When Jarrod Chlapowski and Alex Nicholson moved from Columbia to Washington in January, the two gay veterans sat down with legislative leaders to get a sense of whether Congress might repeal the military's anti-gay Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. Coming away from those talks with a belief that more work needs to be done to encourage congressional action, the two have launched Servicemembers United, a group of gay and straight veterans actively advocating an end to Don't Ask.
Since the earliest days of the Clinton presidency, gays and lesbians have been allowed to serve in the armed forces only if they're silent about their sexuality and celibate. Designed as a practical way to ignore the injustice of the military's anti-gay stance, the Don't Ask policy has instead spurred witch-hunts, with more than 13,000 able soldiers discharged because of their sexuality. To avoid detection, gays have been forced to ignore homophobic slurs in the barracks, and some have resorted to near cloak-and-dagger techniques to deflect suspicion, creating ex-wives, girlfriends, and an apparent interest in Sports Illustrated swimsuit models.
Chlapowski and Nicholson first met in 2006 during a tour of military schools to spotlight the failings of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. A documentary that includes footage from that tour, Ask Not, will receive a community screening at the Charleston County Library on Calhoun Street on May 26 and will air nationally on PBS on June 16.
-Greg Hambrick
For More:
Independent Lens: DON'T ASK
Indigo Journal: "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Should Be Next DoD Program Cut
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