Knights Out
Encyclopedia
Knights Out is an organization of West Point alumni, staff and faculty who support the rights of lesbian
, gay
, bisexual, and transgender
(LGBT
) people to serve openly in the U.S. military and who wish to educate young officers about the issues and contributions of LGBT troops. The group's name is in reference to the Army Black Knights
, West Point's athletic mascot.
, USNA
’75, started work to establish a West Point organization parallel to USNA Out
, the LGBT alumni association of the United States Naval Academy
. At the time, L. Paul Morris was serving as the chair of SAGALA, the joint service academy gay and lesbian alumni network, while Dan Manning was the USMA board representative. This led to the founding of Knights Out in March, 2009.
Becky Kanis, USMA ’91, agreed to chair the Knights Out Board, and was joined on the Board by L. Paul Morris ’80, Brenda S. “Sue” Fulton ’80, Margaret Wilson '89, Scott Melendez ex-92, Sarah Haag ’03, Dan Manning ’04, and New York National Guard First Lieutenant Daniel Choi, ’03. As spokesperson for the organization in 2009, Daniel Choi gained national attention for challenging the U.S. military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell
(DADT) policy when he came out of the closet on The Rachel Maddow Show
.
The core of the membership is represented by the “Out Knights,” graduates and former cadets who are publicly identified on the website as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. USMA graduates and current and former Staff and Faculty who are straight or do not wish to be identified as LGBT can join as Graduate Supporters. All others are encouraged to join as Allies.
The membership has grown from 38 members to more than 400 members and allies, including over 75 Out Knights.
policy and to educate their fellow Soldiers and citizens. Knights Out has also worked closely with the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
(SLDN) and other organizations committed to repeal. Finally, Knights Out members support West Point and the Army by speaking with Academy groups to educate and train leaders in preparation for leading a post-DADT Army.
Because the DADT repeal has been Knights Out's main project, the repeal is likely to alter the group's target. Fulton said that they will work with West Point to dispel stereotypes about LGBT soldiers.
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual, and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
(LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
) people to serve openly in the U.S. military and who wish to educate young officers about the issues and contributions of LGBT troops. The group's name is in reference to the Army Black Knights
Army Black Knights
Army Black Knights is the name of the athletics teams of the United States Military Academy. They participate in NCAA Division I-A as a non-football member of the Patriot League, a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school, and a member of Atlantic Hockey, the Collegiate Sprint...
, West Point's athletic mascot.
History
In January 2009, two USMA alumni, L Paul Morris ’80, and Dan Manning ’04, along with Annapolis graduate Steve Clark HallSteve Clark Hall
Commander Steve Clark Hall is a retired United States Navy submarine officer and documentary film maker. He is the first openly gay senior U. S. Navy officer who is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.-Biography:...
, USNA
USNA
USNA may refer to:* United States Naval Academy* United States of North America. A fictional country including the modern USA as well as Canada in the 1985 computer game A Mind Forever Voyaging...
’75, started work to establish a West Point organization parallel to USNA Out
USNA Out
USNA Out is an American non-profit organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Alumni of the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland...
, the LGBT alumni association of the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. At the time, L. Paul Morris was serving as the chair of SAGALA, the joint service academy gay and lesbian alumni network, while Dan Manning was the USMA board representative. This led to the founding of Knights Out in March, 2009.
Becky Kanis, USMA ’91, agreed to chair the Knights Out Board, and was joined on the Board by L. Paul Morris ’80, Brenda S. “Sue” Fulton ’80, Margaret Wilson '89, Scott Melendez ex-92, Sarah Haag ’03, Dan Manning ’04, and New York National Guard First Lieutenant Daniel Choi, ’03. As spokesperson for the organization in 2009, Daniel Choi gained national attention for challenging the U.S. military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Don't ask, don't tell
"Don't ask, don't tell" was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military from December 21, 1993 to September 20, 2011. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while...
(DADT) policy when he came out of the closet on The Rachel Maddow Show
The Rachel Maddow Show (TV series)
The Rachel Maddow Show is a news and opinion television program that airs weeknights on MSNBC at 9:00 p.m. ET. It is hosted by Rachel Maddow, who gained popularity with her frequent appearances as a liberal pundit on various MSNBC programs. It is based on her former radio show of the same name...
.
The core of the membership is represented by the “Out Knights,” graduates and former cadets who are publicly identified on the website as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. USMA graduates and current and former Staff and Faculty who are straight or do not wish to be identified as LGBT can join as Graduate Supporters. All others are encouraged to join as Allies.
The membership has grown from 38 members to more than 400 members and allies, including over 75 Out Knights.
Actions
Since its founding, members of Knights Out have spoken out in support of repealing the Don't Ask, Don't TellDon't ask, don't tell
"Don't ask, don't tell" was the official United States policy on homosexuals serving in the military from December 21, 1993 to September 20, 2011. The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while...
policy and to educate their fellow Soldiers and citizens. Knights Out has also worked closely with the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network is a non-profit legal services, watchdog, and policy organization founded in the United States in 1993. It is dedicated to ending discrimination and harassment of gay and lesbian U.S. military personnel negatively affected by the "Don't ask, don't tell"...
(SLDN) and other organizations committed to repeal. Finally, Knights Out members support West Point and the Army by speaking with Academy groups to educate and train leaders in preparation for leading a post-DADT Army.
Because the DADT repeal has been Knights Out's main project, the repeal is likely to alter the group's target. Fulton said that they will work with West Point to dispel stereotypes about LGBT soldiers.