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Stand Up for Women in the Armed Forces at National Equality March

This weekend thousands of Americans will come to Washington to demand that our government make some actual progress on guaranteeing our LGBT citizens' civil rights. I'll be one of them taking to the streets.

A colleague asked me why I would do this and what did I hope to gain by it. Answering the latter was very easy - I want our elected officials to shut up with the platitudes and rhetoric concerning my rights and actually get off their collective asses, grow spines (I'd like to say another anatomical part but I'm being polite), show some moral courage to do what they know is right, demonstrate some leadership, and pass legislation that makes real my rights as an American - to be able to serve my country honestly; to have my family recognized by our civil authorities with all of the attending obligations and privileges; and to be safe in my home, my person and my job from threats motivated by ignorant bigotry. Simply put, I want to gain those rights that I went to war to protect, those same rights that many other Americans take for granted, nothing more, and damn sure, nothing less.

As for the former question, I am marching because it is my duty as an American to do so. Not only as a member of the LGBT community but as a patriot and a veteran. Our first amendment guarantees our right to "petition the government for a redress of grievances." That right has meaning only if it is exercised and certainly there are grievances that need to be redressed and actions taken to repeal DADT, DOMA and pass ENDA and hate crimes protection. Thousands "peaceably assembling" to voice their opinion to their elected officials is exactly what our founders envisioned in writing the Constitution. The seal of the Department of the Army includes the motto, "This we'll defend." It means defending those American ideals and values that bind us as a nation. We only enjoy those rights we are willing to fight for and defend. If LGBT Americans want their rights they must be willing to fight for them - by marching in the street, by voting in the election booth, and by coming out of the closet and saying loudly, "Here I stand; I am an American and I'll be damned if you will treat me otherwise."

It is disheartening that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law prohibits the 65,000 American patriots currently serving from standing up for themselves. This ignorant law demands that men and women remain in the closet - while defending our great nation and, if needed, sacrificing themselves as we are at war.

A further injustice is that this law disproportionately affects the women who answer the call to duty. Women make up roughly 14 percent of the personnel in the Army, for example, but reflect more than one-third - 36 percent - of those discharged under this law. This discrepancy exposes the insidious underpinnings of DADT and demonstrates that it is based on the bigoted perceptions and stereotypes of others. Continued coddling of these narrow-minded attitudes undermines our national defense and corrodes our Core Values. That such a law as DADT stays on the books reflects that we are far from attaining full equality. Sexism and homophobia will continue to poison our nation's laws unless we seize the moment to speak out against these infringements upon our liberty.

This Saturday, Oct. 10th, I will join supporters of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal for an SLDN reception at Nellie's Sports Bar in Washington, D.C. from 4-6 p.m. We will gather to prepare for the march and to discuss the uniquely harmful impact of this discriminatory law on our nation's brave service women. If you are in town this weekend, I hope you'll join us for some fellowship as we rally the troops before Sunday's National Equality March.

10-09-09 By Paula M. Neira, LT, USNR (1985-1991) |