Its official: the US military's homophobic "don't ask, don't tell" policy has been repealed. This doesn't just mean the end of more than 230 years of institutionalised homophobia; it also means the US is no longer the only western country to ban gays from serving in the military.
Its a small victory, but a hugely symbolic one. In a militaristic country like the US, ending homophobia in the military is a powerful symbol of social acceptance. Which is precisely why the theocrats fought it tooth and nail for so long. But now they've lost, and hopefully the US will be a better, more accepting place for it.
