Marine Corps orders its spouses clubs to admit same-sex members
In an all-hands memo to legal offices across the branch, the Marine commandant’s Staff Judge Advocate warned against discrimination based on sexual orientation, and he specifically mentioned a controversial decision made last month by the officers spouses club at the Army’s Fort Bragg to deny access to the same-sex spouse of a female Army lieutenant.
NBC News reported Dec. 14 that Ashley Broadway, the newlywed wife of Lt. Col. Heather Mack, was blocked from joining the spouses club at Fort Bragg, N.C., sparking accusations from a national military spouses organization that Broadway was being blackballed only because she is a lesbian.
The Marine memo, issued Tuesday, described the Fort Bragg club’s stance as having “caused quite a stir” and added, “We do not want a story like this developing in our backyard,” confirmed Capt. Eric Flanagan, a Marine Corps spokesman.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
My guess is the straight couples will simply go someplace else. Thoughts?
CrimsonFisted on January 10, 2013 at 9:21 AM
If I’m polyamorous, will all four spouses be allowed in?
What if my SO is my dog or horse, or should I just be patient and wait 10-12 years for that?
Shaughnessy on January 10, 2013 at 9:21 AM
Why would someone want to join an organization where they didn’t feel welcome, so they can sit alone at a table and be ignored?
If so, go for it, it’s your life being piddled away.
Bishop on January 10, 2013 at 9:22 AM
That’s what I was thinking. The normal people can just create a private spouses club and perhaps meet in a church. That way they can restrict it to real spouses.
tommyboy on January 10, 2013 at 9:23 AM
So they can sue? Beats me.
angelwing34215 on January 10, 2013 at 9:26 AM
The Christmas parties will be extra fabulous going forward.
Illinidiva on January 10, 2013 at 9:27 AM
Well, until they’re told that such things are illegal.
Folks, this is about forced acceptance and authoritarianism. You think churches are going to be refuges?
ddrintn on January 10, 2013 at 9:32 AM
Yup – formal clubs become “informal gatherings”
jake-the-goose on January 10, 2013 at 9:34 AM
This is a very interesting stance by the Marines given the fact that this “marriage” is recognized by neither the federal government, the Marines nor the state of North Carolina. Why should the Spouses club admit her? Howe is this discrimination when she isn’t a spouse?
Rocks on January 10, 2013 at 9:34 AM
Only until Command decides to order them to go back and socialize with people they didn’t want to socialize with. It’s the Marines. You don’t get to just do what you want to do there.
MikeA on January 10, 2013 at 9:35 AM
If they had spouses clubs, were the male spouses of female Marines let in previously? You can rename it “Marine Brides Club” and define brides as “female wives married to men”. The homosexuals don’t like to refer to themselves as bride or groom.
Buddahpundit on January 10, 2013 at 9:36 AM
“Yeah, come in on Frieda, pull up a chair. We’re just talking about our men being men…I guess you will uh…you will just have to listen in.”
Bishop on January 10, 2013 at 9:36 AM
Marines don’t have power to issue orders to spouses who are not themselves enlisted in the corps. They can privately associate with whomever they want.
tommyboy on January 10, 2013 at 9:45 AM
The gay agenda isn’t about civil rights, it’s about flaunting their unnatural and unhealthy lifestyle in your face while forcing you to pay attention and agree that it’s “normal”.
When it clearly is not.
wildcat72 on January 10, 2013 at 9:46 AM
Umm.. all joking aside. The wives cannot be pleasant to this lady at a few gatherings a month.
Illinidiva on January 10, 2013 at 9:47 AM
Ding ding ding.
Naturally Curly on January 10, 2013 at 9:50 AM
What if the “wife” is a man?
jake-the-goose on January 10, 2013 at 9:59 AM
Good question. Isn’t such a social club of women very different from one of women plus some men? I mean, let’s put aside the canard that gender roles are manufactured by society.
Paul-Cincy on January 10, 2013 at 10:00 AM
So, the spouse’s club is required to admit someone, even though same-sex marriage isn’t legal?
GWB on January 10, 2013 at 10:01 AM
Of course it is. Miscreants of all types are the voters for the Democrat party.
Thanks again Breitbart for giving the RINOs cover to put this into effect!
astonerii on January 10, 2013 at 10:01 AM
And, yes, the husbands could socialize with the wives. Many did not.
GWB on January 10, 2013 at 10:02 AM
Exclusivity is the essence of freedom. Libs say inclusivity is the essence of freedom but it’s the exact opposite of freedom. Union and dependence is inclusive and liberty and independence are obviously acts of exclusivity.
Buddahpundit on January 10, 2013 at 10:06 AM
Interesting. Isn’t DOMA still federal law? If so, the military branches can’t recognize same sex marriages, therefore there should be no need to admit spouses of same sex couples. This would be just like saying that these clubs must admit the boyfriends or girlfriends of straight soldiers.
HarryBackside on January 10, 2013 at 10:06 AM
Young, lonely men and women, whose spouses are away for months at a time. What could go wrong.
Paul-Cincy on January 10, 2013 at 10:10 AM
If your polyamorous then you will be convicted for adultery in the military. The military is not recognizing True Marriage Equality. They are only recognizing equality for one specific group that they like. They continue to discriminate against groups that they think are icky or something.
blink on January 10, 2013 at 10:11 AM
Any hope that the military will defend the Constitution is quickly fading. The traitors have replaced all officers that might be a problem. Now sissy loving pencil pushers are running the show.
Flange on January 10, 2013 at 10:12 AM
A command will usually have an official liaison with spouses clubs. The order might being implying that any spouses club that doesn’t comply shall not have official liaison.
blink on January 10, 2013 at 10:15 AM
Trolls?
Bmore on January 10, 2013 at 10:16 AM
WHich is exactly why I said they should organize their own private spouses and perhaps meet in a church. There they are beyond the reach of the marine brass. They don’t need a liaison with perversion – that’s what they would be fleeing.
tommyboy on January 10, 2013 at 10:23 AM
Spouses clubs are to spy on spouses spouses…
albill on January 10, 2013 at 10:54 AM
Not subject to orders. See : “Civilian”
mojo on January 10, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Why would you expect otherwise when all officers come out of colleges. How many “conservatives” maintain their conservatism after 4 or more years of indoctrination in our nations colleges. It only gets worse once you get to the graduate level. Hawkdriver and the other ex-military officers on this site went through college and got their commissions prior to the all out war against conservatives on college campuses.
chemman on January 10, 2013 at 11:33 AM
That’s fine and perfectly within their rights. However, they would then forfeit unfettered access as a group to the base, along with public funds, and use of base facilities. Just for good measure, make such a proposed group church-affiliated and you should be able to head off any command trying to prevent the servicemember of the spouse from participating given First Amendment protections.
JohnAGJ on January 10, 2013 at 11:33 AM
It looks to me like the two of them in the picture would not pass military fitness standards, unless the standards have been greatly relaxed since I was in 20 years ago.
8 weight on January 10, 2013 at 11:55 AM
See Boy Scouts. Don’t like it, but if the spouses don’t play ball, they won’t have recognition, nor a place to meet etc. All functions would be forced off post.
AH_C on January 10, 2013 at 4:26 PM