One of the Boys: Homosexuality in the Military During World War II (review)

Paul Jackson's One of the Boys examines the experience of homosexual Canadian servicemen during the Second World War. Based on the analysis of court martial records, as well as numerous interviews with former servicemen, this is no mere rehashing of the story already told in Paul Bérubé's Coming Out under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War Two. Besides the most obvious difference, that Jackson studied Canadian soldiers and Bérubé Americans, there are a number of interpretative differences between the works, most notably Bérubé's portrayal of his subjects "as coherently gay and lesbian actors" (p. 21), whereas Jackson provides an all-encompassing definition of homosexuality "as the ability to derive sexual pleasure from members of one's own sex" (p. 148).

Beginning with a review of official military policy regarding homosexual soldiers, the author demonstrates that there was a deeply-rooted fear of homosexuality within the military hierarchy. Based on the belief that homosexuality was a sign of moral weakness and a lack of masculinity, it followed that such individuals should be kept out of the services, for fear that their presence might have a ruinous effect upon soldiers' morale. There was a wide divergence, however, between official policy and practice. Soldiers identified by their officers as homosexual tended to be left alone, provided they were accepted by their fellow soldiers. More often than not, Jackson argues, such was the case. When soldiers within a given unit could not reconcile themselves to the presence of a homosexual serviceman, the latter tended to be transferred to a more hospitable unit.

While there was a tendency to protect homosexual servicemen from official disciplining, those unlucky enough to face court martial underwent a humiliating process. Utilized in an effort to not only punish the accused but also to deter others from following in their footsteps, such court martials featured denigrating language intended to denormalize the same-sex experience. Those found guilty were subsequently sent to jail, and more often than not placed under suicide watch—a clear testament to the stigmatization of being labeled a homosexual during this period.

Jackson's is an important contribution, not only for those interested in wartime Canada and the social history of World War II, but also those with an eye for contemporary public policy debates. Those campaigning against the presence of homosexuals within the military continue to argue that their presence lowers the troops' morale. According to this case study, homosexuality tended to be accepted within the ranks; rather, it was when the hierarchy attempted to root out homosexuals that esprit de corps was negatively affected. A well-researched and thought provoking book, One of the Boys deserves a wide readership.