This documentary tells the personal story of retired U.S. Navy officer Tom Carpenter, shedding light on the double lives led by LGBTQ+ service members under the pressure of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. At the heart of the film is Carpenter’s secret relationship with Courtland Hirschi, which began after his graduation from the Naval Academy in the 1970s and had to be kept hidden for years.
As time passes, Carpenter not only shares his own experience but also emerges as a key figure in the fight to repeal this discriminatory policy. The film explores how love, commitment, and the pursuit of equality can be suppressed within a rigid institution — and how that same institution can eventually be transformed.
