The USA Made a "Gay Bomb". Here's Why.

Summary

The 'Gay Bomb' was a proposed non-lethal chemical weapon developed by the U.S. Air Force in the 1990s, aimed at incapacitating enemy soldiers by making them sexually attracted to one another. Though absurd, the idea was seriously considered as part of a broader investigation into non-lethal warfare methods. Despite its ludicrous premise, the project was backed by $7.5 million in funding, though it was never developed. The concept reflects the military's historical prejudice against LGBTQ+ individuals, highlighting a troubling chapter in U.S. military history that persisted in policies like 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'

Takeaways

• 😀 The 'gay bomb' was a proposed chemical weapon by the US Air Force in 1994 that would allegedly induce homosexual attraction among enemy soldiers, rendering them ineffective in warfare.
• 😀 The idea behind the 'gay bomb' was to release a chemical aerosol that would make enemy combatants irresistibly attracted to each other, causing disruption and diminishing their combat effectiveness.
• 😀 The 'gay bomb' was part of a broader effort by the US military in the 1990s to explore non-lethal weapons for use in warfare, with $7.5 million requested for its development over a six-year period.
• 😀 The gay bomb proposal gained attention after being revealed via a Freedom of Information Act request by the Sunshine Project, a group monitoring chemical and biological weapons.
• 😀 Despite its absurd premise, the US military did investigate the gay bomb and included it in a CD-ROM submitted to the National Academy of Sciences in 2002.
• 😀 The 'gay bomb' was not a literal bomb, but rather an aerosol spray that would be released over enemy camps during a flyover. However, details about its chemical agent and long-term effects were unclear.
• 😀 The 'gay bomb' idea stemmed from the homophobic beliefs prevalent in the military at the time, which wrongly assumed that homosexuals were ineffective soldiers, thus making them less of a threat in combat.
• 😀 The 'gay bomb' proposal was criticized for being scientifically flawed, with no chemical or conversion therapy ever shown to alter sexual orientation, making the concept laughable and unfeasible.
• 😀 Although the 'gay bomb' never became a reality, it was awarded a satirical Ig Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for 'science that makes you laugh, then makes you think.'
• 😀 The gay bomb proposal reflects a broader history of military discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals, culminating in policies like 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' which were only fully overturned in 2011 and 2016, respectively.

Q & A

What was the 'gay bomb' proposed by the US military?

The 'gay bomb' was a proposed chemical weapon that would make enemy combatants irresistibly attracted to one another, causing them to become sexually distracted and disabling their ability to engage in warfare.

When was the concept of the 'gay bomb' first proposed?

The concept of the 'gay bomb' was first proposed in 1994 by the US Air Force Wright Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio.

What form was the 'gay bomb' supposed to take?

The 'gay bomb' was proposed as an aerosol, similar to pepper spray, that would release a powerful aphrodisiac upon its target.

Why was the 'gay bomb' considered a non-lethal weapon?

The 'gay bomb' was considered a non-lethal weapon because it was intended to incapacitate enemy soldiers by altering their sexual behavior rather than causing death or physical injury.

What were the legal issues surrounding the use of the 'gay bomb'?

The use of the 'gay bomb' would likely have violated international laws, particularly the Geneva Convention, as chemical weapons are prohibited. It would have been considered a chemical weapon and thus illegal under the laws of warfare.

What was the military's rationale behind the proposal of the 'gay bomb'?

The military believed that if enemy soldiers were made sexually attracted to each other, it would disrupt their unit cohesion and morale, thus incapacitating them as effective combatants.

Why did the 'gay bomb' never come to fruition?

The 'gay bomb' never came to fruition because it was based on pseudoscience, was impractical, and was widely criticized for its absurd premise. Furthermore, it faced legal and ethical challenges, and there was no proven method to alter sexual orientation through chemicals.

How did the 'gay bomb' gain recognition despite never being developed?

In 2007, the 'gay bomb' received the Ignoble Peace Prize at Harvard University, a parody award recognizing absurd scientific proposals that make people laugh before they make them think.

How did conspiracy theorists link the 'gay bomb' to other phenomena?

Conspiracy theorists, like radio host Alex Jones, connected the idea of the 'gay bomb' to claims of chemicals causing people to become gay, citing unrelated issues like the effects of the weed killer atrazine on frogs.

What was the impact of the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy on the military?

The 'don't ask, don't tell' policy, which prohibited openly gay individuals from serving in the military, remained in place for nearly 20 years, and resulted in the dismissal of over 14,000 soldiers. It also contributed to discrimination and stigmatization of LGBTQ+ service members.