Another War Wound for LGBTQ Community in the Military

In an effort to fully accept openly-gay soldiers into the military, the Pentagon announced last week that it has sent (via email) a confidential survey to over 400,000 active and reserve troops regarding gays in the military.

President Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Charman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen and the House have all supported the movement to end the ban against openly gay/lesbian soldiers in the military. Despite this support, the military kicked out over 400 soldiers last year in the midst of two debilitating wars.

The survey contains 100 questions such as: "If 'Don’t ask, don’t tell’ is repealed and you are working with a service member in your immediate unit who has said he or she is gay or lesbian, how, if at all, would it affect your immediate unit’s effectiveness at completing its mission?” The soldiers can respond by checking six different multiple choice answers ranging from “very positively” to “very negatively.”

Many gay rights organizations, such as The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, have denounced the survey of unnecessarily classifying “homosexuals” as secondary citizens. Director Aubrey Sarvis rightly points out: “Surveying the troops is unprecedented- it did not happen in 1948 when President Truman ended segregation and it did not happen in 1976 when the service academies opened to women.” So why now? What does this survey mean to the LGBTQ community serving in the military?

Check out the Time article, "A Brief History of Gays in the Military" for further context.

Check out past Choices Campus Blog to see how Don't Ask Don't Tell disproportionately affects women and what you can do about it.

Prop 8 Trial-- Part 1: supporters win the broadcast debate but the trial isn’t over!

Five days of consistent proceedings and debates regarding same sex marriage the Perry v. Schwarzenegger (aka The Prop 8 federal trial) has come to a close for the weekend. As the battle rages on behind closed doors the nation must stop and realize that the trial has been stripped away the right to use this case for educational purposes. Filing an appeal that would prohibit any video broadcasting of the Prop 8 case, the supporters of the Gay Marriage ban have once again silenced the outcry of a minority.

Losing the battle to a 5-4 verdict, it has been concluded that the court, which currently supports more conservative values, favored the defendants because allowing video coverage would jeopardize the lives of the people on the stand who support banning same sex marriage. To this I must ask, “What about the lives of people in America who are at risk on a daily basis for being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender?”

For those that are currently following the case online I offer this link as a guide to updated information about the current trial: The Prop 8 Trial Tracker. Created by the Courage Campaign this trial tracker helps specify word for word the effort of Proposition 8 opponents to repeal the gay marriage ban in California. Clearly favoring the defendants in the case the Protect Marriage website offers its viewers bias commentary.

Excited about the recent decision by the court to deny any video broadcasting of the trial the Protect Marriage blog states that, “Basing their decision in part on the well-established record of death threats, hostile phone calls and e-mail messages, lost jobs, Internet blacklists, boycotts, vandalism and physical violence that supporters have faced from anti-Prop 8 extremists, the high court recognized the harm that could come to our witnesses and supporters of traditional marriage as a result of broadcasting their testimony about their political and religious beliefs.”

Without mentioning the other side to the story this blogger has failed to mention that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people have faced almost as much if not more violence since the passage of Proposition 8 and have endured homophobia for years. While neither side can claim purity and innocence it should be noted that each side has received multiple levels of discrimination since the initiatives proposal.

In a recent post to the Courage Campaign website Richard Jacobs, chair of the Courage Campaign, publicly displays a letter sent to him regarding the website logo for the Prop 8 tracker. In the letter John M. Skeriotis, “intellectual property council for protectmarriage.com,” states that the usage of the logo is copyright infringement and “demands” that the Courage Campaign “immediately cease and desist the use of the ProtectMarriage Mark.” With all the discussion about harassment via emails and phone calls one would think that Anti Marriage Equality extremists would lay low since they won the appeal to hide what happens in the courtroom but I guess this isn’t so. The logo is unimportant to the proceedings but still it causes disruption between the Same Sex Marriage supporters and the Protect Marriage group. While this letter may read as an educated form of discrimination and hatred it is still a small reminder that homophobia still exists.

Check back for more of my updates on the Prop 8 trial.

Photo Provided by Flickr.com/ProComKelly

AMA Opposes Don't Ask Don't Tell and Gay Marriage Bans

The Feminist News Wire reported yesterday that the AMA voted to oppose the military's Don't Ask Don't tell policy:

The American Medical Association (AMA) voted yesterday in favor of repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and proclaimed that existing bans on gay marriage negatively affect the health of the LGBTQ community.

According to the Huffington Post, the AMA based its assertion on evidence that married couples are more likely to have health insurance and that uninsured people are more likely to live sicker and die younger.

The AMA passed the resolution after learning that "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" has interfered with doctor-patient relationships, according to the Seattle Post Intelligencer. Military doctors reportedly have revealed personal information about their patients, including sexual orientation, to military commanders.

As a result, Servicemembers United has observed that some lesbian and gay servicemembers have been compelled to avoid treatment or to keep important medical information from their doctors, potentially putting them at risk for life-threatening conditions.

Alexander Nicholson, founder and director of Servicemembers United, said in a press release, "Today, the American Medical Association took a principled stance against a law that clearly has a negative impact on military healthcare, military medical providers, and our troops...This is yet another nail in the coffin of the flawed and outdated "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, and it should send a strong message to those who continue to blindly claim that this policy works."

Instituted by former President Bill Clinton in 1993, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" prohibits the military from inquiring about a service member's sexual orientation, but also calls for the discharge of anyone who acknowledges being lesbian or gay. Thus far, the policy has led to the expulsion of about 13,000 troops.

Photo Credit: quirkybird on flickr.com

Young Activist Victory!

Two Florida high school students, Hannah Page and Jacob Brock, won a victory in a lawsuit against their school district this week. Hannah, a rising sophomore, and Jacob, a rising senior, sued their school district in February for telling them that their school's Gay-Straight Alliance couldn't meet on school property unless it changed it's name to exclude the word "gay". The school district claimed that the club could be disruptive to the school, and that having a Gay-Straight Alliance would violate the district's abstinence-only education.

I think Hannah put it best when she said, "We just want the club so that straight and gay kids can get together to talk about harassment and discrimination against gay kids in an open environment. The school is discriminating against us and that's exactly the kind of thing we want to talk about and prevent." The judge agreed.

There is a lot to comment on in this case: a public school discriminating against students based on sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation; the need to even have a "safe space" for gay and lesbian students, when the whole school/community should be safe; yet another shortcoming of abstinence-only education..

But rather than getting caught up in all the problems surrounding this school district, I want to take this space to note how incredibly brave it was for the two students - Hannah and Jacob - to initiate this lawsuit. The legal system is a pretty intimidating thing. Taking action against a school policy is pretty scary. Coming out in high school is downright terrifying. These two students have now done all three - and they won. I'm completely inspired by the bravery of these two students, and I hope that they continue to fight for civil rights.


Note - Hannah has also sued the district because her middle school wouldn't allow her to start a GSA there, so be sure to stay tuned to this blog and to the news as things unfold!

Photo courtesy Fire.Man at flickr.com

The ball's rolling against DADT

Many people were angered by President Obama's recent lack of action against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". If you're like me, you've probably been following the DADT dialogue and the struggle of Lt. Dan Choi. Lt. Choi was discharged from the Army after he announced that he was gay. Since then, he has been challenging DADT.

Frankly, it makes me incredibly frustrated that someone who is talented (Lt. Choi speaks Arabic) and has the desire to serve her/his country in the armed forces, should be denied the opportunity because of her/his sexuality. If our country is trying to have a military comprised of dedicated and skilled people, if that truly is the goal, why refuse people because of sexuality?

I think it reinforces the same ridiculous stereotypes that it relies on. I am pretty sure a gay man is just as capable of doing his duty as a straight man. We don't assume that a straight man in the Army is going to fail in his duty because of his sexuality. It just seems really illogical and unfair to me, and to Senator Gillibrand, which is fortunate since she has a bigger direct influence on policy than I do at the moment....

Because of her work on this issue, the Senate Armed Services Committee is going to have hearings on DADT this coming fall. This will be the first time DADT has been evaluated since it's creation in the Clinton administration. Hopefully, the result will be a change in policy that will allow people to be open about their sexuality without fear of reprisal.

Photo courtesy of www.flickr/bearmancartoons

Verdict in Lateisha Green trial

The decision in the Lateisha Green trial is in and the jury found Dwight DeLee guilty of first-degree murder as a hate crime. As you might have seen earlier in this blog, the Senate recently approved a measure that would include of violence against people on the basis of gender identity as a hate crime.

The trial began earlier this week, and the verdict came in this morning. This trial is one of the few trials where someone has been convicted of the murder of a transperson on the basis of gender identity, and is certainly one of the few times that it has been considered a hate crime.

Hopefully, both this decision and the recently approved Senate measure will start a move towards a society that makes it clear that hate, prejudice, ignorance, and violence are not tolerated.

Photo courtesy of www.flickr/transgenderwarrior

Senate extends hate crime legislation

According to the Huffington Post and other news sites (I had to check just to be sure), the Senate recently approved a measure that expands the current federal hate crime laws to include sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability! This is great news!

Just earlier this week, I wrote about the Lateisha Green trial. Green was murdered because of gender identity. This legislation makes it easier for the feds to help with state or local authorities are unwilling or slow to act in response to hate crimes.

The passage of this bill will be one of the biggest extensions to the hate crime legislation since the '60's. The FBI recieves thousands of hate crime reports every year, and hopefully this will bring justice to those whose lives are unjustly hurt because of sexual orientation or gender identity. As Sen. Jeff Merkely (D-Ore.) said, "There is no room in our society for these acts of prejudice. Hate crimes fragment and isolate our communities. They tear at our collective spirit."

Photo courtesy of www.flickr/arimoore

PDA: not okay for the gay

Just a few days ago, five men in El Paso, TX were evicted from Chico's Tacos for kissing in public. It was a "simple kiss on the lips," not indecent behavior or nudity or violence. They were promptly told to leave by the guards at the restaurant (I'm not sure what sort of taco place has enforcers....).

They called the police, who sided with the guards, and made up some crazy nonsense about how it was legal to charge people with "homosexual conduct." That is not legal, and it is a whole bunch of homophobic discrimination.

The situation is upsetting, and interesting because a lot of people feel like what happened really wasn't that wrong, that businesses have the right to serve who they want to serve.

Yeah, people, it is discrimination. If you kick out two men for greeting each other with a kiss, you have to kick out the man and woman who do the same thing. The world is not going to end if two men kiss each other. Not to endorse public nudity or indecency, but I say, let's appreciate the simple acts of love we see every day.

Photo courtesy of www.flickr/danielgreene

Marriage equaliTEA: one lump or two?

Same-sex couples in DC are inching closer toward equality. The District of Columbia will tomorrow begin recognizing legal same-sex marriages performed in other states, thanks to a bill passed by the DC City Council.

Same-sex couples in the District cannot yet obtain marriage licenses here. Any DC Council bill proposing legalization of same-sex marriage in DC is, like all DC laws, subject to a 30-day congressional review period.

Local opponents of same-sex marriage may propose a ballot initiative to overturn the law, according to the Washington City Paper. But there's a great progressive, feminist community in DC, so any anti-LGBT ballot measures will meet a lot of resistance.

We might be closer to attaining equality in Maryland, too. The Maryland Attorney General's office is drafting an opinion on whether state law would permit recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages. Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley indicated today he would favor recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states.

O'Malley favors civil unions over marriages for same-sex couples in Maryland, which is extremely disapointing. LGBTQ couples deserve full rights and full equality under the law, and nothing less.

Still, we can be cautiously optimistic as states continue to expand civil rights for all of its citizens. But you must remain active to keep the momentum going. Ask your elected officials what they are doing to ensure equal rights for all Americans. Work with your campus and community to ensure your university provides a safe and equitable learning, living, and teaching environment for ALL members of the campus community.

Photo credit: jsmjr on Flickr.

India Takes A Step Forward

While in the United States, people have been fighting for same-sex marriage and an end to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the citizens of India have been fighting to end the criminalization of homosexuality. And, according to the New York Times, that fight ends today with New Delhi's highest court ending the ban.

The piece does a good job of describing how the criminalization of homosexuality in India was greatly influenced by British colonization, which is something I knew nothinig about. The article points out that even though the UK decriminalized homosexuality, a lot of their former colonies still have strict restrictions.

This is a great step forward for the people of India, and hopefully it is just the beginning of a series of progressions towards total equality and acceptance in the country.

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/millionsofcolours/873199520/ / millionsofcolours