Jeff Sheng, an LA based photographer, started work in 2009 on a series of photographs of closeted men and women in the military. The faces of these men and women are hidden or in shadow; if they were “outed,” they would be discharged. The photographs have been compiled into one volume; Sheng is currently working on compiling photos for a second album. You can see the slide show of pictures here, at Jeff Sheng’s official website. They’re really beautiful, poignant, and heartbreaking.
“Ultimately for me, these photographs underscore the silence permeating the unsung heroism of gay and lesbian military personnel,” Sheng says. “The photos are about the men and women who continue to fight and serve despite the heartbreaking invisibility they suffer.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said that he will bring the Defense Authorization Bill to a vote after Thanksgiving, an important move given the fact that the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) is attached to the bill. Senator Lieberman, who supports the repeal, has said that he has enough votes to go through with it. In addition, a ten-month long study showing the effects of openly gay members on unit cohesiveness, is set to be released December 1st. The study shows that over 70% of soldiers support, or are at least okay with, repeal of DADT.
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