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!)
FRED WHO?
Fred Karger’s campaign slogan (above) said it all—few voters, even in the LGBT community, knew that an openly gay candidate was running for the Republican nomination against Romney, Santorum, Gingrich et al. A longtime gay activist and leader in the push to disclose the Mormon financial backing of Proposition 8 in California, Karger cut his teeth on nine presidential campaigns as a consultant, including those of Gerald Ford, George Bush and Ronald Reagan. The first openly gay presidential candidate of a major party hasn’t been invited to most of the Republican debates and primaries, but he did receive 485 votes in the New Hampshire primary, beating fellow candidate Michele Bachman (who had already dropped out of the race). But hey, you gotta start somewhere.
