

The Road Through “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is a documentary series that combines photography and recorded interviews to offer insight into the lives of LGBTQIA+ service members who served before and during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Statistics:
It is estimated that 114,000 service members have been discharged for homosexual conduct or sexual orientation between 1940 and 2011. These discharges can be traced back to the military's long history of banning homosexual conduct, which began with earlier regulations starting in 1916, when sodomy was first criminalized in military law. The DADT policy built upon this legacy, making it official military policy to discharge service members for being LGBTQIA+. More than 14,000 service members were directly impacted by DADT and these discharges cost the United States Military Millions.
The Government Accountability Office found that the cost of discharging and replacing service members because of their sexual orientation totaled almost $200 million during the policy's first ten years. This does not account for the experience of the personnel that had been discharged or what it costs to upgrade discharges under these policies. The financial burden of DADT is staggering, but the personal cost has been even more profound. Many service members who were discharged for their sexual orientation were given less-than-honorable discharges, which have denied them critical veterans' benefits—benefits that should be theirs by right.
It is crucial that we tell these stories now— not only to honor those who served but to ensure their experiences are recognized and remembered. These veterans endured profound sacrifices—sacrifices that are largely unknown to the public—and continue to face the consequences of a policy that aimed to silence them. The Road Through “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” aims to preserve their stories, ensuring their voices are heard and their struggles acknowledged. This documentary is more than a history lesson; it is an opportunity for reflection, healing, and advocacy for those who have been long overlooked.
The goal of The Road Through "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is twofold:
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To hold a gallery exhibition that shares our stories, putting faces to the experiences of LGBTQIA+ veterans.
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To launch a LGBTQIA+ Veterans History Project Archive hosted at the UNCG Digital Gateway.
There are several ways to participate in this project:
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In-person Interview & Photoshoot: I will come to you, record your interview, and take a short portrait for use in both the exhibition and the archive. Please note, your participation in the exhibition will involve your identity being visible.
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Interview Only: If you prefer not to be part of the exhibition but are comfortable sharing your story for the archive, we can simply record your interview. This can be done either in person or virtually. If you choose this option, your participation can remain anonymous.
Regardless of how you choose to participate, you have full control over what is shared publicly. Once your interview is recorded, I will transcribe it and send you the edited audio and transcript for your approval. You will have 30 days to request any changes before the content is uploaded into the UNCG archive.
This project is about honoring your story in a way that feels right to you, and you will always have the final say in how your voice is represented.
Why This Matters:
By participating, you're contributing to a larger movement of preserving the voices of LGBTQIA+ veterans and ensuring our history is remembered. Your story is powerful, and sharing it helps provide visibility and understanding to others who may not know what we’ve endured. Thank you for considering being part of this important project.