Homosexuals In Forces (Press, 6 July 1979)
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Summary: Homosexuals In Forces (Press, 6 July 1979)
In a letter published on 6 July 1979, Varian J. Wilson addressed the issue of the treatment of homosexuals within the military. He expressed his belief that claims of persecution against homosexuals in the armed forces were not supported by facts, a point that he felt disappointed "gay propagandists." Wilson contrasted his own military experience, which involved working alongside cookhouse staff and military police, with that of Paul Maling, who had served in a combat division. This led him to reflect on the potential correlation between certain military roles and the prevalence of homosexual behaviour among personnel. He mentioned a conversation with a military psychiatrist, who suggested that personnel administrators often assigned “notorious troublemakers” to serve with others deemed similar, implying that such assignments were strategic, possibly to mitigate issues within the ranks. Wilson noted two servicemen who were perceived to be disruptive and believed to be homosexual but had left with clean reports, highlighting the ambiguity surrounding the identification of homosexuals in the military. He pointed out that there are no psychological tests specifically for homosexuality, and even direct admissions can be regarded with suspicion. Additionally, Wilson acknowledged the historical figures of Kitchener and Gordon, clarifying that he did not take a contemporary psychoanalytic approach to label them as perverts, despite having studied their careers during a visit to Khartoum. His letter articulated a critical view of the assumptions about homosexuality in the military, suggesting that bias and misinterpretation play significant roles in the discourse surrounding the subject.
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