Blog 6: First Hand Accounts

For the most part, this archive has taken a first-hand personal account since most of the posts involve something I participated in. With the lack of history of first hand personal accounts of LGBT police officers, if I could go back and have the time to personally interview people for their first-hand account of LGBT police culture and their stories I absolutely would. I’d love to personally interview Officer Aiden Budd from the NYPD who is insanely inspirational on so many levels. I’d interview everyday people who put on a uniform, many whom are friends of mine and members of G.O.A.L. who live out open lives while being completely successful on the job. I’d especially love to interview the officers I know with time on the job to see if they knew of any LGBT officers when they were new in order to see if there were any LGBT officers during Stonewall that might still be around or have children that knew about their life and could shed light on LGBT policing back then. Imaging that absolutely anybody would be available for an interview, I’d love to interview Officer Bonnie O’Neal who was the very first openly LGBT police officer. Officer Bonnie O’Neal came out in 1969 just months after the Stonewall Riots and then in the ten years following completely transitioned while serving openly for 32 years with the Metropolitan Police Dept, in DC. Coming back full circle to 2017 I’d interview my friend and fellow G.O.A.L. member, Deputy Sheriff Dante Austin who at only 24 years old is making waves in Philadelphia for the LGBT community. Dante is the acting vice president of G.O.A.L. Philly, the first LGBT liaison for the sheriff’s office in Philadelphia, and the only openly gay sheriff in Philadelphia, who goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure training is being done to make it better for the LGBT community in Philadelphia with their interactions with Law Enforcement. On top of all he has done, he goes above and beyond to give back to the LGBT community here in Philadelphia. I would love to have these first hand interviews and even to continue this archive after this course is over so that I can get some interviews to be able to have multiple perspectives of how the LGBT culture and the police culture mesh together for an LGBT identified police officer.

2 thoughts on “Blog 6: First Hand Accounts

  1. Awesome post! I think that having these first hand accounts of a behind the scene perspective would be a great contribution to your archive and it’s message. These to me could be critical in the progression of you’re message of LGBT culture when it comes to law enforcement. I’d love to keep reading these updates especially considering I do plan on being in Law Enforcement myself. These glimpses into history have been a pleasure!!

  2. It would be interesting to hear about their experiences being “out” or how long they chose to stay “in the closet” if they ever did at all. And also how differing communities or departments responded differently – I think about the protections that are in place here in a liberal state like Illinois that are not in all places across the U.S. Which would make it more difficult for officers (or anyone) to be out in their workplaces.

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