Puleo: Coming Out Day is still not passé
Only twenty years ago, the first National Coming Out Day commemorated the 1987 Gay and Lesbian March, famous for its haunting AIDS Quilt and held in an atmosphere of ambivalence toward the rights of gays.
With more acceptance than ever, and same-sex marriage or civil unions in several states, this Saturday’s Coming Out Day already seems old-fashioned. But not every workplace is hospitable.
The United States military continues to ban gay soldiers who wish to serve openly, even with the recruitment strain of fighting two wars — a painful reminder that National Coming Out Day is not yet obsolete.
Ironically, the military accepted the “don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) policy as a compromise after President Clinton attempted to allow gays to serve openly by Executive Order in 1993. Top military brass fiercely opposed the new president, and Congress settled the matter with a law: Gays could serve provided their orientation was kept private and did not engage in sexual conduct, while commanding officers were prohibited from inquiring about status.
A study by the Government Accountability Office in 2005 reported that almost 10,000 service members have been dismissed under the DADT policy. Many, like Christopher Kunze, a sonar technician, performed highly specialized roles or possessed language skills in great demand. And these separations often come with agonizing tales of betrayal: Kunze disclosed his sexual identity to superiors when shipmates retaliated against him for reporting a crime.
Although polls suggest public attitudes have shifted, military officials continue to embrace the ban, contending that allowing gays to serve openly would diminish troop morale and mission efficacy.
If anything, Kunze is a reminder that serving with secrets hardly bolsters morale in the tight quarters of a submarine. Forcing young men and women to lie about themselves is a recipe for mistrust.
Kunze agrees, “Our straight counterparts already serve alongside gays and lesbians. They know were among them, and most military personnel are prepared to work with openly gay individuals. It is the conservative political right that holds back change.”
Mark Puleo is co-editor of the Brazilian Journal, a bilingual publication in Greater New England.
