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!)
BIRTH CONTROL BROUHAHA
The Pill has been on the market since 1960, and 99 percent of American women who have ever had sexual intercourse have used some form of birth control. But its obvious popularity didn’t stop wingnut Republican presidential contender Rick Santorum from denouncing birth control and the women who take it in January, when he lambasted the new federal rule requiring employer-provided health insurance to cover it (just like it covers Viagra, ahem). Then, lunatic knuckle-dragger Rush Limbaugh called the courageous Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke a “slut” and a prostitute—on the air—when she testified in favor of birth control coverage before a Congressional panel. (She later appeared on The View to answer his asinine charges.) Then, in February, Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt introduced legislation allowing any employer to refuse to cover birth control if it felt like it—a measure fortunately defeated in a 51-48 vote.
