#and in fact we were so unwelcome that it was official policy to hunt us down and drum us out

[the-fallen-blue]

We, as a queer community, really need to get better at teaching our history to our youngest members. Because you cannot go forward without knowing where you have been, because you cannot know what you have if you don't know what it cost, and because I never want to see another damn fic where a character who lived through the 80s and 90s in the military acts like Don't Ask, Don't Tell was some cruel oppressive assault on their rights that they hate and resent their superiors for.

#yes this is an arson murder and jaywalking joke but it really is genuinely distracting #for those who don't know: DADT was a -protection- #it did not -suddenly- make queer folk unwelcome in the military #queer folk were ALREADY not welcome in the military #and in fact we were so unwelcome that it was official policy to hunt us down and drum us out #DADT said 'you're still unwelcome obviously but only if you force the issue' #'we'll look the other way if you're discreet' #like yes that's still shitty and that's why we celebrated when it was repealed #but only because it -also- came with the repeal of the -underlying policy- #many queer folk were certainly upset that it didn't go far enough but no one with half a brain #thought it was an -attack- on us. it was the exact opposite #a halfway gesture of allyship from a democratic party that couldn't get anything better past the congressional GOP #so now you know. #go forth and write Carol Danvers with greater period accuracy.