He’s a gay Coast Guard officer and a rower wh Olympic dreams - 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
• HE’S GAY, A COAST GUARD OFFICER AND A ROWER WH OLYMPIC DREAMS
• JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU
• GAY ROWER WAS PART OF SECRET LGBTQ ARY WORK DURG DON’T ASK DON’T TELL
• OPENLY GAY COAST GUARD NNER SETS SCHOOL RERD TRACK MEET
• COAST GUARD ENACTS PRO-GAY NON-DISCRIMATN POLICY

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

What began as an observance of the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Uprisg for gay rights New York Cy has grown to a natnwi celebratn. An advote for gay rights, Harvey Milk served the U.

Milk beme one of the first openly gay elected officials the Uned Stat.

Among civilian lears John Berry was the first openly gay member to head a feral agency when appoted to the Office of Personnel Management 2009; Ms. Gay nner at Coast Guard Amy fds beg thentic allows him to thrive.

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

As a closeted gay kid a relig fay, I felt I had ltle value as a person. 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.

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU

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. | Eric Gay/AP Photo. Michael Sam beme the first openly gay player to be drafted when the then-St.

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.

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

“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. 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. Davis, who is openly gay, ran a school-rerd 1:51.

OPENLY GAY COAST GUARD NNER SETS SCHOOL RERD TRACK MEET

After missg outdoor season sophomore year wh mono and junr year for COVID, I’m grateful that we had the opportuny to race this Sprg. In his g out story that ran March, Davis reflected on how much better of an athlete he beme when he me out as gay, and he creded a gay teammate who was out and nfint wh spirg him. 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.

When I hear fellow Coasti disparage gay people as weak, effemate, or petent, I am remd that I don’t really belong. It is normally meant as a joke: a senr officer scribg a “hilar” gay bar he mistakenly entered, jok about gay stereotyp, or a shipmate beg lled a “fag” jt. C., 2011, I knew at least a dozen gay junr officers.

COAST GUARD ENACTS PRO-GAY NON-DISCRIMATN POLICY

But do matter if a few gay personnel are partg for greener pastur? And you are gay.

For those who fought for my right to serve, for gay service members beg nied basic servic the stat they are assigned, and for the Coast Guard’s abily to rec and reta top talent the 21st century, I want and need to be unted.

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