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Factual: Life Stories

True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.

Outlook: 21/12/2010

21/12/2010

BBC World Service - Outlook, 21/12/2010

A gay marine on the campaign to change the law on sexuality in the US military

Justin Elzie

US senators have recently voted by 65 to 31 to overturn the 1993 "don't ask, don't tell" law, which barred gay people in the military from revealing their sexual orientation. One man who had campaigned for the change in the law was former US marine Justin Elzie. In 1993, he became the first person to be discharged from the marines on the grounds of his sexuality under the "don't ask don't tell" law. But he took the army to court and was eventually re-instated to serve four more years. He tells Matthew about his journey. 

Justin's book 'Playing by the Rules' is published by Rebel Satori Press. You can find more about Justin's life here: www.justincrockettelzie.com

Charles Brewer Carias

In the last fifty years, the veteran explorer Charles Brewer Carias has led over two hundred expeditions into the remote southern jungles of Venezuela. Will Lorimer has been taking part in a 28,000 mile trip around the Atlantic Ocean as part of the Atlantic Rising expedition. The two men met at Charles' home in the hills overlooking Caracas.

Caspar Walsh 

Caspar Walsh's father was a gangster in swinging sixties London. He introduced his son to a world of crime which left Caspar addicted to drugs aged fifteen, with a string of convictions for theft. By the time he was twenty and facing yet another prison sentence, Caspar resolved to turn his life around. Now he's written an acclaimed memoir and a new novel based on his experiences. He's also started a project which aims to rehabilitate offenders by getting them interested in writing. 

Casper's new book "Blood Road" is published by Headline in the UK in January. You can find out more about his work here: www.casperwalsh.co.uk

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