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Naval grads seek gay alumni chapter
Not very surprising news to us other former O-gangers.Associated Press While at the Naval Academy in the late â80s, Jeff Petrie thought he was the only gay midshipman at the school. Homophobia was rife, and he took pains to hide his sexual orientation. "I kept my secret. I lived a double life in exchange for the opportunity to serve," he said. NOW, PETRIE is leading an effort to establish an official gay and lesbian chapter of the schoolâs alumni association, in what would be a first for any U.S. service academy. The chapterâs 29 members-to-be, none of whom still serve in the military, want to support gay midshipmen still bound by the Department of Defenseâs "donât ask, donât tell" policy, Petrie said. "Just by existing, I think we will be able to help current midshipmen by showing them we have been through it successfully, and if thatâs what they want to do, they can do it too," said Petrie. Petrie, a 1989 graduate, said he plans to file an application with the academyâs alumni association next week. He said the academy has fostered a "disapproving and damaging environment for gay and lesbian midshipmen for decades." "We donât have the power to change that," said Petrie, who now lives in Will the chapter have a secret salute for members? Skid Heyworth, vice president of communications for the military collegeâs alumni association, said Friday he had not received the groupâs application but would pass it to the associationâs board of directors for review. He said he didnât know of any similar request in the academyâs history. "Weâre not going to speculate on the âwhat-ifsâ at this point until we see the request," Heyworth said. He added he is hoping for a Queer Eye for the Straight Guy plug though. Aaron Belkin, director of the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military at the University of California, Santa Barbara WTF? Taxpayer supported Center? , said itâs the first request for official recognition by gay and lesbian service academy graduates. There are several unofficial networks, often with anonymous members, around the country, he said. "Iâm impressed with what theyâre trying to do," Belkin said. "To a greater extent than ever, officers will say theyâre not uncomfortable around gays and lesbians on a personal level. But there are still pockets of intense resistance to integration." Itâs 2003! No one cares anymore. All we care about is if you can kill Al Qaeda! What you do on your own free time is your biz, Lieutenant. Petrie said he has been working since July to compile a roster of potential members, all of whom belong to the Service Academy Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association, a 150-member alumni association that is not officially sanctioned by any of the military academies. Many of its members are anonymous. Probably more in fear of their spouses finding out then the Academy. âWHY NOT?â An official gay and lesbian chapter of the Naval Academyâs alumni association would take a step forward, advertising its members and offering contact information, said John Sewell, a 1990 graduate who has signed onto the roster. "Being out would give the group a little more political say," said Sewell, who now lives in Seattle after serving three years as a nuclear submarine officer in Norfolk, Va. "We know who the members are, and weâre not some hidden organization." So that explains the glory hole in the crewâs head. I thought it was an authorized shipalt. Sewell said the academyâs alumni association would simply be following the lead of other colleges and universities by agreeing to a gay chapter. I mean, they already followed the lead in watering down the curriculum. "If I had graduated from Harvard or Yale or Stanford, I would have an official chapter, so for me itâs, âWhy not?"â he said. Petrie said he learned he wasnât the academyâs only gay midshipman during a weekend trip to Washington, D.C., when he met a fellow gay midshipman carrying a USNA duffel bag. "He started talking to me and said, âDo I know you?â I pointed to his For the record, I am not homophobic. I just think it is a non-story. Posted by: The Butt Pirate 2003-11-08 |
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