This video titled Homosexuality Comes Out of the Closet by Michael (Mike) Nelson was presented by the Liberal Arts Forum on November 19, 1997 in Whitley Auditorium. Mike Nelson, a University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill graduate, talked about the diversity of gay and lesbian individuals in the civil rights movement. 00:09:27 The traditional train came through Elon with the sound of the train whistle. 00:11:17 Nelson spoke of his political career in Carrboro, North Carolina. 00:19:08 Nelson talked about being a gay man in the military, specifically in the Persian Gulf War. 00:19:50 Research has shown that gay men learn different languages faster than straight men, said Nelson. The U.S. military kicked gay men out of the military, said Nelson. The anti-gay witch hunts depleted the armed forces and compromised our country’s security, said Nelson. Then the young men who served and were kicked out of the military forces were recruited back into service for the Persian Gulf War. These men were promised that the military was changing for the better. After the Persian Gulf War, these same men were tossed aside, said Nelson. Nelson stated, there are two problems here. First, our military leaders allowed national security to be compromised because of their own prejudices. That is serious. But there is another problem, these American Soldiers were promised fair treatment by the United States military in exchange for their service. And then they were just tossed aside after the war. Even after things like this, gay men and lesbian women have continued to join the military – even with Don’t Ask and Don’t Tell. Nelson raised the Gay Marriage vs. heterosexual couple issue. Nelson said that President William Jefferson Clinton (the 42 United States President) led gay issues to the forefront more than any other president. Even Native Americans had men do female tasks and even married men in their tribes, stated Nelson. America is beginning to accept various sexualities. 00:30:12 Nelson took questions.