome mat is still not out for lesbian and gay Americans who want to serve.

Sex offenders on duty and patriotic gays turned away. Is that what they mean by 'Army strong?'

- Steve Ralls

NLGJA Student Coverage of DA, DT

The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association's annual convention has just wrapped up in San Diego, and on Friday morning, SLDN communications associate Jason Knight was part of a morning plenary about the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service members.

Prior to the panel, Jason (who is a former Navy linguist) sat down with students attending the convention to talk about the military's ban, his own experience, and the campaign to lift the ban.

You can read NLGJA's interview with Jason by clicking here. (The story appears on page three.)

- Steve Ralls