Keynote speaker to discuss Don鈥檛 Ask, Don鈥檛 Tell, repeal efforts
KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥揗arch 19, 2008 鈥擳he 溏心vlog免费B站 will host its 14th annual Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Questioning Issues, “Connecting Communities: Looking Back, Moving Forward” on Wednesday, March 26 through Saturday, March 29.
Jason Knight will deliver the keynote address: 鈥淒on鈥檛 Ask, Don鈥檛 Tell: Personal Impact, Military Consequences, Public Reactions and Repeal Efforts.鈥�
In 2005, Knight, a former petty officer 2nd class, came out as a gay man to the United States Navy. After serving four years as a military linguist and despite superior job reviews, the support of the other sailors in his unit and a commander who spoke in his favor, Knight was told he could no longer serve his country due to his sexual orientation.
Knight is now the communications associate for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network in Washington, D.C., a national non-profit organization dedicated to ending discrimination against military personnel affected by the Don鈥檛 Ask, Don鈥檛 Tell policy. According to its website, the Pentagon fires two gay people every day. Nearly 12,000 troops so far have been discharged since the 1993 policy that allows gays and lesbians to serve as long as they don鈥檛 talk about their sexual orientation went into effect.
On Thursday, March 27, five talks ranging from 鈥淏ecoming Transfabulous: New realities beyond the sexuality alphabet soup鈥� to 鈥淒eliver Us: How Censors Target GLBT Materials鈥� will be offered. Songs by Woman Spirit Rising, and the Raging Grannies will be featured at night. The documentary, 鈥淎nyone and Everyone,鈥� which portrays parents discussing their reactions to having a son or daughter reveal he or she is gay will be shown and discussed.
On Friday, March 28, five talks will range from 鈥淭he Complexities of Complacency: HIV/AIDS in its Third Decade鈥� to a discussion 鈥淓nding Homosexual Poverty.鈥�
The symposium will close with The Closet, a play-in-progress– featuring several monologues about the process of coming out and a discussion with the play鈥檚 director, Mike Miele.
For a full schedule of events, times, and locations, go to .