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Lesbian Vet: Straight Men Uptight About DADT


DADT PENTAGON X390 (PHOTOS.COM) | ADVOCATE.COM

Retired Navy commander Beth Coye, author of My Navy Too, spoke with WNYC FM host Brian Lehrer about why lesbian service members’ voices seem to be missing from the "don't ask, don't tell" debate. Coye said that “uptight” feelings from powerful straight men, who focus narrowly on issues like shared showers, could be one of the primary reasons.
 
Statistics commonly indicate that DADT affects women disproportionately. Women make up about 15% of the armed forces yet represent more than one third of the discharges under DADT.

Lehrer asked Coye, a lesbian, why so much of the DADT debate and imagery seems to revolve around men, despite the overwhelming statistics.

“It’s partly because of the straight men, the minority who are so uptight about the issue ... they get down to that issue of the showers,” said Coye.

However, Coye also suggested that women in general have not been as aggressive about inserting themselves into the debate, something that needs to change.

Listen to the clip here. The statistics discussion begins around the 6:30 mark.

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Zoomie
    Date posted: 2/5/2010 7:45:38 PM
    Hometown: some AFB

    Comment:

    Thank you for your service, ma'am! **salute**

  • Name: Beth Coye
    Date posted: 2/5/2010 4:34:57 PM
    Hometown: Ashland, Oregon

    Comment:

    In the interview I responded to the question of 14% of military is women, but 33% of those discharged under DADT last year were women, by pointing out to the Show's host that approx. 43% of the GLB military community are in fact lesbians. We need to inform the media that the gays- in-the-military questions include lesbians....as a matter of judgement, quite a few lesbians. CDR Beth F. Coye, U.S. Navy, (ret).

  • Name: Bruce Callahan
    Date posted: 2/5/2010 2:07:00 PM
    Hometown: Florence, MA

    Comment:

    Have always felt that straight men are more in fear of NOT getting a pass than getting one. Very damaging to EGO.

  • Name: Doug
    Date posted: 2/4/2010 4:36:54 PM
    Hometown: Massena, NY

    Comment:

    The straight homophobes seem to think that "if we pretend they don't exist, then they don't". HELLO PEOPLE...you are showering with gay guys already!

  • Name: Mark
    Date posted: 2/4/2010 2:58:20 PM
    Hometown: Wappingers Falls

    Comment:

    Besides wasting wasting tax dollars and weakening our military, the unconstitutional DADT rewards bigoted homophobes and punishes people born gay/lesbian. Congress must vote to repeal it as attached to the military budget this April! Once the Republicans take control of the Congress in November, it will be too late!



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