Not Every Boy Wants To Be A Soldier - Fireworks Graphics Collective

Primary Artist: Henry Bortman

Created: San Francisco Collective, 1993

Medium: Offset printed

Dimensions: 16″ x 20″

In 1993 there was a national push to change US military regulations to allow gays and lesbians to serve openly. Until this time the regulations did not allow gays to serve and if they outed themselves or were outed they were thrown out of the military usually with a dishonorable discharge. When Bill Clinton became president in January of 1993 a huge march was planned in Washington DC on April 25. Seven primary demands were made starting with the passage of a civil rights bill banning discrimination against LGBT people by state and federal governments including the US military. In the end the only change was called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: if you stayed closeted you could serve. Although PFOC fully supported ending all discrimination against gays we were opposed to anyone joining the imperialist US military. We placed an article in Breakthrough with this photo on the back cover and as a poster.

Image: Photograph of Chamomile de Quellequechose, a gay man, wearing a pink formal gown and holding a sign.

Words: NOT EVERY BOY WANTS TO BE A SOLDIER.

Color: Full color photograph printed as a poster.

Event: None but intended for the April 25, 1990 protest march.

Sponsor: Prairie Fire Organizing Committee