Reichen Lehmkuhl (Lance Bass' bf): I was sexually assaulted in military

[moomies]

Lance Bass's Beau: I Was Assaulted in the Military

MONDAY OCTOBER 23, 2006 10:40AM EST
By Stephen M. Silverman

Actor and model Reichen Lehmkuhl, who won season four of The Amazing Race and dates Lance Bass, was sexually assaulted while in the U.S. Air Force, he says.

Lehmkuhl, 32, tells ABC News that when he entered the Air Force Academy, he had to hide his homosexuality under the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. But his sexual orientation was the subject of speculation until one night, he says, when he was sent a message.

"A bag was put over my head," he says. "I was stripped of my clothes. I was forced to do things sexually with two other male cadets."

He hit rock bottom after the incident. "That's when you start having suicidal thoughts," he says, "and that's when you start saying, 'Oh my God. I am so stuck in this situation. I can't go to anyone.' "

Lehmkuhl talks about his experiences as a gay man in the military in his new book, Here's What We'll Say: Growing Up, Coming Out, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. He'd always wanted to join the Air Force, he tells ABC: "It was a childhood dream to fly, and then it became more of an adult dream to … be an officer, to be a leader."

But he knew he'd have to hide his sexuality. "And I remember the panic that came over me at that moment realizing, 'What am I going to do? Am I going to be able to change this? How can I admit this?' " he says.

Although he reached the rank of captain, he still faced "an institutionalized acceptance of people being homophobic and telling gay jokes and making homophobic remarks – really, really mean homophobic remarks to the point of, 'Kill gay people.' "

After he was assaulted, he kept silent about the incident and served out his commitment to the Air Force, which he completed five years ago. He says he hopes his story will push the military to re-think its policy toward gays.

source:
http://people.aol.com/people/article...549383,00.html

[silver024]

why would this change the militarys policies?? because hes Lance Bass's boy toy??

im sure it happens to alot of people and the military just pretends it didnt happen, which isnt right, but still what does this guy think is gonna happen from him letting this out??

[LynnieD]

Either its too early and I haven't had enough coffee, or there is a lot to the story that is missing...his sexuality just 'came up' one night and all of a sudden he has a bag on his head??? Missing some info here....

[moomies]

Lance Bass's Boyfriend Target of Threats

THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2006 09:00AM EST
By Stephen M. Silverman

Actor and model Reichen Lehmkuhl says he and boyfriend Lance Bass "have to be very protective" because of threats sparked by his new memoir about the problems of being gay while serving in the military.

"I am not going to hide," the 32-year-old former Air Force captain and winner of season four of CBS's Amazing Race told TV's Inside Edition in an interview that aired Wednesday. "There are threats that come in from people who do not want me to be so public and expose what is going on in the military."

Lehmkuhl says that he and Bass, the former 'N Sync star who revealed he is gay in July, turn the threats over to private security staffers, who forward what appear to be the more serious ones to the FBI. "Everything is being covered so we feel safe," he said.

In his book, Here's What We'll Say: Growing Up, Coming Out, and the U.S. Air Force Academy, Lehmkuhl recounts his experience of being closeted in the military.

But he told ABC News earlier this week that his colleagues speculated about his sexuality, and assaulted him one night to send him a message.

"That's when you start having suicidal thoughts," he said, "and that's when you start saying, 'Oh my God. I am so stuck in this situation. I can't go to anyone.' "

source:
http://people.aol.com/people/article...550888,00.html

[AliceInWonderland]

that is really sickening and so sad; its pathetic the level of ignorance and retardedness that some ppl have who enter into the military. The military seems like a safe haven for backwards-thinking morons like the ones who attacked him. They're either extremely backwards or severe closet-cases taking their own self-hate out on somebody else. thats just a horrible story. im so sorry that goes on in our military..