"The Truth Before We Were Free..."

This 92-Year-Old WWII Veteran Continues To Fight For LGBT Rights
Rupert Starr shares his experience serving in WWII as a closeted soldier in this video from the Associated Press.

Sarah Karlan
November 11, 2014

   

“I was a gay soldier,” says 92-year-old Rupert “Twinks” Starr of his service during World War II in a video sharing his personal story for Veterans Day.

For two months during his service, Starr was held captive by the German Army.

He fought in the Battle of The Bulge and earned the Bronze Star Medal for heroism.


But during the entirety of his service, and for decades after returning home to Ohio, Starr kept his sexuality a secret.

"You weren't qualified then to protect your buddy, because you would give up, you'd fade, or you'd die," says Starr of the attitude toward gay soldiers at the time.

Starr finally came out in the wake of DOMA and has since served as Grand Marshal in the Columbus Gay Pride Parade.


Listen to Starr’s full story here:

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