Frontlines: The Latest from OutServe-SLDN

By the Numbers

Detroit News columnist Deb Price has a great article this morning about Gary Gates and the Williams Institute at UCLA. Gates is the researcher who has found, among other things, that there are at least 65,000 lesbian and gay Americans on duty in the U.S. military. And, he has estimated, another 41,000 would enlist were it not for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Price reports this morning that Gates has another new estimate about gays in the military: "Gates loves having given the nation a solid number to chew on as Congress gets ready to reconsider the Don't Ask, Don't Tell ban on gays serving openly in the military. But his pet number right now is 3,000. That's the annual number of gay people who don't re-enlist because of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and it includes the 600 who get booted out. With the military needing about 18,400 more people a year, Gates' 3,000 number means that just lifting the ban would get the Pentagon nearly one-sixth of the way to its target." "The 65,000 number is the most extreme example of my making visible an invisible group," says Gates, stressing the difficulty of counting people ordered to remain silent. "But, in military circles," he adds, "the 3,000 figure gets more attention. We can say, 'Because of this single policy, you are losing 3,000 already trained and seasoned people who could really help you with your recruitment problem.' That's a big deal." The research by Gates is immeasurably important in understanding the true impact of the military's gay ban. Because of his research, we have better insight into the real cost of anti-gay discrimination. You can visit the Williams Institute online here. - Steve Ralls

Labels: research, williams institute

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04-02-07 Comment (0)

SLDN Dinner Photos Online

Metro Weekly has snapshots from last weekend's SLDN national dinner online. And, you can see a full report from the dinner at Pam’s House Blend. Thanks to everyone who joined us in Washington! - Steve Ralls UPDATE! Local photographer Joe Tresh also has SLDN dinner photos posted online.

Labels: national dinner

03-31-07 Comment (2)

A Recruiter’s Offensive Emails

Just days after General Peter Pace made his offensive comments about gays and lesbians, SLDN received a call from Jersey City resident Corey Andrew. Corey, who is openly gay, recently posted his resume at CareerBuilder.com. One of the respondents was Sergeant Marcia Ramode, an Army recruiter based out of Fort Knox. At first, Sergeant Ramode was very interested in Corey's resume, but after she learned that he is gay, her tone soon changed. "You are considered unqualified," she wrote after Corey told her about his sexual orientation. And it all went down-hill from there. In subsequent emails, Sergeant Ramode told Corey, who is African American, that he "should leave the United States," and that "You must be a total idiot and so stupid to presume that you do not know what gender you are." Ramode also told Corey to "go back to Africa and do your gay voodoo limbo tango and wango dance and jump around and prance and run all over the place half naked there." Needless to say, Corey was outraged. He contacted SLDN, and we contacted Sergeant Douglas Smith, at the recruiting command's public affairs office. Smith, after receiving and reviewing the emails, told SLDN that "The matter has been referred through the U.S. Army Recruiting Command's Staff Judge Advocate to the appropriate commander for review, investigation and appropriate action. The Command expects its Recruiters to conduct themselves in a professional manner in all dealings with potential applicants and members of the public. We are ambassadors for America's Army. I cannot comment further on this series of e-mail messages at this time as it may interfere with the commander's investigation." 'Appropriate action' in this case should be nothing less than Sergeant Ramode's dismissal from the U.S. Army. Her comments were racist, homophobic and offensive in every conceivable way. This morning's Jersey Journal has more information on the email exchange. SLDN will continue to monitor the command's response, and to press for accountability for Sergeant Ramode. The Army, and its potential recruits, deserve better. - Steve Ralls

Labels: recruiting

03-26-07 Comment (7)

The SLDN National Dinner. Live Online.

If you can't join us in Washington this evening for SLDN's national dinner, log onto Pam’s House Blend for live blog coverage of tonight's event. Pam also blogged SLDN's dinner last year, and she'll be featuring interviews, reporting, video and photos of tonight's gathering, too. The night begins at 6pm. Log on for full coverage. - Steve Ralls

Labels: national dinner

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03-24-07 Comment (0)

A Cover Girl Again

Cybill Shepherd still knows how to make a cover sizzle. And she has a thing or two to say about gays in the military, equality and SLDN's upcoming national dinner. Surf over to Metro Weekly for their 'Special SLDN Issue,' featuring interviews with Shepherd, Pam Grier and former Army Sergeant Bleu Copas . . . all speakers at this weekend's event. Grier even weighs in on the Peter Pace controversy: "Some of the wrenching stories that I've been informed of are quite sad. And then to have [chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace] speak of how the gays and lesbians shouldn't be in the military, especially if they're openly homosexual, I just thought, "My God." But we all know there is a quiet, underground group -- growing smaller as we speak -- who have these views. But for him as a leader to come out and say that is like saying [gays and lesbians] aren't needed to take care of their country because they are almost non-human, because of their sexuality." And Cybill talks from the heart about SLDN and the work to lift the ban: "It's a cause that is close to my heart. I have this enormous respect for people with the courage to go where other people haven't gone and set the example of defying 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and other types of discrimination. It's so archaic that discrimination is still in the military through the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy. I think it's the only place where you are allowed to discriminate against someone. You can't keep people out of the military because of the color of their skin or their religion, but you can based on sexual orientation. It's hard to believe that in this day and age we still have this kind of discrimination and we're depriving ourselves at a time when we desperately need these great, good people who have the expertise and are willing to serve their country. And the cost to the government of replacing these people! I read somewhere it's millions and millions and millions of dollars to replace excellent people doing their job with courage. It's an absurdity. Let's shoot ourselves in the foot a few more times." And for all the ladies out there, Cybill drops a few hints about what kind of relationship she's looking for now. So log on to Metro Weekly and read this morning's phenomenal interviews with Cybill, Pam and Bleu. And then get your tickets - before they're all gone - for a very special evening you'll never forget. - Steve Ralls

Labels: national dinner, the l word

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03-22-07 Comment (0)

In Memoriam

From Seattle Gay News: Margarethe Cammermeyer, who had fought a successful legal battle to be reinstated in the National Guard after disclosing she is a lesbian, is mourning the loss of her son, Andrew A. Hawken, who died in a tragic snowmobiling accident on March 2. "There is nothing as painful that I have ever experienced as losing a child. It doesn't really matter how old they are.You expect that they will be burying you, not that you will be burying them," she said. "People who have lost children in the past, they tell me the same thing, that the picture of their child is frozen in time. And everywhere you walk and everything you look at reminds you of them, or the last time you saw them, or the last conversation. And it's like with the death of President Kennedy, he never ages, and my son will never be older than 32." The Andy Hawken Fund has been established at Bank of America to help Hawken's wife, Elicia Ann Hawken, a registered nurse. "They had just gotten their feet on the ground, and had a home," said Cammermeyer. "In terms of trying to help her regroup after this horrendous event, it was established on her behalf by friends and family." Condolences to Cammermeyer can be e-mailed to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or mailed to: 4632 Tompkins Road, Langley, WA 98260. However, Cammermeyer requests a donation be made in honor of her son in lieu of flowers. "It would be much better to put whatever resources they had to some other cause. And if it's Andy's trust, that would be wonderful. Otherwise, they can send it to some place where someone else has lost a child, whether it is from AIDS or as a result of the war," she said. "It's a life-altering experience, losing a child. We are extremely cavalier about those who lose children in Iraq. Even though we may not like the war, it doesn't mean that the family doesn't have the same excruciating pain that I'm feeling." -----

03-21-07 Comment (0)

What Are YOU Doing This Weekend?

You could be having dinner with Pam Grier, Marlee Matlin & Cybill Shepherd at SLDN's 15th annual national dinner. We'll be honoring Showtime's hit series The L Word for their storyline about Tasha, a lesbian National Guardsman who finds herself caught up in the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. And we'll be joined by former Arabic linguist Bleu Copas . . . and a surprise special guest you WILL NOT WANT TO MISS. Mark your calendar for this Saturday, March 24, and buy your tickets online here. And if you can't join us in Washington, watch the live blog of this year's dinner, beginning at 8pm, at Pam's House Blend. The stars are coming out to call for repeal. Will you be there? - Steve Ralls

Labels: national dinner, the l word

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03-20-07 Comment (0)

HOT PINK, Red, White & Blue

SLDN's National Dinner and Lobby Day events are especially significant this year, in light of all the attention the issue has been receiving recently. Since its inception, SLDN has been putting forth its greatest efforts to combat homophobia within the armed services and ensure our government "honors every veteran." For these reasons, MIA Promotions is proud to produce and co-host "HOT PINK, Red, White & Blue" as part of SLDN's line-up of events—Sunday, March 25, 2007. The party will feature 3 open floors with DC's hottest DJs, the airing of The L Word season finale episode, and the much anticipated performance of "L TUNES" featured artist Kirsten Price. This will be Kirsten's first DC appearance, and she looks forward to meeting and greeting her audience in the special "Ladies First"/VIP lounge! Though MIA Promotions usually caters to women only, this event is for ALL members of the LGBT community. Please note that a generous portion of our proceeds will be donated to support SLDN's work, so come out in support! (And plan to arrive early as the party is expected to be a sell-out!) - Sonya Suon, MIA Promotions

Labels: after party, MIA Promotions, national dinner, the l word

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03-19-07 Comment (0)

When You Win, SLDN wins!

SLDN's 15th Annual National Dinner & Silent Auction includes, for the first time, an online auction component. Of the more than 100 items to be featured in our Silent Auction at the National Dinner on March 24th, a handful of our most exciting items have been specially selected to be featured online. SLDN’s auction is now live on CMarket, at http://sldn.cmarket.com. Items will continue to be added, so don't forget to check back regularly for new opportunities. Your bid could land you or a friend a walk-on appearance in a fifth season episode of Showtime's The L Word, a unique excursion to New Orleans, or artwork by internationally renowned social realist Ben Shahn - and that is only the beginning! This online auction provides a wonderful opportunity for you to make the winning bid on these incredible items before the Silent Auction even begins on March 24th at 6:00 pm. Again, the auction can be found at http://sldn.cmarket.com. - Elizabeth Bolles

Labels: national dinner, online auction, the l word

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03-19-07 Comment (0)