WP: The Stewards of Gay Washington

[MountainLaurel]

An article about the Metro Police Department's Gay and Lesbian Liaison unit.

Sgt. Brett Parson rides in his cruiser, groggy and unshaven, gripping a chai latte between his kneecaps. He will crisscross the city several times before the night is over. More sociological than geographical, his beat is gay Washington.

"Cruiser 9670, request assistance," the dispatcher calls.

"Brett, we got one of yours," a patrol officer radios.

Inside a Northwest apartment, a 39-year-old man has been beaten by his male partner. The victim is a lieutenant colonel who works at the Pentagon and can't show up at a military hospital with injuries caused by same-sex domestic violence without risking his career.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5489-2005Mar27.html

[Der Engel der Katzen]

1. "The small rainbow flags they wear on their uniforms . . .

. . . are their passports inside."

In Washington, D.C., a unit of police wear the rainbow flag on their uniforms. :wow:

I can't wait to read the whole article. Thanks, ML.

[MountainLaurel]

3. You're welcome

I'm actually big fans of this team. A good friend is doing an internship with a lesbian rights group in DC, and was the victim of an attempted sexual assault by a vagrant near some of the clubs in Southeast. Not only did this group see what was happening and immediately have the guy on the ground cuffed with guns on him, but they could see that she was going into shock (she's a rape survivor) and made sure that she saw a female cop to make a report and that she felt safe.

Compared with the treatment she would have probably gotten by the average officer ("what were you doing all by yourself in this neighborhood at 1 am?," "you're ok, all he did was grab your crotch," "I bet you lesbos really like it rough," "this ain't worth writing a report over"), they are my heroes.

[Scooter24]

2. I love Anne Hull...

her writings always seem to grab my attention and draw me in. Her story on that gay rural OK boy was outstanding. Thanks for posting this. :)

My favorite quote:

"When hundreds of men in chaps and biker caps paraded into the Washington Plaza hotel in January for the leather convention, a car full of gawking Japanese tourists waved Parson over and asked what was going on. "The inauguration," he answered."

LOL!!