‘I Didn’t Know That World existed’: How Lesbian Women Found a Life in the Armed Forces

Jennifer, who signed up to the Women’s Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) in 1979, told me that, until she joined the Army, she “had no awareness of gay people”. “I had no awareness that I was gay, I didn’t know that world existed,” she said. This changed dramatically within a number of days of her service. She laughed as she recalled that as soon as she got to the barracks she realized she was “attracted to” women. Moreover, it was clear that the possibilities to meet other women who were like her were abundant within the military.