Truthdiggers of the Week: Marissa Gaeta and Citlalic Snell
After a year that brought so much bad news, we're pleased to warm things up for this holiday Truthdigger installment by celebrating two women who put a fine point on the end of the US military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy and made headlines -- not to mention an iconic photo -- with a simple and moving show of love We're pleased to warm things up for this holiday Truthdigger installment by celebrating two women who put a fine point on the end of the U military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy with a simple and moving show of love .
After a year that brought so much bad news, we’re pleased to warm things up for this holiday Truthdigger installment by celebrating two women who put a fine point on the end of the U.S. military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and made headlines — not to mention an iconic photo — with a simple and moving show of love.
Yes, we’re talking about Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta and Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell, two sailors whose romance started during Navy training two years ago but was kept secret out of necessity until the ban on GLBTQ troops serving openly in the American armed forces was lifted in September. Fast forward to last Wednesday morning, when they gave the world quite the big reveal as Gaeta descended the brow of the Oak Hill, newly returned to Virginia Beach, Va., after a three-month voyage, took Snell into her arms and gave her an unmistakably romantic kiss before a cheering crowd, greeting her sweetheart and launching the military into the post-DADT era in one fell swoop.
This historic PDA was made possible by years of activism aimed at eradicating the policy that will go down as one of the blights on Bill Clinton’s presidential legacy, plus some rallying on Gaeta’s part to win a raffle to win the photo-op upon the Oak Hill’s return from its Central American sojourn. The 23-year-old sailor bought 50 tickets for a dollar a pop — money well spent, as her number came up, perhaps with some help from her shipmates. As Snell, 22, put it to the press, “I think it was meant to be.”
So is their relationship, apparently, as the two are planning to wed. For now, they’re the first couple to become Truthdiggers of the Week. Check out the video of their reunion after the excerpt below. –KA
Your support matters…The Virginian-Pilot:
As the rest of the crew begins to file off the ship, Gaeta and Snell slip away for a few moments alone before speaking to a group of news reporters.
They say they’re both a little embarrassed by all the attention, but they understand it.
“It’s a big deal,” Gaeta says. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Independent journalism is under threat and overshadowed by heavily funded mainstream media.
You can help level the playing field. Become a member.
Your tax-deductible contribution keeps us digging beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that unearths what's really happening- without compromise.
Give today to support our courageous, independent journalists.
His two terms were marked by partisan rancor, scandal and, for many Americans, betrayal by the president.
Most disabled American veterans suffer from invisible mental wounds—I’m one of them. I spent a month with dozens of these silent victims.
Watch Sanders Stand Up to a Homophobic Congressman Who Insulted LGBT Members of the Military in 1995
A look at the day's political happenings, including Nate Silver's warning to Karl Rove and the latest Republican threat against defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel.
While it took a huge cultural shift and immense political pressure to grant gay and lesbian volunteers the right to serve openly in the United States military, gay men in Turkey have to move mountains to get out of an army that does not want them in the first place.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.