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!)
A BULLY IS ALWAYS A COWARD
After three weeks of emotionally charged testimony, 20-year-old former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was convicted of cyberbullying Tyler Clementi, his college roommate. Clementi had jumped off the George Washington Bridge in September 2010, three days after discovering Ravi has secretly recorded him kissing another man on a webcam and broadcasting it to his friends. The jury found Ravi guilty of invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, tampering with evidence and other charges, and he will be sentenced May 21. He could face ten years in prison and deportation to his native India. Clementi’s death sparked a worldwide movement against bullying in schools.
