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As McCarthyism was running rampant in the nation鈥檚 capital, one of the most targeted groups was gay and lesbian workers within the federal government.
On Feb. 9, 1950, Sen. Joseph McCarthy infamously announced that he had a list of communists working in the U.S. State Department. But as the claims unfolded, the accusations widened and targeted gay men and women.
鈥淗e gets around to describing who’s on that list, it turns out some of them aren’t communists at all. There are two groups of homosexuals on the list,鈥� said David Johnson, chair of the history department at the University of South Florida and author of
鈥淚t starts this fear that gay people had infiltrated the federal government鈥� and that they posed a threat to national security because they could be blackmailed,鈥� he continued.
Johnson said many gay men and women in those times were not open with their sexuality leading higher ups in Washington to believe that they could be coerced into giving secrets to the Soviet Union. It was a justification for firing gay and lesbian workers and ultimately lead to an executive order from President Dwight Eisenhower in 1953.
鈥淥ne of the first things he did when he was elected after winning office, on the slogan 鈥楲et’s Clean House,鈥� Let’s get rid of all of these undesirable people that the Democrats had brought to Washington 鈥� communists, homosexuals,鈥� Johnson said.
stated: 鈥淎ny criminal, infamous, dishonest, immoral, or notoriously disgraceful conduct, habitual use of intoxicants to excess, drug addiction, sexual perversion鈥� was a threat to national security. At the time, homosexuality was described as a 鈥淪exual Perversion.鈥�
鈥淢y estimate is that between鈥� 5,000 and 10,000 gays and lesbians lost their jobs,鈥� Johnson said.
But despite those claims, there was no proof of any blackmail scheme with gay or lesbian federal workers.
The consequences though stretched far beyond the 1950s. Policies restricting hiring and security clearances for gay and lesbian federal workers lingered for decades overturning in the 1970s.
However, Johnson said, the policies lasted for an additional 20 years in higher security positions.
“In the State Department, the CIA, the FBI, the National Security Agency, it lasts until the Clinton era, until Bill Clinton signs two executive orders that overturn the Lavender Scare,鈥� he said.
Johnson noted that the change was not accomplished without the activism of many brave men and women who fought their dismissals through the courts and activism.
For example, Frank Kameny lived in D.C. and worked for the Army Map Service to more accurately map the Soviet Union and target their intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Army discovered he was gay after he was arrested in a known gay cruising area. He fought it in the court and with the help of national gay rights organizations, helped end the Lavender Scare.
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