Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Will Really, Truly, Absolutely, Forever & Ever End In September
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!