Oh Don’t Ask Don’t Tell! What a long, strange, terrible and sometimes promising trip it’s been. After a billion false starts, 30,000 apparent repeals and a lot more John McCain than we were prepared to handle post-2008, it’s finally really truly totally over.
Well– not exactly. But today President Obama, the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff certified the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal. As promised, the repeal will go into effect within 60 days of certification. The National Center for Lesbian Rights reports that DADT will for-real end on September 20th.
A U.S. Official told CNN yesterday that “the U.S. military is prepared to accept openly gay and lesbian service members, and doing so will not harm military readiness.”
via Lucy Ravich
It seems like we’ve been talking about a DADT Repeal for two years now, because we have. Let’s take a look back at all the fun times we’ve shared (I suggest reading every headline out loud to yourself like it’s an epic poem, it’s quite entertaining):
October 2009
+ Obama Pretty-Promises He’ll End DADT
January 2010
+ Obama’s State of the Union Address Promises DADT Repeal
February 2010
+ Top Defense Officials Seek to End Don’t Ask Don’t Tell For Real This Time
+ DADT: Dan Choi Back on Active Duty, Black Women Disproportionately Affected
+ Hey Pro-DADT Guys, Did You Forget to Make a Case Against Lesbians?
March 2010
+ Dan Choi Arrested at White House after HRC Rally, Upstages Kathy Griffin
April 2010
+ Gay Activists ‘Holler’, Obama Talks Back, Dan Choi Gets the Handcuffs
May 2010
+ Gates Advises Against Immediate DADT Repeal, Dan Choi Isn’t Impressed
+ White House Compromises on DADT: ‘Cause Everyone Loves Meeting Halfway
+ Obama to DADT Activists: I’m On Task, Don’t Yell!
+ Gay Activists Hunger Strike for DADT Repeal – Good Idea/Bad Idea?
+ Senate Committee, House Approve DADT Compromise
July 2010
+ What Will the DADT Survey Show If Gay Soldiers Can’t Participate?
+ Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Survey is Extra Biased Against Gays, Somebody Failed Statistics
+ DADT Survey Breaks All the Research Methodology Rules, Has Issues, Is Useless
+ DADT Repeal: We’re Still Unsure What the F*ck is Happening
+ DADT: Dan Choi Discharged Today Because He’s Gay
+ Harry Reid Says He’ll Repeal DADT & Give Dan Choi’s West Point Ring Back. Like Soon-ish.
+ Top West Point Cadet Resigns Because of Emotional Toll of DADT
August 2010
+ U.S Government Really Likes Us Gays or is F*cking With Our Heads
+ The Long Slow March Towards A DADT Repeal: A Story Told In Screenshots
September 2010
+ DADT Ruled Unconstitutional: Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is Told Not To Ask, We’re Told
+ Senate Taking Up DADT Repeal Next Week, With Strings Attached
+ Repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell: It’s a Thing
+ OPEN THREAD: DADT Repeal Vote Moves Forward Today, At Least We Hope
+ DADT Fail Hangover Day: Bill Clinton and Rachel Maddow Tell the Truth
+ Oh My F*cking God, Another DADT Roadblock, What Is Wrong With You People
October 2010
+ Judge Orders Suspension of Gay Soldiers Discharge Under DADT For Real
+ What The DADT Injunction Really Means: Something, or Nothing, Time Will Tell
+ DADT Injunction Still Stands, Gays Can Enlist – But Don’t Get Too Comfortable
+ What The F*ck Is Happening With DADT: Discharges Are Possible Once Again, Maybe
+ Obama Makes Surprise Visit to DADT Meetup, Promises to Bring DADT Repeal and Dessert Next Time
November 2010
+ DADT Repeal Stalled In Continued Push Towards National Mediocrity
+ “Democrats Lean Towards Caving On DADT,” We Lean Towards Screaming From Our Eyeballs
+ High Court Keeps US Gay Military Ban Intact: Life Without DADT Was “Fun” While It Lasted
+ Dems Will Push DADT Repeal, Hoping For Last Minute Comeback, Magical Study
+ This is a DADT Megapost In Which McCain Gets Crazier, Repeal Gets Closer, Etc.
+ DADT Survey Results Are In: Gays Won’t Mess Up the Army (But John McCain Might)
December 2010
+ Listling Without Commentary: Actual Answers to DADT Survey Questions, Out of Context
+ DADT Hearing Returns to Washington, Is Better than “Cats”
+ BREAKING: Senate Blocks DADT Repeal, Gays Lose, John McCain Wins
+ DADT Superstar Dan Choi Breaks Down as DADT Repeal Bill Runs Its Final Lap
+ BREAKING FOR REAL: House Passes “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Repeal, Now We Must Charm the Senate
+ SENATE REPEALS DONT ASK DONT TELL ALL CAPS
+ Senate Repeals DADT: Holy Sh*t, DADT Repeal? It’s Still a Thing!
+ What Does The DADT Repeal Actually Mean?
+ Even FOX News Admits DADT Had To Be Repealed After Gay Soldiers Speak
January 2011
+ John McCain Is Done Being an Assh*le Now, Has “Made Peace” With DADT Repeal
February 2011
+ On A Scale Of One To Repealed, How Repealed Is DADT?
April 2011
+ DADT Repeal Could Happen By Mid-Summer
+ Honestly, What Even Is This “DADT Repeal” if Katie Miller Can’t Get Back In?
May 2011
+ House Passes Bill Aimed at Slowing DADT Repeal, Obama is Officially Upset
June 2011
+ Some Marines Want Option to Escape Military Before the Gay Invasion, Won’t Get It
+ DADT Still Not Repealed, Gay Soldiers Still Being Discharged, Are Unsafe
July 2011
+ Appeals Court Suspends Enforcement of DADT, Drinks Are On Dan Choi
+ Court Appeals Injunction Of DADT and The Painted Pony Goes Up and Down
Feature Stories on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell:
“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” Discharge Lissa Young: The Autostraddle Interview
Video! NYC’s Big Gay Day: Autostraddle Does the Anti-Gay Evangelical Rally, Chats with Dan Choi
Is There a “Right Way” to be a Gay Activist? On Dan Choi, Obama’s Alliance & Civil Disobedience
From Secret To Separate But Equal – New, Terrible Ideas Regarding Gays In Military
10 Ways of Looking at John McCain: DADT Filibuster Art Therapy Special
You’re all allowed to have an extra beer or club soda tonight!
With many of the what seems like 20,000 potential GOP candidates swearing to try to repeal it, I can’t fully believe that it will end forever until after the next election cycle. However, I really hope it does end forever and ever because it’s a horrible law that never should have been created in the first place.
Truth be told, DADT was created at a time when certain military members were hunting down closeted gay service members in order to expel them, and people were pushing for an amendment. This was the least of the evils at that time. I’m glad to see it go now, though!
I finally feel as though it’s safe to believe this will all be over soon.
Riese and Rachel, you have been especially helpful in keeping a sense of humor throughout the myriad of trials/debates and I salute you.
You ladies are very awesome for your extensive coverage.
Re: epic poem – this is my favourite: “Oh My F*cking God, Another DADT Roadblock, What Is Wrong With You People” Pulitzer-worthy title right thurr.
“we won a thing” indeed! Also, that McCain picture is pretty great.
Go President Obama!
Bless you, Riese, for putting all these links in one post.
Somewhere in Washington John McCain is crying. I would love to see a picture of that.
Thank you President Obama! Can we get rid of DOMA next?
That’s the next item on his ‘Make Gay Ppl Happy’ checklist ;)
I’m glad that DADT is finally going to be repealed for real, it just came too late for me to want to stay in the military any longer.
Amen, I’m happy to see it gone, but with the reactions some people were having, i’m almost glad to see it out.
If i have to hear “well, if gay people can room and shower with people they’re attracted to, why can’t I shower with my girlfriend?” one more time, i’m going to scream. that, along with my 1st sgt making homophobic jokes trying to sound unhomophobic, and then stating that he finds it against his religion but he only put up with it because he follors orders, made me mad
but apparently i changed his mind about some gay people because i’ve heard that since i’ve left, he talks positively about me, and that my openness is a part of it
(and no, i wasn’t kicked out for being gay, I was medically discharged. i just didnt give a fuck about who knew if i was gay or not)
You all have done a great job at covering this over the last two years.
Yay, it’s actually happening and will be over soon!
You guys have written so much and actually kept me sane through this whole repeal process so thank you for your awesomeness!
DADT won’t be over until trans* people can openly serve.
That’s not really true. Trans people aren’t barred from serving because of a law, they’re barred because GID is a diagnosis in the DSM-IV, and people with diagnosed DSM disorders usually can’t be in the military. This includes everything from depression to ADHD.
Thanks Tips. I am actually well aware of their justification for not letting trans* people serve in the US Military.
i feel like we just found the last horcrux.
now i can go into the service and be who i am :D
Wow, you guys are machines.
Also — the mccain monster head eating/ yelling at/ fire breathing on the rainbow flag people. that is some crazy shit right there. i don’t know what to make of it. i’m kind of overwhelmed, but not with feelings. just sort of mindblown.
You guys win all the prizes for funny/creative article titles. This is my favorite:
“Democrats Lean Towards Caving On DADT,” We Lean Towards Screaming From Our Eyeballs”
Ahaha. For real this time? xD