By Kevin Rector
Staff writer
As a healthy college student, sophomore journalism major Alex Douglas-Barrera fits the profile military recruiters look for. As a lesbian, however, she does not.
Last night, Douglas-Barrera appeared on CNN news program Paula Zahn Now to discuss the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which prohibits openly gay people from serving. Although the policy has been in effect since 1993, it has resurfaced in major news coverage because of a reinvigorated effort among young people to challenge it.
CNN’s Soledad O’Brien, who was sitting in for Paula Zahn, interviewed Douglas-Barrera because of her participation in a nationwide campaign by gay rights group SoulForce to challenge the military’s policy. Since its inception, that policy has caused more than 11,000 service members to be discharged and countless others to be denied enlistment.
Government and military officials stand behind the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy because they feel group cohesion, morale and effectiveness would be hurt by allowing gay men and women to serve, especially because all military personnel have to deal with close quarters and little privacy. On the other side, advocates for the policy’s repeal say similar arguments were used in the past when deciding whether to let blacks and women serve.
But with the Pentagon pushing harder for recruitment because of conflicts raging overseas, gay rights groups are pushing back.
Douglas-Barrera was denied the opportunity to enlist in the U.S. Navy Tuesday morning at a Washington recruiting office because she said recruiters there had anticipated the well-publicized SoulForce-coordinated event she was a part of. The group of protesters with whom she went were made to wait for hours without being offered a chance to enlist.
“It was pretty clear that someone knew we were going to be there. I wasn’t able to go through even the beginning processes of recruitment,” Douglas-Barrera said. “A perfectly heterosexual person could have walked in and tried to enlist in the Navy and nobody would have been there. What they’re doing to avoid this issue is pretty ridiculous.”
After being dismissed, Douglas-Barrera and the SoulForce organizers – including the goup’s Washington co-coordinator Adam Bink, who recruited Douglas-Barrera and assistant national director Katie Higgins – continued handing out flyers while staying put at the recruitment center for the rest of the day, she said.
For Douglas-Barrera, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is a particularly important issue to confront. Growing up struggling with her sexuality, she said she can relate to the feeling of having to hide.
“For any closeted person, life is basically its own ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy,” Douglas-Barrera said.
Additionally, being part of a military family instilled in her a desire to serve her country – a desire the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy makes impossible to fulfill.
“When I was choosing colleges, the possibility of ROTC programs sort of crossed my mind,” she said. “And I considered them, but I was ultimately against them, but I’m not anti-military. On the contrary, I’m very pro-military.”
Douglas-Barrera said the fact that “we are in a time of war” and in a situation where “you have to be united with your fellow citizens” makes her more saddened with the military’s refusal to allow openly gay people to serve.
About five hours after leaving the Washington recruitment office, Douglas-Barrera was in New York, prepared to speak out on national television.
Back in College Park, Douglas-Barrera’s Charles Hall suitemates squealed with excitement and pride as CNN’s O’Brien broke into the program’s section on gays in the military. They had all gathered around the television to watch their friend on the national program.
Lindsay Cumella, a junior environmental science policy major and fellow suitemate, said her friend’s appearance on CNN was particularly important because it made the show “relevant to people our age, because she is our age.”
This summer, Douglas-Barrera, who has once written for The Diamondback’s Diversions section, interned at The Washington Blade, a newspaper focused on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender political issues. But her duties there fell far short of national activism, and her outspokenness this week came as a bit of a surprise to Blade editor Brian Moylan.
“She was always so quiet,” Moylan said. “It surprised me a little bit that she was part of the protest, but I’m pleased that she is willing to stand up for her beliefs.”
But as another of Douglas-Barrera’s suitemates, senior psychology major Erin Hird, put it, not all members of the LGBT community are willing to speak up.
“What she did is important because if nobody wanted to put themselves out there, nothing would go anywhere,” Hird said.
Contact reporter Kevin Rector at rectordbk@gmail.com.
