They asked, they told.
Last week, cable television channel LOGO and the Human Rights Campaign sponsored the first-ever presidential forum with a specific LGBT theme. Though eager to please the critical gay and lesbian base of the Democratic Party, not one of the party’s major candidates—Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards and even Bill Richardson—would stand up in support of legalizing same-sex marriage, probably the most important issue to America’s LGBT lobby. When asked why she was so opposed to same-sex marriage, Clinton replied, with a smile, “I prefer to think of it as being very positive about civil unions.”
No major political force is more inclined to support an LGBT agenda than the Democratic Party. Still, despite polls that show significant support for legalizing same-sex unions, the mainstream Democratic candidates are reluctant to pull the trigger and call for its legalization, fearing that to do so could be political suicide. In the 2004 elections, the Republicans used the issue of gay marriage to great effect, riling up their conservative base and pushing voters to the polls for President George W. Bush. As Richardson said, now’s not the time to go down that path. “The nation, I believe, is on a path to full inclusion,” he said, urging those watching to focus on what’s “achievable” now, most notably civil unions with full partner benefits.
Though the top-tier candidates would not commit to legalizing gay marriage, the real message of the forum was that everything could change, that today’s political realities are not written in stone. Every Democrat who participated in the forum, even those who didn’t attend, has committed themselves to repealing the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which forbids gays and lesbians from openly serving in the armed forces. Clinton even said that such a repeal—of a bill signed into law by her husband, no less—would be one of her highest priorities.
That repeal cannot come soon enough for Rhonda Davis, an out lesbian and Long Island resident who served for 12 years with the Navy before she was dismissed for publicly stating her opposition to the policy. “Honestly, it was the best life I’ve led so far,” said Davis. “I’ve had a lot of jobs in the civilian world, and it’s really the best job I’ve ever had.”
But the personal toll was too much. Davis, who had worked as a broadcaster within the Navy and had achieved a high rank, could not openly embrace her partner in mixed company. She could not speak to a Navy counselor about problems in their relationship, such as her inability to obtain her Korean partner a spousal visa because they were both women. “Had she been a man, and I had been in the same situation,” said Davis, “it would have been no problem.”
The strain eventually became too much, and Davis made a bold move. In June of 2006 she marched across the Brooklyn Bridge, in her uniform, in support of marriage rights for LGBT couples. She was interviewed on radio and television, speaking in support of gay marriage and against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Having clearly violated military conduct codes, she was given the option of recanting her statement by her superiors. She refused, and weeks later she was out of the Navy.
Since 1994, when “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” became official military policy, more than 11,000 gay service members have been dismissed from the military. But in 1994 it seemed politically impossible that the compromise position claimed by the policy could be on the verge of disappearing. A CNN/Opinion Research Poll from June found that 79 percent of Americans supported allowing gays to serve in the military, and every time a gay Arab linguist is fired from the armed forces it casts new light on the military’s priorities: Are they trying to win the war on terror, or are they more concerned with sexual purity?
“I know the Democrats are on board with repeal,” said Davis, adding that she is certain the policy is on its last legs. “I’m sure in 2008, when we get a new Democratic president, this is going to be one of the issues on the front-burner, not the back-burner.” Regardless of Davis’ own hopes, a Republican just might win the presidency in 2008, a victory that would kill any planned repeal. No top-tier Republican favors a repeal of the law. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani thinks that, during a war, this would not be the right time to raise the issue. Arizona Sen. John McCain thinks the policy is effective, while former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney once supported such a repeal but has since reversed his stance.
Given the Republican in the White House and the certain veto that would follow the passage of such a repeal, Davis feels LGBT activists need to wait until 2008 to even put a repeal before Congress for a vote. Until then, she thinks the key is to push discussion on the policy and keep the issue in the spotlight. And, of course, to vote Democrat, since only a Democratic president will make the repeal a reality. Davis added, “When it’s repealed, I plan to go back in and finish out my time in the Navy.” Same-sex marriage might be a non-starter, but “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” meets the all-important standard of achievability.
Last week, cable television channel LOGO and the Human Rights Campaign sponsored the first-ever presidential forum with a specific LGBT theme. Though eager to please the critical gay and lesbian base of the Democratic Party, not one of the party’s major candidates—Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards and even Bill Richardson—would stand up in support of legalizing same-sex marriage, probably the most important issue to America’s LGBT lobby. When asked why she was so opposed to same-sex marriage, Clinton replied, with a smile, “I prefer to think of it as being very positive about civil unions.”
No major political force is more inclined to support an LGBT agenda than the Democratic Party. Still, despite polls that show significant support for legalizing same-sex unions, the mainstream Democratic candidates are reluctant to pull the trigger and call for its legalization, fearing that to do so could be political suicide. In the 2004 elections, the Republicans used the issue of gay marriage to great effect, riling up their conservative base and pushing voters to the polls for President George W. Bush. As Richardson said, now’s not the time to go down that path. “The nation, I believe, is on a path to full inclusion,” he said, urging those watching to focus on what’s “achievable” now, most notably civil unions with full partner benefits.
Though the top-tier candidates would not commit to legalizing gay marriage, the real message of the forum was that everything could change, that today’s political realities are not written in stone. Every Democrat who participated in the forum, even those who didn’t attend, has committed themselves to repealing the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which forbids gays and lesbians from openly serving in the armed forces. Clinton even said that such a repeal—of a bill signed into law by her husband, no less—would be one of her highest priorities.
That repeal cannot come soon enough for Rhonda Davis, an out lesbian and Long Island resident who served for 12 years with the Navy before she was dismissed for publicly stating her opposition to the policy. “Honestly, it was the best life I’ve led so far,” said Davis. “I’ve had a lot of jobs in the civilian world, and it’s really the best job I’ve ever had.”
But the personal toll was too much. Davis, who had worked as a broadcaster within the Navy and had achieved a high rank, could not openly embrace her partner in mixed company. She could not speak to a Navy counselor about problems in their relationship, such as her inability to obtain her Korean partner a spousal visa because they were both women. “Had she been a man, and I had been in the same situation,” said Davis, “it would have been no problem.”
The strain eventually became too much, and Davis made a bold move. In June of 2006 she marched across the Brooklyn Bridge, in her uniform, in support of marriage rights for LGBT couples. She was interviewed on radio and television, speaking in support of gay marriage and against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Having clearly violated military conduct codes, she was given the option of recanting her statement by her superiors. She refused, and weeks later she was out of the Navy.
Since 1994, when “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” became official military policy, more than 11,000 gay service members have been dismissed from the military. But in 1994 it seemed politically impossible that the compromise position claimed by the policy could be on the verge of disappearing. A CNN/Opinion Research Poll from June found that 79 percent of Americans supported allowing gays to serve in the military, and every time a gay Arab linguist is fired from the armed forces it casts new light on the military’s priorities: Are they trying to win the war on terror, or are they more concerned with sexual purity?
“I know the Democrats are on board with repeal,” said Davis, adding that she is certain the policy is on its last legs. “I’m sure in 2008, when we get a new Democratic president, this is going to be one of the issues on the front-burner, not the back-burner.” Regardless of Davis’ own hopes, a Republican just might win the presidency in 2008, a victory that would kill any planned repeal. No top-tier Republican favors a repeal of the law. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani thinks that, during a war, this would not be the right time to raise the issue. Arizona Sen. John McCain thinks the policy is effective, while former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney once supported such a repeal but has since reversed his stance.
Given the Republican in the White House and the certain veto that would follow the passage of such a repeal, Davis feels LGBT activists need to wait until 2008 to even put a repeal before Congress for a vote. Until then, she thinks the key is to push discussion on the policy and keep the issue in the spotlight. And, of course, to vote Democrat, since only a Democratic president will make the repeal a reality. Davis added, “When it’s repealed, I plan to go back in and finish out my time in the Navy.” Same-sex marriage might be a non-starter, but “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” meets the all-important standard of achievability.
