Nobody Asked, Somebody Told
The book Out of Step, by Milton author J. Lee Watton, with a foreword by Colonel Grethe Cammermeyer (USA, ret.) will have its book launch party and author signing on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 1 p.m. at CAMP Rehoboth.
This memoir, published by A&M Books of Rehoboth, is about a frightening 1965 military witch hunt among Navy Waves, and is being being released just as the U.S. military is finally lifting the ban on gay people serving openly. The story is a compelling, detailed and emotional account of what happened at a Navy training ground in 1965.
During that summer, the Office of Naval Intelligence launched a major inquiry into reports of suspected homosexuality among a group of young, spirited, naïve WAVES stationed at the U.S. Naval Training Center, Bainbridge, Maryland.
The Navy referred to the inquest by the code name “The Family.” The investigation included daily interrogations, and a witch hunt against the women under investigation, their friends, and other WAVES whose own careers were threatened. At the time, this investigation encompassed the largest number of WAVES, at the same base, to be discharged simultaneously.
At the conclusion of the extensive and terrifying probe, while no attorneys were assigned to represent the defendants and nothing was ever proven, five Waves were discharged. The incident had life-long ramifications for the young women.
Now, 45 years later, journalist Jane “Lee” Watton, one of the discharged WAVES tells the true story of that summer of 1965, with its forbidden desires and lessons learned the hard way— coming full circle with a 21st century reunion for the former Waves and some surprising revelations.
Retired Col. Grethe Cammermeyer, who also took on the military over Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, says, “This book could not be more timely. (It’s) a tender, fragile love story about a ‘family’ of young women growing up in the military, to the beat of a different drummer, and making decisions with lifelong consequences.”
Rev. Dusty Pruitt, who also fought against dismissal says, “In this poignant and humorous memoir, Lee Watton has captured the pride, joy, and camaraderie, along with the ultimate shame and heartache of being a lesbian recruit in the Armed Forces, long before the establishment of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Come join Lee Watton, along with Rev. Pruitt at the book signing, reading, and celebration. A portion of the proceeds from the sales at the signing will go to CAMP Rehoboth.
Out of Step is available in stores and online. For more information contact A&M Publishers .
Gay in America Author and Photographer Scott Pasfield In Rehoboth Beach on Nov. 8.
When Scott Pasfield set out to re-energize his photography career, he had no idea how far—literally—his new quest would take him. As it turned out, it was to all 50 U.S. states to photograph gay men in America.
It took one photographer three years and 52,000 miles to travel to all 50 states, and tell 140 deeply personal stories of fathers, brothers, sons, and friends. His stunning new book of intimate photographs and life stories, Gay in America, is a phenomenal success and his career is flying high.
And on the evening of Nov. 8, at 6 p.m., Scott will be in Rehoboth at Browseabout Books on Rehoboth Avenue to sign copies of the photographic and essay collection. He will be giving a presentation describing his journey, and telling stories he has collected.
So how did this all come about? While Scott’s commercial photography career, working in TV and for corporate clients, photographing celebrities like Joan Rivers and Dom DeLuise was a good living, photographing his own community for this book was so much more meaningful for him.
And his experiences traveling the country and meeting gay men from all over the U.S. turned out to be a turning point in his life as well, as he reinvigorated his love for photography, and completed a most satisfying journey.
“I wanted a project that would be important,” he says, “and since gay men are the people in my world, I started there. “ Trying to find interesting subjects, he trolled the internet, Craig’s List and more. It was on Craig’s List, when he saw the list of U.S. states in the margin, that he decided to collect photos and stories state by state.
From outposts like Palmer, Alaska to the country’s heartland, to big cities, and off again to rural back roads, Scott and his camera found likely and very unlikely subjects willing to go on record with their stories, and have their proud gay male images preserved for posterity.
“I was surprised to find these tough, rugged men, who had never been into a gay bar in their lives, were just living happily, in a monogamous relationship, and doing their thing.”
Whether it was on a glacier tour in Alaska or in the Midwest, where “men took such a leap of faith to be completely honest with me, a complete stranger,” Scott traveled with his camera and notebook for two full years then spent another year putting the book together.
Along the way, he found some powerful tales, such as in Minneapolis, where he met two dads whose 13 year old son was dying of brain cancer. Scott tells their tale and offers one of the most moving photos of all time to go along with it.
“I’m a country boy at heart,” he says. “Doing this book really shows the misconception that all gay men went to live in big cities.”
In addition to the body of the book, there is an introduction by playwright Terrence McNally and his partner, activist Tom Kirdahy. Scott heard them interviewed one day on NPR’s Diane Rehm Show and knew he would love to have them pen the book’s intro. He was thrilled when he reached out to them and they agreed.
As for the timing of the book’s release, it had been a great year for gay Americans, with the lifting of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell accidentally coinciding with the publication of the book with the portrait of Lt. Dan Choi, poster boy for DADT on the cover. While Choi’s story is fascinating, the book is filled with stories, some sad, some inspiring, some joyous, of unknown men, proving the adage that “we are everywhere.”
The Village Voice’s Michael Musto calls the book, “Sprawling, moving, and lively, Scott Pasfield’s Gay in America shows what being a gay male looks, sounds, and feels like in today’s USA. An inspiring cross section.”
Come meet Scott Pasfield at Browseabout Books on Rehoboth Avenue at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8.