Nifty gay navy series#
The Advocate exclusively obtained 14 more photos from Mitchell's series that show LGBT military personnel after the dismantling of the "don’t ask, don’t tell" policy. Perhaps a century from now history students will look back and commemorate the turn of the tide." Images such as these would have been unprecedented before December 2010.
"The subjects featured in this project might be an example of such development in our communities. These are the voices explaining what it has been like to be a gay man 1 in the American military over the previous seventy or so years, from World War II veterans in their late eighties to young. Legislation is just the beginning of a long sociological process to acceptance," Mitchell tells The Advocate. There’s far too much to list here, but here are a few of his. "As a gay man, I can relate to what is still the oppressive stigma of homosexuality. You could write an entire book on the madness of Caligula and his insanity certainly extended into his sexual practices.
Mitchell says he hopes this photo series will put a face to the LGBT people who tirelessly serve our country. While, as many speculate, marriage equality may be the law of the land come this June, there is still plenty of work to be done to truly accept and integrate all LGBT service members. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual military personnel had been serving our country for decades without receiving equal protection, while transgender troops are still prohibited from serving openly. Maybe pictures like this will help him see better." "It reminds me of how unfair it is that this man can serve while enjoying all of this constitutional rights as an American, while other men and women similar to him cannot in other parts of the country, due in part to recent decisions such as the one made by circuit judge Jeffrey Sutton. Subscribe to our ultra-exclusive drop list and be the first to know about upcoming Nifty drops. "One photo that really speaks to me the most is the picture depicting Joshua Zitting and his husband Patrick Lehmann," Mitchell told Mic last November. The images spotlight veterans, occasionally revealing the stark contrast between their lives in and out of uniform.
Since then, Mitchell has photographed even more veterans for The Veteran Vision Project. Last November, photographer Devin Mitchell unveiled a photo series documenting the lives of service members. Today, we can celebrate the diversity of those brave enough to take up the call to serve in the military, while living the life most authentic to them. Before "don't ask, don't tell" was officially repealed for gay, lesbian, and bisexual military personnel in 2011, a photo of a male Marine in drag could have landed him in hot water.