Perhaps the still from the video below, which has already gone viral, will become the icon of the celebration of the end of 'Don't ask. Don't tell'. From the beginning, when I first heard of the Clinton compromise, I thought it was ridiculous. Hopes were high that Clinton would end the practice of discharging members of the military who had served their country well, if their LGTB sexual orientation became known...but not with the unworkable policy of DADT.
The photo of the lesbian kiss reminded me of the iconic scene below, of the sailor kissing the nurse, photographed by Albert Eisenstaedt in Times Square on V-J Day, marking the end of World War II.
oh weird, I put this on FB an hour or so ago. I didn't check Wounded Bird before I did it. I'm glad you blogged on it, Mimi. It's a lovely picture.
ReplyDeleteThey're a nice-lookin' pair of gals, that doesn't hurt.
ReplyDeleteThe video is all over, Cathy, which is why I wasn't in a hurry to post it. I took the still out of the video, because I thought it was a great picture. The Guardian photo is from a different angle.
ReplyDeleteThe two naval officers are quite good-looking.
The picture was on Thursday's FRONT PAGE of my local paper, the Sacramento Bee (Petty Officer Gaeta is originally from Placerville, about 20 minutes up the hills on Hwy 50 from Sacra-tomato).
ReplyDeleteThe first printed Letter-to-the-Editor today (Friday), was of the "Won't SOMEONE think of the CHILDREN???" variety, re the pic. }-p
I noticed that, funny, the writer didn't bother to THANK the women for defending her freedom to bitch about them! >:-(
Two steps forward, one step back...
One major difference between this photo and the V-J Day photo is that the former involved two people who knew and loved each other, while the latter is of a sailor grabbing and kissing a perfect stranger. O tempora O mores!
ReplyDeleteJCF, there are always spoilers, more's the pity.
ReplyDeletePaul Powers, I wonder if the nurse minded back then. If the sailor did such a thing today, he might be in a bit of trouble. The news of the end of the war resulted in such a spirit of joy and celebration.
More recently, we don't celebrate the end of our wars, because the reasons for going to war in the first place are sometimes shameful. Still, by not doing so, we slight those who served honorably in the armed forces.
I always think of the story my mom told, of her and my grandmother, coming out of a San Francisco movie theater in the afternoon, to the sound of church bells (they were informed Japan had surrendered).
ReplyDeleteMy then 19 year-old mom might have been inclined to stay around in "The City" (literally JAMMED w/ soldiers, sailors and marines in 1945), but my (wise!) "Gaga" was taking NO such chances. Back over the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin they drove! [No, I didn't learn what the movie was]
Yes, Mimi, spoilers. Or, for this season: GRINCHES. Bah humbug to 'em. Keep on kissin', grrls! :-D
A good many straight men I know think lesbian sex is hot, hot, hot.
ReplyDeleteYes, I speculate that maybe a few (straight) male sailors entered the lesbian sailor's name in the raffle? ;-)
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Mimi!
Merry Christmas, JCF. Mwah.
ReplyDelete