Gay students graduate openly at military academies

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Gay students at America's military service academies are wrapping up the first year when they no longer had to hide their sexual orientation, benefiting from the end of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that used to bar them from seemingly ordinary activities like taking their partners openly to graduation events.

For the first time, gay students at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis were able to take a same-sex date to the academy's Ring Dance for third-year midshipmen. The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., officially recognized a club for gay students this month. And gay cadets at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., are relieved they no longer have to worry about revealing their sexuality.

Several gay students from the nation's major military academies said the September repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," an 18-year-old legal provision under which gays could serve as long as they didn't openly acknowledge their sexual orientation, meant significant change.

"For the most part, it allows us to be a complete person, as opposed to compartmentalizing our lives into different types of boxes," said newly commissioned Air Force 2nd Lt. Dan Dwyer, who graduated from the Air Force Academy on Wednesday. West Point held its graduation Saturday, and the Naval Academy's was set for Tuesday."

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/27/2819707/gay-students-graduate-openly-at.html#storylink=cpy

[obamanut2012]

1. So wonderful -- k&r

[DURHAM D]

2. I never thought I would see this happen.

Its a great day!

[11 Bravo]

3. It's a bittersweet occasion for me.

My younger brother graduated from the USNA. He went on to become a decorated Naval Aviator. But his entire time at Annapolis as well as his active duty service was a living Hell as he had to pretend to be something he was not. We didn't know it at the time, but at one point during his First Class year he was actually under investigation for suspicion of being gay. Somehow the truth never came out, but it kills me to think of what he must have endured.

[xchrom]

4. Du rec. Nt

[Swede Atlanta]

5. And those that think marriage and other equality issues will not happen........

This is just another example of how the LGBT community is, in many ways, just like everyone else. We don't eat rodents or small children for breakfast. We don't have 4 heads. We are not possessed of the devil. We do not want to molest little boys or girls statistically anymore than heterosexual men and women. We do not want to entice heterosexuals into a sinful life of wanton lust and perversion.

As more and more people see this the opposition to full inclusion of LGBT persons will fade. It will take another 15-20 years for the fossils to go to their graves, full of hate and bigotry. But in the end, equality for LGBT persons will come.

Now let's not kid ourselves that prejudice will not exist, especially among the most fervent of the religious Christian right wing. It will just as it has since the landmark civil rights advances for African-Americans in the 1960s. But, under the law, LGBT persons will be treated equally, fairly and justly.

Have a great Memorial Day holiday. Remember those that fought and those that died protecting our nation and, unfortunately, also those that were sent off to fight wars of political choosing with no legitimate American interest such as Vietnam or Iraq.

[loyalsister]

6. Beautiful

For young LGBT people this means that they can see much more than hiding and passing in their futures.

I think the efforts to shame them will lose it's potency now that they are officially recognized as people whose have talents and strengths are officially valued by the US military.

After talking with friends, reading these accounts and articles, and seeing pres. Obama finally endorse marriage equality, I realize that ending DADT was the beginning of something bigger than I realized.

[bigtree]

7. ahhhhh!

that's so nice.

k&r