Wisconsin Pride
World War Two
Clip: Special | 2m 6sVideo has Closed Captions
World War Two fight held unfulfilled promises for a better life for LGBTQ+ Americans.
Like many members of marginalized groups in World War Two, gays and lesbians hoped that their service defending the nation abroad would be rewarded with greater acceptance at home. But officially banned from serving, they had to make their contributions while hiding their identity. Wally Jordan, a young soldier from Rhinelander, was especially motivated by a vision of a declaration of gay rights.
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Wisconsin Pride is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Funding for Wisconsin Pride is provided by Park Bank, SC Johnson, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the Evjue Foundation, the charitable arm of the Capital Times, TruStage, the New Harvest Foundation,...
Wisconsin Pride
World War Two
Clip: Special | 2m 6sVideo has Closed Captions
Like many members of marginalized groups in World War Two, gays and lesbians hoped that their service defending the nation abroad would be rewarded with greater acceptance at home. But officially banned from serving, they had to make their contributions while hiding their identity. Wally Jordan, a young soldier from Rhinelander, was especially motivated by a vision of a declaration of gay rights.
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- Throughout the early 20th century, the LGBTQ+ community made significant, yet unsung contributions to Wisconsin history.
They were also there to contribute, to step up wh en world history turned dark.
As Nazi Germany swept across Europe, Americans joined the fight for the free world, including gay men, hoping their commitment to the war effort would lead to greater inclusion back home.
But gay soldiers wo uld have to serve in silence.
- Dick Wagner: Gay men were fighting in the service, even though the service didn't want them.
Unwanted yet undeterred, gay men answered the call.
- Dick Wagner: They not only had to fight the homophobia of the military system, but then, they had to fight fascism, too.
- Motivated by the prospect of a freer society after the war, this was especially true for a yo ung soldier from Rhinelander, Wally Jordan.
- Dick Wagner: During the war, Wally Jordan was having gay pen pals that he was keeping a correspondence with.
- Jordan's letters provided personal insight into gay men who communicated frankly, despite the risk of discovery, sharing their thoughts on the war, hopes for the future.
- Dick Wagner: He writes in these letters that he has a vision that after the war, there will be a big national conference of gay men, where they will proudly proclaim their rights and demand that they be respected.
After World War II, there could be a better world, and that better world ought to encompass the gay men who had been fighting to win the war for the Allies.
- But a hero's welcome would not be waiting, even for those who put it all on the line.
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Wisconsin Pride is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Funding for Wisconsin Pride is provided by Park Bank, SC Johnson, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the Evjue Foundation, the charitable arm of the Capital Times, TruStage, the New Harvest Foundation,...