knowhomo: LGBTQ* Military/Service History “Undesirable” == “Homosexual” Duri

knowhomo:

LGBTQ* Military/Service History

“Undesirable” == “Homosexual”

During WWII the United States Military starting issuing “Blue Discharges.”

A Blue Discharge/Blue Slip was named because of the color paper it was printed on. These slips were used exclusively for dishonorably discharging soldiers accused of being homosexual. Once discharged, a serviceman could NOT receive any government benefits for his service in the armed forces and could be REFUSED employment by anyone.

Side Fact:

The government hired psychologists to find “the homosexual” recruits. When soldiers signed up for the service, they would be asked a series of questions with (code) words that were thought to highlight homosexual behavior. It is projected that for every one LGBTQ* individual who was detained, ten passed. By the third year of World War II, the United States Government told psychologists to stop screening. Every physical body was needed for deployment.