US First Trans Soldier

Shane Ortega was kicked out of the US military for being trans despite serving 3 military tours and a clean record of service.  He's a helicopter pilot that was grounded temporarily for being trans and is happy to be back serving.  Obviously, this won't be easy and he knows it:

Honestly, I have to be perfect right now. Like, I couldn’t get a speeding ticket. I can’t be late. I can’t forget to shave one day of the week. I have to be absolutely perfect. I don’t think anyone really understands the level of perfection that I have to have right now that I stepped forward, but I understood the weight of the matter. It was part of what I juggled in my judgment before I decided to do that. And it’s really uncomfortable, to be honest. But if I don’t do it, it doesn’t help anyone else.

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American Troops Drag Show

This is pretty amazing.  Out American troops perform in drag at Kadena Air Base for a charity fundraiser.  The fact that they sold out 400 tickets in 10 days goes to show the kind of support that is out there for queer troops.  A couple years ago they would have been kicked out of the military but instead they had a positive article written up by Stars and Stripes, the newspaper of the armed services.  This is a big deal.

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Ellen Surprises Military Couple

This video is adorable.  Ellen gave this couple a huge surprise and it's so fun to watch.

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After The Gay Military Kiss

On February 22, Marine Sergeant Brandon Morgan was returning from his sixth month deployment in Afghanistan to the military base in Hawaii. Morgan's boyfriend, Dalan Wells, was at the base anxiously awaiting his love, along with others receiving their returning loved ones. When Morgan saw Wells, he jumped into his arms, where they kissed and it was caught on camera by someone in the crowd. The photo went viral and really marked the progress made by repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." 

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What makes a gay soldier different from a straight soldier?

Yesterday was Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day in Canada.  I hope everyone took the time to reflect on the vets who sacrificed so much so we can enjoy the rights and freedoms we have today.  That being said, the United States still needs to acknowledge that their soldiers are equal regardless if they are gay or straight and this video highlights just that.

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HBO Documentary on Don't Ask Don't Tell

On September 20th HBO aired a documentary on the strange history of Don't Ask Don't Tell in the US military. It is fantastic and an eye opener on how some backwoods politicians can pass policies that are ridiculous.
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