Gay rower was part of secret ary work for Don’t Ask Don’t Tell - Outsports

Contents:

• GAY AT SEA – A LOOK AT THE US COAST GUARD’S LGBT COMMUNY
• GAY NNER AT COAST GUARD AMY FDS BEG THENTIC ALLOWS HIM TO THRIVE
• GAY ROWER WAS PART OF SECRET LGBTQ ARY WORK DURG DON’T ASK DON’T TELL
• HE’S GAY, A COAST GUARD OFFICER AND A ROWER WH OLYMPIC DREAMS
• OPENLY GAY COAST GUARD NNER SETS SCHOOL RERD TRACK MEET

GAY AT SEA – A LOOK AT THE US COAST GUARD’S LGBT COMMUNY

“People say I don’t look ‘gay, ’” said Fairburn. “But what do ‘gay’ look like?

“Well, actually I look pretty ‘gay, ’” Lt. Unr DADT, ary members who intified as gay or lbian had to hi their sexual orientatn or risk beg discharged. “I don’t want special treatment bee I’m gay, ” Fairburn said.

“I jt want to be treated like everyone else – how you would have before you knew I was gay. Gay nner at Coast Guard Amy fds beg thentic allows him to thrive. As a closeted gay kid a relig fay, I felt I had ltle value as a person.

GAY NNER AT COAST GUARD AMY FDS BEG THENTIC ALLOWS HIM TO THRIVE

Beg the only gay kid a seemgly endls sea of straight people.

I first realized I was actually gay middle school, when all of my male iends began obssg over girls our class. Growg up, I was tght homosexualy was a s. He was a nfint, out gay guy who was well-liked, which nstcted my view of the stutn.

As a gay ary member, n be difficult to forest a life whout seeg other queer people dog too. When John Olbrys was rowg for the Coast Guard Amy, he was dog durg the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell era, when livg openly as a gay man, or simply mentng he was gay to a teammate, uld rult him beg expelled om the school and the ary. “I did have iends at the amy who knew I was gay, but they were also fellow queer folks who were at the school who were nng the same gay unrground that we created, ” Olbrys says.

GAY ROWER WAS PART OF SECRET LGBTQ ARY WORK DURG DON’T ASK DON’T TELL

He also talks about fdg his way to Potomac, racg gay events that he says are a lot of fun, and aimg for the U. There was one problem though: I’m gay and I’ve known that sce I was very young (maybe around 10). Though my mom equently remd me that she would love me no matter who I felt attracted to, I felt like I uldn’t tell her bee everyone school poted out how wrong beg gay was.

A handful of ts found out when Melissa put together a gay unrground that preced what is now CGA Spectm, the first service amy Queer Affy Group. I don’t prent an overly “gay” way, whatever that is, so often as a surprise to lleagu and teammat when I e out to them some sual way or another.

A Department of Defense–fund study published the Journal of Trmatic Strs nfirms that lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) ary members experience higher risks for sexual asslt and sexual harassment. | Eric Gay/AP Photo.

HE’S GAY, A COAST GUARD OFFICER AND A ROWER WH OLYMPIC DREAMS

However, unr "don't ask, don't tell, " beg openly gay at a service amy was forbidn and uld lead to expulsn.

I never really enuntered someone who was lookg to turn people for beg gay. " The small group of gay and lbian ts ed a secret Facebook group to talk to and support one quietly dated a few ts durg her first years at the amy, always aware that she uld be kicked out unr DADT. Followg the repeal of DADT, the amy tablished the first official gay–straight alliance at a U.

OPENLY GAY COAST GUARD NNER SETS SCHOOL RERD TRACK MEET

After watchg a classmate be outed as gay and kicked out of the Amy, I beme even more mted to hidg my sexual inty. After Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was repealed 2011, the armed servic were directed to allow lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr (LGBT) people to serve openly their ranks.