LE3 .A278 2007

2007

Henderson, Stephen

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

History

History & Classics

In the early years of the Second World War, the Canadian military began to enforce discriminatory anti-homosexual policies that had harmful short and long-term effects on the lives of gay personnel. This thesis will address this problem as well as the secondary issue that the military rooted out competent personnel not because they were unqualified for combat or hindered military efficiency, but because of homophobia and the moral self-righteousness of policing investigators, senior officers, and medical professionals. From de-classified military documents in RG 24 of the Library and Archives of Canada, case studies of homosexual servicemen and their court martial proceedings will be presented to reveal the harsh legal actions taken against gay recruits. These will demonstrate discriminatory and unfair sentencing against men who were discovered as homosexual. Men who were found guilty of homosexuality were sentenced to various punishments, ranging in severity from detention and hard labour periods to a dishonourable military discharge, but all having powerful psychological, emotional, and financial consequences able to push some men to commit suicide. Ultimately, this thesis attempts to contribute to new military history, gender studies, and the growing focus on gays and lesbians in mainstream histories.

The author retains copyright in this thesis. Any substantial copying or any other actions that exceed fair dealing or other exceptions in the Copyright Act require the permission of the author.

https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:509