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Great article introducing the utter hypocrisy of the military's historic anti-LGBTQ+ rules, specifically during the Vietnam War.
If this piqued your interest and you would like to know more, there are a few resources out there for you.
/1 https://twitter.com/nursingclio/status/1290635347068465154
If this piqued your interest and you would like to know more, there are a few resources out there for you.
/1 https://twitter.com/nursingclio/status/1290635347068465154
First off, mentioned in the notes but v important, is the book _Conduct Unbecoming_ by Randy Shilts. He covers the experiences of gay and lesbian American service members from the Vietnam War to the mid 1990s.
Shilts' thesis is directly in line with @nshibley's.
/2
Shilts' thesis is directly in line with @nshibley's.
/2
Some of the folks in Shilts' book shared their experiences elsewhere. Notably, the story of Ensign Vernon E. Berg III is told in _Get Off My Ship_ by E. Lawrence Gibson.
Gerald Rosanbalm shares his experiences in his memoir, _Saigon Sissy_.
/3
Gerald Rosanbalm shares his experiences in his memoir, _Saigon Sissy_.
/3
Perry Watkins, who was honest about being gay yet still classified at 1A and went on to serve in Vietnam and Germany, was interviewed by @MakingGayHistry: https://makinggayhistory.com/podcast/perry-watkins/
/4
/4
Many others have shared their experiences in a number of different places.
Donna Burkett shared her story in an interview with @outword: https://theoutwordsarchive.org/subjectdetail/donna-burkett
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Donna Burkett shared her story in an interview with @outword: https://theoutwordsarchive.org/subjectdetail/donna-burkett
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Many made mention of LGBTQ+ identities in interviews conducted as part of @librarycongress Veterans History Project. Some can be found here: https://www.loc.gov/vets/stories/ex-war-lgbt-2016.html
/6
/6
Other interviews @librarycongress has are:
Robert Yeargan: http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.43204/
Tedosio Louis Samora: http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.05877/
Judith Crosby: http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.43355/transcript?ID=sr0001
/7
Robert Yeargan: http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.43204/
Tedosio Louis Samora: http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.05877/
Judith Crosby: http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/vhp/story/loc.natlib.afc2001001.43355/transcript?ID=sr0001
/7
There are many other stories of LGBTQ+ Vietnam vets out there.
"Portland gay couple, survivors of Vietnam War, now find peace": https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2010/02/portland_gay_couple_survivors.html
"Transgender Air Force Veteran Tells her Story": http://transveteran.org/2015/04/29/retired-air-force-master-sergeant-joanne-carroll/
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"Portland gay couple, survivors of Vietnam War, now find peace": https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2010/02/portland_gay_couple_survivors.html
"Transgender Air Force Veteran Tells her Story": http://transveteran.org/2015/04/29/retired-air-force-master-sergeant-joanne-carroll/
/8
Other stories fall outside the scope of the Vietnam War era, but include service either before or after that conflict.
Jim Darby speaks of "anti-gay witch hunts" in the 1950s:
/9
Jim Darby speaks of "anti-gay witch hunts" in the 1950s:
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Margarethe Cammermeyer was discharged after revealing she was a lesbian in 1989, concluding more than two decades of service rather abruptly. She wrote a memoir, _Serving in Silence_ that was then adapted into a TV movie.
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I have quite a few thoughts about this article and this topic, but I'll leave off this thread here to remain as a collection of further sources.
If anyone has more, I would love to hear them!
If anyone has more, I would love to hear them!
