Daniella Mestyanek Young grew up in the Children of God cult, also known as The Family. She escaped aged 15, then joined the US army after college – and recognised similar systems of toxic control.
Police investigating the cold case murder of US man Scott Johnson, a suspected gay hate crime, at North Head, Manly, in 2020.
AAP/Dan Himbrechts
Two books on historical gay hate crimes – the murder of George Duncan in Adelaide, 1972, and army officer Warwick Meale in Townsville, 1942 – aim to create positive change by revealing past injustice.
Australia’s growing tendency to call in the defence force to deal with crises outside its usual remit is cause for concern. Shouldn’t we be better prepared to respond to disasters?
A redress scheme for LGBT service members could be modelled after the process set up for those who had experienced abuse in the ADF.
Shutterstock
State governments have apologised for past laws discriminating against LGBT people. LGBT service members deserve the same from the ADF, as well as a path toward redress.
Lieutenant general Angus Campbell Campbell has issued an order banning death symbols, such as the pirate skull and crossbones, the phantom or punisher symbols, and spartans and the grim reaper.
AAP/Andrew Taylor
A new directive from the army chief banning death symbols has earned him harsh criticism, but his view is more about respect for the gravity of solders’ tasks than political correctness.
Australians shelter from Japanese snipers in Borneo, 1945.
Australian War Memorial collection/Flickr
There are about 59,000 cards in archival boxes from the Red Cross’s WW2 enquiry service. While their language is impersonal, the golden rule was to provide solace to soldiers’ families, and fast.
A rainbow wreath laid by defence forces at a contemporary Anzac Day service.
Daniel Spellman/Defence Gay and Lesbian Information Service
Until 1992, being a gay or lesbian soldier was illegal in Australia. New research is unearthing the heartbreaking stories of people who devoted their lives to the military but were discharged when their sexuality was exposed.
Australian Navy, Army and Air Force personnel marched in record numbers at the 2015 Mardi Gras, led by senior Defence officers – a stark contrast to the way gay veterans were treated in the past.
Department of Defence
On Anzac Day 1982, five gay veterans tried to lay a wreath at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance, but were turned away by the Shrine Guard and the state RSL president. This year, that won’t happen.
Papua New Guinea soldiers mark Remembrance Day at the Port Moresby war memorial depicting ‘fuzzy wuzzy angel’ Raphael Oimbari leading a wounded Australian soldier to medical aid.
AAP/Lloyd Jones
As Papua New Guinea marks its Remembrance Day, July 23, in Australia the service of thousands of Papua New Guineans in the Australian military will go unnoticed. At Remembrance Park in Port Moresby, services…