Serving in Silence? ― Australian Lgbt Servicemen and Women

“To put service before self in our Nation’s name is the essence of being a member of our Defence Force. Such commitment is to be respected and honoured. Yet, for too long, our LGBT personnel served in silence. This book gives voice to men and women who served in the face of prejudice and discrimination. It is an affirmation of how Australia and its Defence Force are changing for the better.” ––Lt. General David Morrison, former Chief of Army and 2016 Australian of the Year

Most people have heard of the United States’ infamous “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, yet few know about Australia’s own history of LGBT military service. In Serving in Silence? lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender servicemen and women share their personal stories for the first time. The book explores the emotional stress they experienced hiding their sexuality or gender identity under official bans, as well as the challenges facing those who have served openly in the last 25 years.

A/Prof Noah Riseman specialises in the histories of marginalised people in the Australian military, particularly Indigenous and LGBTI people. He is the co-author of Defending Country: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Military Service since 1945 and author of Defending Whose Country? Indigenous Soldiers in the Pacific War. For the past four years he has been coordinating this Australian Research Council Discovery project documenting the history of LGBTI military service. A/Prof Shirleene Robinson has published extensively on aspects of LGBTIQ history. She is also the President of Sydney’s Pride History Group. Her most recent publication is Gay and Lesbian, Then and Now: Stories from a Social Revolution (with Robert Reynolds). Dr Graham Willett is a recovering academic who has spent over 30 years teaching, researching and writing about the history of queer Australia. He is the author of Living Out Loud, a history of the Australian lesbian and gay movement since 1969.