Pat Bond Describes the Military Purge of LGBTQ+ Service Members
Pat Bond was a member of the Women’s Army Corps (a WAC) during World War II. As a lesbian, she risked a “blue discharge” from the army if she was discovered. Blue discharges were highly stigmatized penalties for alleged dishonorable behavior [...]
LGBTQ+ Students Organize Anti-War Protest
Anti-war sentiment rose across the country in the midst of the Vietnam War for a variety of reasons, including pacifism, anti-imperialism, solidarity with the Vietnamese, and even a desire by some young people not to be drafted. Many anti-war [...]
Military Adopts "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
In 1994, the military adopted a new policy regarding LGBTQ+ service members: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. In the past, military regulations stated that homosexuality or other LGBTQ+ identites necessitated an immediate discharge from military service. [...]
Perry Watkins Describes his Mistreatment by the Army
Perry Watkins was a gay African American soldier who was drafted to serve in the army during the Vietnam War. He was open about his sexuality throughout his entire career. Despite this, in 1981, the army revoked his security clearance after 13 years [...]
Background Essay on the LGBTQ+ Community and the Military
This essay outlines broad trends in LGBTQ+ American history and traces the evolution of LGBTQ+ people’s involvement in and relationship with the United States military.
Photograph of Drag Performers
During World War II, soldiers put on theater performances that consisted of all-male casts. During these performances, select soldiers dressed in drag to impersonate women. These performances helped to boost morale across the army, providing [...]
Military History and the LGBTQ+ Community: Index of Terms/Language
The following list of terms and language may be helpful for students (and educators!) when reviewing and analyzing documents in the "Military History and the LGBTQ+ Community" Collection
Penalties for Sex Offenses in the U.S., 1964
As part of their activism, the Mattachine Society, an early gay rights organization in the United States founded in 1950, attempted to spread awareness to both the public and to LGBTQ+ individuals about the ways in which same sex activities were [...]
Lavender Scare: Hoey Committee Final Report
In the years after World War II, the U.S. government launched the second “Red Scare,†when individuals such as Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin instigated widespread panic regarding the spread of communism. Along with communists, [...]
Lavender Scare: Park Police "Pervert Records"
In the years after World War II, the U.S. government launched the second “Red Scare,†when individuals such as Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin instigated widespread panic regarding the alleged spread of communism throughout the U.S. [...]