Strange Fruit #77: Rob Smith on Being Gay & Black in the Army During Don't Ask Don't Tell

Our feature interview this week was with Rob Smith, whose new book, Closets, Combat, and Coming Out looks at life as a gay man in the military during the Don't Ask Don't Tell years. In November, 2011, Rob was part of a group of LGBTQ vets who chained themselves to the White House fence to protest DADT (people of color were disproportionately affected by the policy; in 2008, people of color made up 29 percent of the total military population, but constituted 45 percent of DADT discharges). In Juicy Fruit this week we addressed Elevator-Gate, and who should whoop who or not when family disputes become physical. We were also joined by Jake Ryan from the WFPL newsroom, who told us about a local story involving a transgender high school student. The female student had been given permission to use the girls' restroom at Atherton High School, but Clint Elliott, a Louisville attorney, speaking on behalf of the faith-based legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom, complained to the Jefferson County Board of Education about it. Atherton is now moving toward becoming the first school in the Jefferson County Public School system to adopt a discrimination policy with specific protections for transgender students. And Michael Sam became the first openly gay player drafted into the NFL last week, and then kissed his boyfriend live on ESPN. It was a lovely moment, no doubt, but it occurred to us while watching that, as we see black people (LGBTQ or not) rise in the ranks of fame and wealth, we see more and more of them with white partners. Sometimes we even see folks beginning their career with a black spouse, only to see them divorce a few years later and end up with a white person.  Is it because they're hanging out in mostly rich white people, so that's who they meet? Or is there a whiff of status symbol involved? What do you think, Fruitcakes?