ABSTRACT
Tracy Thorne-Begland, a former naval officer and fighter pilot, appears on ABC’s Nightline and discloses that he was-and still is-gay. Dishonorably discharged from the military because of its “don’t ask, don’t tell” rule, he fought the ruling, and lost. In 2012, after completing a law degree, he became a prosecutor in Richmond, VA, and then stepped forward as a candidate for district court judge. The Family Foundation opposes his nomination, and in May of that year, the Republican-dominated Virginia House of Delegates votes to deny him the judgeship. His opponents claim that, as a homosexual, he cannot be “impartial,” and worse, he’ll become engaged in “activism.” Gays in public office and legal positions are “notorious” for “homosexual activism” (Tavernise, 2012, pp. A15, A16). In short, Mr. Thorne-Begland’s outspoken opponents-anti-gays all-brand him a deviant.
