Peace Corps' Historical Stance on LGBTQ+ Individuals Detailed in Personal Account
A personal account from Donald Kilhefner, a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1962-1965, details the historical discrimination faced by gay individuals within the organization. From its founding in 1961, the Peace Corps application included a question about 'homosexual tendencies,' and individuals found to be homosexual during service were discharged without honor. Kilhefner recounts the intense fear and stress he experienced during his 1962 training at Georgetown University, fearing discovery through FBI background checks or psychological tests. He strategically lied on applications and tests to conceal his identity. Despite the official stance, many gay and lesbian individuals, including staff and even the director of Ethiopia I, Harris Wofford, served in the Peace Corps during this period while closeted. Following the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion and the subsequent Gay Liberation Revolution, the U.S. Civil Service Commission ruled that being gay or lesbian could not disqualify a person from government ...
