Hello everyone, I would like to start this out with a sincere, “Happy Pride Month” from Awaken
The North, and especially so from Regnbue Aett!
This, along with two other contributions, is an interview with a member of our community who
is active within the armed forces but is also a member of the LBGTQ+ community, showing
further solidarity across multiple groups within our ever so large community.
Our first interview is with Wesley, whom you may have come across a time or two within our
discord; his is truly a lovely soul.
- Hi there, it’s lovely to have you. Would you mind saying what your branch of the military is
and maybe how you identify, plus of course, your pronouns?”
“I am Army National Guard, and I am a Medic. I am Pansexual and my pronouns are He/Him” - How would you say being LGBTQ+ impacts your experience within the military?”
Initially I would say absolutely it impacted my experiences because I first entered the armed
forces only a few years after “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and there were still homophobic norms
within the military. With that said it was clearly ok to be open and we had protections. After
being in a few years I was more open about my identity. - Following up on that note, did you come out prior to being in the armed forces or was that
already established?”
I was semi-closeted when I first enlisted. However, between my childhood lesbian friend being
able to be open her entire time in service, and watching another soldier fight against his own
struggles and almost literally exploding his closet while coming out (more on that story later), I
decided to just be open. I was more open the longer I was in. Being LGBT is accepted, even
though you will get occasional bigotry. Being Poly however, that is a bit different. - What would you say would surprise folks the most to learn about being LGBTQ+ in the armed
forces?”
I saw so many people find out who they are after they go through the crucible of Basic Training.
Through that, you really do develop intimate bonds with people. Through those bonds, some
people find out they have been suppressing a side of themselves and it comes out, usually very
quickly and expressively. Even the CisHets will struggle with learning how to contain their newly
found ability to engage in deeply intimate yet platonic relationships with those that are the
gender they are attracted to and sometimes the one they are not. They sometimes even for a
second think they are queer and sometimes they are. Most times it’s a form of chosen family
and they become more mature through it. - Are there any experiences you’d like to share?”
I knew this medic in AIT, that quiet, reserved, sensitive, and the kind of person you wanted to
protect initially. He wasn’t the type I thought would function as well in the service. We will call
him Jones. So for two weeks we are in the field, and we are daily getting screamed at by our
Sergeants, “Who ever is writing in our bathrooms, ‘Jones Likes dicks’ or ‘Jones is a f****t’ or
‘Jones Needs to Die’ fess up now. That shit needs to stop.” And so for a week this went on. Very
early one morning I go out to use the bathroom , and I hear crying; legit bawling, like someone
died, crying. In a way someone did. I go to wash my hands and I hear. “Jones, man, you’re ok,
just let go of the marker. You are perfect as you are.” I walked back after my business but I
stopped to watch. After this, Sergeant keeps pleading with him to “get out, it’s ok.” He gets out
of the porter and drops the marker. He is crying and staring at the marker, but then suddenly
the Sergeant hugs him. “Jones, it’s ok, you are not in trouble. You are one of the strongest
soldiers here in our ranks.” So Jones was then escorted back to the barracks by three Sergeants.
He graduated with us, and was one of the most fabulous soldiers after that.
I would like to thank Wesley for taking the time to speak with me today, and I am eagerly
excited to share replies from the next interview!
-Rowan Proffitt, Chancellor of Regnbue Aett
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