Navy expels sailor who appeared on Bravo show
You know, when I first saw this episode on Boy Meets Boy where Michael Jason Tiner came out on the show, I was thinking to myself, "uh oh". I was hoping he wouldn't get in trouble for this. I wasn't sure if he was still in the military or perhaps he was not on active duty.
The Navy has discharged Jason because of his appearance on the show. The don't ask, don't tell policy of gay people in the military has once again claimed another victim. Another soldier in our military without one blemish on his record is gone and I'm left wondering, who really lost out here, us or him? It's time for this stupid policy to be abolished. The US military (our government) has to get over the idea that gay men really are not interested in seeing the penis's of straight men! I've lost a lot of respect for our military over this policy. They need to grow up and realize that gay people are a large part of this society and a large part of the military. And John Ashcroft, if you are reading this, fuck you! You and the current administration are a big part of the problem.
The news source on this story is the Southern Voice Online:
SAN DIEGO — The television gay dating game “Boy Meets Boy” may be counting on a dramatic conclusion in next week’s final episode, but one of its most intriguing developments already took place, off-camera.
One contestant, a gay combat systems instructor for the Navy, was discharged from the military for violating the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
Many viewers assumed that Tiner, as an active member of the military, must be one of the straight contestants. But when the Southern-accented sailor was eliminated during the first episode, his gay identity was revealed.
The results were predictable: The first episode aired July 29, and Tiner’s discharge from the Navy became effective Aug. 19.
Tiner, 26, was with the military for eight years and taught at the Navy’s Submarine Learning Center in San Diego. He was open about his sexual orientation to family members, but said that coming out on national TV was just a matter of fairness.
"The reason I did the show is that I felt if anyone had a right to go on the show, then I did," Tiner said. "I should have all the rights that the other 14 guys have. I was comfortable enough with who I am and with my sexuality that I was ready to face the consequences."
According to Lt. Commander Gary Kirchner of the Navy Information Office, another sailor recognized Tiner on a commercial for "Boy Meets Boy" several days before the first episode aired.
Shortly thereafter, Tiner "informed his command that he was participating in the show and that he was a homosexual," Kirchner said. The administrative process to remove him from the Navy for violating the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy began immediately.
Steve Ralls, director of communications for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a group that advocates for gay members of the military, said that the discharge was predictable but regrettable.
"I think it’s another example of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy costing the military a valuable service member,” Ralls said. “Had this been a heterosexual service member on a heterosexual dating show, nothing would have happened. It clearly shows the discrimination faced by gay and lesbian service members every day."
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