ABSTRACT
This essay will examine the representations of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy on US television in two series, one before the repeal and one after. While they embody decidedly different tones, both programs avoid critiquing the military and subsequent DADT policy outright. The essay begins with a brief introduction to the history of DADT, then examines The L Word (Showtime, 2004–2009) and Army Wives (Lifetime, 2007–2013) to show that in both cases the history of violence and homophobia against gays and lesbians in the military is underscored by each show’s pro-military, patriotic, and normative sensibilities. In the case of Army Wives, the show uncritically celebrates military family life—but unique to much of the television archive centered on the military in the past, it features same-sex soldiers and their domestic as well as professional aspirations in the US military. Unlike Army Wives, The L Word does examine the difficulty lesbian soldiers face under the DADT policy. However, it does this at the same time that it maintains a commitment to normative forms of service and patriotism. In its depiction of life on base post-repeal, Army Wives promotes an unrealistic, idealized version of what lesbian life in the military is like within an uncharacteristically neat and tidy story-arc that was influenced by military oversight. Before discussing the way the television shows The L Word and Army Wives take on military policy of DADT before and after repeal, I will provide a brief history of DADT.
