IVAWSGT
03-13-2007, 09:54 PM
Hi my name is Jen.
I grew up in the conservative south as a southern baptist after being baptized catholic as a young child. I was REALLY holy.
Then I realized I was gay in 6th grade and thought I was going to hell.
Lucky for me the only thing on fire was the closet, it burnt down around me by 9th grade.
I was always very out except with my mom who never talked about but fought about it with me.
My school and my church were both pretty supportive of me as far as the South goes. No real bad experiences.
I moved up to NY in the summer before my senior year.
In March 2000, 2 months after I turned 18, I joined the NY National Guard as a track mechanic.
Going back into the closet was very hard and has certainly affected me even until today.
Later when the war started, being gay helped me realize that fallacy of this war. The thought that we were fighting for truth, freedom and democracy is not true.
Now I serve my country in Iraq Veterans Against the War. I work to include the voice of women and gays in the anti-war movement and work to include the voice of peace in the gay rights movement. Its uphill, both ways, and in snow.
I belive Don't Ask Don't Tell should be lifted but that no one should be niave about what the military is all about. You will be trained to kill and be required to participate in an immoral war.
Even if the ban is lifted gay soldiers will still be fighting for a country that doesn't give them all the rights their fellow straight soldiers have.
Peace,
Jen
www.ivaw.org
I grew up in the conservative south as a southern baptist after being baptized catholic as a young child. I was REALLY holy.
Then I realized I was gay in 6th grade and thought I was going to hell.
Lucky for me the only thing on fire was the closet, it burnt down around me by 9th grade.
I was always very out except with my mom who never talked about but fought about it with me.
My school and my church were both pretty supportive of me as far as the South goes. No real bad experiences.
I moved up to NY in the summer before my senior year.
In March 2000, 2 months after I turned 18, I joined the NY National Guard as a track mechanic.
Going back into the closet was very hard and has certainly affected me even until today.
Later when the war started, being gay helped me realize that fallacy of this war. The thought that we were fighting for truth, freedom and democracy is not true.
Now I serve my country in Iraq Veterans Against the War. I work to include the voice of women and gays in the anti-war movement and work to include the voice of peace in the gay rights movement. Its uphill, both ways, and in snow.
I belive Don't Ask Don't Tell should be lifted but that no one should be niave about what the military is all about. You will be trained to kill and be required to participate in an immoral war.
Even if the ban is lifted gay soldiers will still be fighting for a country that doesn't give them all the rights their fellow straight soldiers have.
Peace,
Jen
www.ivaw.org