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21 Sep 2011

Dan Choi: From the closet to gay rights history

Former infantry officer Dan Choi, who came out as gay on a TV show in March 2009 which led to his discharge from the military a day after, tells of his journey as a closeted service member to being the most prominent anti-Don't Ask Don't Tell activist.

Almost two decades after it was introduced as a way to allow gay soldiers to remain in the US military, the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy that effectively prevented openly gay and lesbian personnel from serving is officially off the books as of Tuesday, Sep 20.

Dan Choi

Gays and lesbians may now serve openly in the military, and individuals discharged under DADT may apply to rejoin.

Former army lieutenant Dan Choi, who was discharged from service under the military's DADT policy after coming out on "The Rachel Maddow Show", says he is planning to reenlist.

The 30-year-old California-born Korean-American became a gay rights icon after his resulting military discharge galvanised opposition to DADT. His activism led to trouble with the law, and he was later arrested for chaining himself to the White House fence during a protest.

He tells his story in a Global Post interview published Sep 20, 2011:

Choi’s mission to find himself in California after returning from 18 months serving in Iraq had yielded an answer: activism. 

“Everything came together,” he said. “Being a veteran, an Asian minority, an Arab linguist, gay, Christian. I always thought I needed to compartmentalize my life. When I became an activist, there was finally this coalescence of all of these identities. It was like a symphony.”

...

“I was closeted the entire time. I never wanted to come out. In fact, I thought the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy was a good thing for me because I could hide behind that.”

His new boyfriend introduced him to politics and LGBT activism. In 2008 Choi celebrated his first Valentine’s Day with a partner. 

“I didn’t even know about Obama and ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’” Choi recalls. “I voted for him because he was black. I wasn’t even that liberal in the military. I didn’t really have political views.”

...

By May, two major forces in Choi’s life were waging war on his psyche. On one hand, he had a military career he was fully dedicated to. On the other hand, he had met the love of his life but most of his inner circle still didn’t know he was gay. So he started telling them. 

“That was probably the hardest time,” Choi said. “Being in the military with a boyfriend that I wanted to marry. I thought, ‘How am I going to be able to keep being in the military this way?”

United States

Reader's Comments

1. 2011-09-21 20:45  

i guess alot of folks did not see this coming. anyway it is def a positive step forward and i see hope in this country at last - doing something right. yet more can be done to make things right.

proud to be american - always have.


Kirk
http://sexytenga.wordpress.com
http://www.facebook.com/sexytenga
2. 2011-09-21 20:51  
he brings up good points but i'm gald he is at peace with himself
3. 2011-09-21 20:55  
From Prop 8 to DADT, Dan Choi has been fighting the good fight. His battles serves as a lesson to many of us.
Today, we have many insufferable people who still wallow in self-pity and expect others to do the heavy lifting.

Kudos to Choi!
Comment edited on 2011-09-21 20:58:39
4. 2011-09-21 23:26  
hes a good man!
and his eyes are beautiful too!
5. 2011-09-22 00:21  
Viva Choi, Viva!
6. 2011-09-22 00:22  
Dan is a real hero, he stands up for prejudice against homosexuals, not just in the U.S. Military, but for all of us who have endured the grinding hate and intolerance over the years. Yes, things are getting a lot better and much of those gains have been because people like Dan Choi are willing to do something about it. Lt. Choi, I salute you.
7. 2011-09-22 05:24  
I think he has made some real changes for the USA. However, his arrest in Russia made me angry; I don't like it that Americans feel like they can go to other countries and change them, like Christian missionaries. If Chinese Malaysian gays, or Singaporeans, or Nigerians want to fight for gay rights, they don't need celebrities.

Dan is a hero, but he is an American hero, and he should stick to American politics. It's not our job to change the world. The world should change as they see it.
8. 2011-09-22 07:32  
I agree with daophos there.

But good for him that he has done this for himself and other opened / closeted gays out there. When I saw him chained to the White House fence, to be honest, I was thinking to myself, what is this loser doing? lol. But I guess it worked for him.
9. 2011-09-22 07:38  
as a colonel in the army reserve i salute officer dan choi for the strides he has bravely taken to advance gay rights for service personnel.

Dan is a credit to the military service and his treatment at the hands of the military authorities was reprehensible.

Thank you dan for your courageous stand...and u are also gorgeous!!!!

Hugs

Gavin
Comment #10 was deleted by its author on 2011-09-24 09:51
11. 2011-09-22 10:37  
good for him!!
12. 2011-09-22 12:55  
Yes those awful American's! Interfering like that! If the Russian people want gay rights they can go and protest for them - oh no wait protesting is illegal!
13. 2011-09-22 14:22  
he is handsome..
14. 2011-09-22 16:58  
15. 2011-09-22 17:07  
Well done Dan Choi. As a former soldier who served in both the Australian and New Zealand Armies I was able to come out in the early ninety nineties as my countries Governments lifted the bans on gay's serving. I had my moments with rednecks but I repelled them all and lived to fight another day. I also educated a hell of a lot of fellow hetro soldiers in a positive manner. You sign up again Sir and hold your'e head high 'cause you are my hero. ONWARD as we say in the N.Z Infantry.
16. 2011-09-23 11:03  
I agree wholeheartedly with #6.

I only have this to add : Laws can be repealed or amended but the prevailing prejudices and misconceptions in society at large take much longer to heal or change than it takes for the US President to sign an act of congress into being or oblivion.

I'm sure Dan Choi has his share of both fan mail and hate mail. Much of the "Bible Belt" of the US is red-neck territory. Don't expect those bigots to view Choi as some kind of icon -- in fact, they might even go through a mock lynching using a mannequin look-alike (if they haven't already by now).

Yet in the milieu, Choi has stood his ground and refused to budge. That takes great courage that so few of us have so, the US Army should re-enlist him with a double promotion (perhaps, to the rank of Major?) to boot.
17. 2011-09-23 11:41  
Agreed - well done Dan. Love those eyes boy!

I still can't help thinking this though. Is the military in any country a good career prospect for gays? For years I have been witnessing press coverage of racial and sexual abuse in the Australian armed forces and wonder why a gay person would put themselves through it.

Let's face it. The service to our respective countries is so very positive but military structures and mores seen red neck and anti-intellectual.

18. 2011-09-24 02:48  
As a retired Air Force Lt. Colonel, I am elated that DADT is finished. I did 8 years active duty during the Viet Nam conflict and was in the closet the whole time. At 30 I realized I could no longer live fearing I would be found out and my career ruined so I resigned. Of course this was in the mid 70's before DADT so things were much different. This is a great day and it is one more step in the battle for equality. Things have come a long way but there is still a long road ahead. Considering the Dan Choi attended West Point and was dedicated to his career he gave up a lot to take a stand. I hope he is successful in reenlishting. It is people like him who are willing to take a stand that make it just a little bit better for the rest of us.
19. 2011-09-24 05:44  
Viva Dan Choi
20. 2011-09-24 06:57  
Wonderful
21. 2011-09-24 06:57  
Wonderful
22. 2011-09-25 20:40  
So much has happened in America since I left in October 2008... first black president, gay marriage in New York, repeal of DADT... Is it time to return home now? Well with so many more hot Koreans like Dan Choi over here... I don't think I'll ever go back... hahaha ;~p

Seriously though... I am so glad that Dan had the moral conviction to courageously protest the way he did... His unwavering valor is what legends are made of...

단최 만나고싶어요!!!
23. 2011-10-06 01:14  
Dan is a hero in the american army he is a hero in the gay comunity and but the sad part maybe he will lose his family because Koreans they are very homofobic and also i think his country will be not ashame on him. i supot him.
But at same time im doing my part.
Comment #24 was deleted by its author on 2011-10-06 23:04
Comment #25 was deleted by its author on 2011-10-06 23:04
Comment #26 was deleted by its author on 2011-10-06 23:04

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