Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 2, 1993 TAG: 9303020337
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
WOMEN SHOULD WELCOME END OF GAY BAN
IN RESPONSE to the article in the Feb. 7 Horizon section by David Wood, "Women in military favor end of gay ban and `lesbian baiting'," it is perhaps slow in coming but very welcome. I cannot be the only woman frustrated by the sexually obsessive nature of the military gay-ban controversy. It is further insidious that we have had no public comment attributed to a female in a significant position in the service. Homosexuality covers both sexes. I don't aim to generalize, but imagine the comfort level of a heterosexual woman serving in close quarters with a self-controlled gay colleague vs. a straight male with overactive hormones.Anyone who treasures the Bill of Rights should be appalled at this toying with people's private lives. To reiterate the thoughts of Pamela Patton (commentary, "Suddenly, men worry about sexual harassment") published the same day, an unjustly high percentage of women carry a hidden, but persistent fear of unpredictable and often physically stronger men. And neither men nor the justice system seem able to regard these fears with the seriousness they demand. Rape continues to be a vastly underpunished crime.
There is yet to be any published documentation suggesting that gays have a higher, more intense sex drive than the heterosexual male. What do these straight, male soldiers fear? Acknowledgement that their obsession with sex will finally be proved inappropriate? We can hope. However, if this ban is lifted, perhaps women may finally face the opportunity to obtain the equality to which they are entitled, and to have the crimes upon them more justly prosecuted, if not diminished. LOUISA ANA NG ROANOKE