PRETTY IN GREEN : GAYS IN MILITARY

Abstract

National service is an obligatory of all male Singaporeans have to fulfil regardless of their sexual orientation. Gay teenagers facing enlistment into the military are placed at a crossroad. They could journey to complete their service to the nation being "out" and proud of their sexuality or hidden within their stygian closets. Either choice would enable gay soldiers to make it through the military, albeit yielding different experiences. The military experiences of gay soldiers are extraordinarily rich. Besides handling the rigorous requirements of everyday training, these soldiers also have to contend with the homophobic environment in which they are placed. My thesis aims to illuminate on the lives and experiences of gay soldiers making the journey through national service. It attempts to uncover the reasons that have inspired some to be open about their sexuality and others to conceal themselves. It seeks to detail the different coping strategies that gay soldiers employ to handle and circumvent the awkward predicaments and skirmishes engendered by their daily interaction with their straight counterparts.