Our Year in Review – April ‘11-‘12
The loathsome “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy was finally abolished in September, nine months after President Obama signed legislation that would allow openly gay personnel to serve in the armed forces. Some gay and lesbian service members couldn’t wait to say ‘sayonara’ to DADT’s draconian restrictions. In December, Fire Controlman 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta was the first to kiss her fiancée, Fire Controlman 3rd Class Citlalic Snell, in a U.S. Navy homecoming ceremony in Virginia Beach, VA. In Navy tradition, one sailor is chosen by raffle to be the first off the ship to kiss a loved one—and Gaeta’s and Snell’s was the first same-sex smooch in military history.
A kiss is still a kiss—but what a kiss it was! When a female naval officer smooched her fiancee during a military homecoming ritual, it indelibly marked the true and final end to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The victories of the past year seemed to come fast and furious: New York finally legalizing same-sex marriage along with Maryland and Washington State; Chaz Bono busting a move as Dancing with the Stars’ first transgender contestant; the snowballing Occupy Wall Street movement demanding justice for the hardworking 99 percent. Even great tragedy, and the still-raw memories of America’s worst terrorist attack, failed to slow the rekindling of our optimism. (And if you want more proof, see GO’s landmark Tenth Anniversary issue this September!)
SEISMIC SCENARIOS
The effects of global climate change on our local weather continued, with a string of odd—and some downright dangerous—episodes. On July 22, the temperature in NYC shot to 104 degrees, beating that day’s record of 101 set in 1957. Then, in a single week in late August, an earthquake in northern Virginia sent tremors all the way up to Maine; and Hurricane Irene, a category 1 storm when it landed on the east coast, tore up train tracks and caused severe flooding throughout New England. A wet, slushy blizzard coated the city on October 29—and that was the only snow many urbanites saw all winter. By March, local meteorologists called 2011-2012 the second-warmest winter on record.
