Treatment of gays through BMQ and Service?

[VictorCaulder]

Was wondering what (if any) significant opposition exists to homosexual recruits in the CF. It in no way impacts my drive or desire to serve, but my Father, a beloved CFR 2nd Lieutenant  from the glory days of Korea, is constantly dogging me with stories of how his homophobic unit back in the day "sock party-ed" and generally beat the life and desire to serve out of openly or suspected gay servicemen. Does this still happen? The CF from what I hear from people in touch with the modern reforms say it's a lot more accepting than it is now, this is what I'm hoping those with experience on the inside (either gay or having dealt with them) can answer for me.

 

[JorgSlice]

In today's Canadian Forces, there's still a few of the "old boys" type thinkers, but overall nobody cares if your homosexual, black, yellow, white, brown, short, tall, if you do your job and do it well you're just part of the team... the unit... the "family."

 

[AgentSmith]

I'm bisexual and I can tell you that sexual orientation doesn't matter. As long as you do your job to the best of your ability, and work well with the people in your unit, you will be fine.

 

[m.k]

think of the CF as the rest of the population, only smalller. Some might be against it, others will embrace it. But at the end of the day as long as you do your job the ones who hold your sexual orientation against you will likely be the ones criticized and discriminated against. Because let's face it...who cares?

 

[greenmachine]

On my first day of BMQ the course staff made it very clear there is a NO bullshit policy about the mistreatment of gay/transgendered service members. It is not tolerated in today's forces. Sure there is some people who don't like it, but they can't say anything about it or mistreat you because of your sexual orientation.  You'll be fine.

 

[Tyson Fox]

It might not be condoned, but it's foolish to say that every person will treat you as "one of the boys". Even though progress has been made, the military is slow to change and you'll run into people who will try to run you down. It doesn't just go for gay people, I see it happen to anyone who is a bit different. Shouldn't stop you from joining though.

 

[Katface]

It hasn't been a problem in my experience. It's the one job environment where I feel comfortable and safe, in fact.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

I'm not going to blow sunshine up your ass, there are some that are not going to be embracing of your orientation. Be it openly taunting you or the thing said behind your  back. There are people who are openly bigoted and those who may keep to themselves in private.

I will say though that the CF as the CF has in place the strongest ethos of any organizations in the world. We hold members to a code of ethics and place value in judging people by their actions and nothing else. We hold those not willing to play the game accountable and ensure ethical behaviour is a core value of how we do business.

So will there be issues? Definitely. Will you get assaulted? I highly doubt it, and if you do get harassed I would love to be there for the charge parade.

The only stipulation I have for whomever wears this uniform is the ability to drag my bloody carcass to cover when the shit his the fan. Doesn't matter what colour skin you have, parts you have below the waist, or who you like to call your 9er Domestic.

My 5cents with rounding

 

[NavyHopeful]

I have had the opportunity to go through BMQ and further courses with people of a broad variety of beliefs and orientations.  I will definetly echo the previous posters, and add this to it:

I know of 3 members who were open about their orientation at BMQ. 2 graduated, and one VRed for separate reasons.  In my short and limited experience, as long as the person in question is not making an effort to impose on others to the point where it becomes a reverse-harrassment situation, there really is no difference between a member who is happily married in a hetero relationship as there is to someone who is enjoying a same-sex relationship.

I am proud to serve with ANYONE who decides to serve their country, and who decides, as I did, that their gender, orientation, or cultural background did not and does not influence their decisions.

Having interacted with LGBT people, both in and and out of the Forces, the only advice I can give to someone in this situation is that they don't allow anyone to use it as a prejudice against their ability to do the job, but they don't use it as an excuse if someone is giving them the gears for NOT being able to do a job.  The excuse of "Are you jacking me up because I'm gay?" is NOT ON.  Your supervisor is giving you the what-for for being a pump, not because you are gay.  As long as you can do the job, whatever you do in the privacy of your personal life should be of no consequence to anyone else.

 

[Shrek1985]

I'm not an expert on the subject, but I'm willing to bet that gay people stop bullets as well as straight people, and in an emergency, their blood and other spare parts are interchangeable too.

Which is where my GAF on the subject ends.

 

[mercius]

their blood and other spare parts are interchangeable too.

except that gay men (or technically anyone who has had sex with a man who has had sex with a man since 1977) can't donate blood.

 

[Shrek1985]

that's true for donation, my assumption is that by the time someone is in a SHTF situation, they've had their bloodwork done, correct?

 

[skyhigh10]

except that gay men (or technically anyone who has had sex with a man who has had sex with a man since 1977) can't donate blood.

Or organs.

 

[TheWaterboy]

We had two gay guys in our platoon during basic. literally no objections or problems, if anything we were more protective of them. There were a few guys more uncomfortable with it than others, but there was never a single issue. Like everyones been saying, nobody gets mad unless your not doing your job, and then your judged based on the fact your being a shitpump and not your sexual orientation.

That being said keep a thick skin, cause we insulted each other a lot.

 

[AmphibousAssult]

I've known 3 gay officers, two of them were awesome guys (both navy coincidentally...), good friends and were not treated any differently because they were good dudes. The other one was abusive towards straight folks and felt like he was martyring himself by giving us the privilege of serving with a gay dude, he wanted to lead the first all gay platoon of infantry... he's not in the infantry or the CF anymore, not because he was gay, but because he was crazy...

 

[Mr.Neville]

Maybe back in the day there might have been a few incidents of that, but even back then it didn't happen all the time. The Forces now have absolutely zero tolerance for that kind of thing, and if it did by chance happen, there would be swift and hard punishments. Everyone in the Forces should expect the same treatment regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

Edit: I will add that if you are  in fact gay and in the military, it's one of those things that doesn't need to be mentioned, just keep quiet about it, no one is going to be beating you up with soap, but some people might not feel entirely comfortable around you.

 

[Nemo888]

We don't care who you F@#$ as long as you FIGHT.

 

[mercius]

he wanted to lead the first all gay platoon of infantry...

Someone should have told him he's a little late. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Band_of_Thebes

Also, I once heard/read (probably on here) that while the Americans had "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", the Canadian attitude was "Don't Care, Doesn't Matter". (But I'm still just an applicant, so don't take my word for it.)

 

[AgentSmith]

Someone should have told him he's a little late. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Band_of_Thebes

Also, I once heard/read (probably on here) that while the Americans had "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", the Canadian attitude was "Don't Care, Doesn't Matter". (But I'm still just an applicant, so don't take my word for it.)

A few people know about my sexual orientation and no one cares as long as I do my job. Sexual orientation doesn't and shouldn't matter. What matters is that you do your job as a member of the military.

 

[chowchow1]

We had one guy in 3VP who was openly gay. He was also very fit, and very strong. No one dared to even utter a word of homophobic BS his way!

Honestly, from my point of view as an NCO in an infantry unit, there may be a bit of talk, but I know that you will be judged way more on your work ethic as opposed to your sexual preference.

I know that if I had an openly gay member in my company I would be absolutely unforgiving to anyone who harassed them based on their sexual preference. There is seriously zero tolerance for that stuff.