Gay army men

While a gleaming sense of honor enveloped me, there was an undeniable fear lingering in my eyes, stemming from the daunting task of standing tall as a queer soldier. This fear was not new, but from past trauma from the experiences I had growing up. During my childhood, I was constantly reminded that being queer was not something to be proud of.

I'm not afraid to be myself

The Armed Forces support us every day. But did you know that they help tackle anti-poaching in Malawi? Here are seven things you probably didn't know. Share this page with someone. I joined the Army when I was Gay men, however, were a different story altogether. If you admitted to homosexuality, you were out — that was the end of your military career.

I'm a Gay Army Officer—Queer Troops Must Fight Back

For example, it was still a crime to be gay in the armed forces. If you were a man caught in a relationship with another man, you could be sent to military prison, and kicked out the army. He was caught kissing a man whilst he was in Berlin, working for the army. Stephen told the BBC that because of how he was treated, he would not have joined the army knowing that he was gay.

Proving you're gay to the Turkish army

He was then asked to provide a picture of himself dressed as a woman. Ahmet hopes this will give him what he needs - a "pink certificate", which will declare him homosexual and therefore exempt from military service. Over the years, gay life has been becoming more visible in Turkey's big cities.