- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 20,759
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- Pittsburgh, PA
- Website
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I am insanely proud of my husband right now.
He's in the military, and long story short, was at something today where they were discussing the DADT policy. The person leading the discussion was several pay grades higher than him, and quite a few of my husband's co-workers, subordinates, higher-ups, etc, were participating.
One of the guys on the upper end of the ranks said, quote, "If that thing gets repealed, and I see two guys making out on a dance floor, you're damn right I'm going to break it up." (referring to enforcing PDA rules for military personnel)
My husband jumped in with, "With all due respect, would you do the same for a man and a woman being inappropriate on the same dance floor?" That resulted in a somewhat shocked look. Several shocked looks, actually.
After a few of the higher ups left, the discussion disintegrated into all kinds of stereotypes being thrown around - suggesting guys will be assaulted in showers/barracks/combat zones/etc, you know the drill - and he stood his ground, shooting down every last one of them, calling people out for pulling ridiculous, bigoted arguments out of their asses.
"I don't want some guy making a pass at me."
"How is that any different from a male sailor making a pass at a female sailor?"
"This means guys are going to have to worry about being [insert crude terms for rape] in combat zones."
"Absolutely not. Sexual assault is an entirely different thing, and banning gays from the military hasn't stopped any of the STRAIGHT men in combat zones from raping other straight men, any more than it prevents STRAIGHT prisoners from raping other straight prisoners. That, and WTF does consensual sex with their own partner have to do with raping a guy who isn't willing?"
And on and on and on.
Considering the hostility from some people in the ranks about homosexuality, and the inevitable "you're defending gays so YOU must be gay", I have to say it took some serious balls for him to do that. So...I just had to brag about him.
He's in the military, and long story short, was at something today where they were discussing the DADT policy. The person leading the discussion was several pay grades higher than him, and quite a few of my husband's co-workers, subordinates, higher-ups, etc, were participating.
One of the guys on the upper end of the ranks said, quote, "If that thing gets repealed, and I see two guys making out on a dance floor, you're damn right I'm going to break it up." (referring to enforcing PDA rules for military personnel)
My husband jumped in with, "With all due respect, would you do the same for a man and a woman being inappropriate on the same dance floor?" That resulted in a somewhat shocked look. Several shocked looks, actually.
After a few of the higher ups left, the discussion disintegrated into all kinds of stereotypes being thrown around - suggesting guys will be assaulted in showers/barracks/combat zones/etc, you know the drill - and he stood his ground, shooting down every last one of them, calling people out for pulling ridiculous, bigoted arguments out of their asses.
"I don't want some guy making a pass at me."
"How is that any different from a male sailor making a pass at a female sailor?"
"This means guys are going to have to worry about being [insert crude terms for rape] in combat zones."
"Absolutely not. Sexual assault is an entirely different thing, and banning gays from the military hasn't stopped any of the STRAIGHT men in combat zones from raping other straight men, any more than it prevents STRAIGHT prisoners from raping other straight prisoners. That, and WTF does consensual sex with their own partner have to do with raping a guy who isn't willing?"
And on and on and on.
Considering the hostility from some people in the ranks about homosexuality, and the inevitable "you're defending gays so YOU must be gay", I have to say it took some serious balls for him to do that. So...I just had to brag about him.