Episode #80
Leaving the U.S. Military as a LGBT Family: Cassandra's Story Part II
Pay attention. Wake up. This is not the country you were born into. In Part 2 of this two-part interview, Cassandra Marra continues her family's story of speaking out, standing firm, and searching for safety. In this episode: This is Part 2 of a two-part interview. Dr. Rob Beck continues his conversation with Cassandra Marra, whose wife, Dr. Janelle Marra, has served for nearly two decades as a physician in the U.S. Navy. Part 1 covered what happened after Dr. Marra became the subject of a widely circulated social media post, her removal from leadership positions, and the early safety concerns that followed for their family. Part 2 picks up where that conversation left off and looks more closely at the impact these events have had on their family. Cassandra discusses the illegal removal of promotions from service members across the military, the silence of elected officials in Massachusetts and California when contacted for support, and her fear over losing rights that were previously protected, including concerns for the future of gay marriage. She also describes what it felt like for her family to become a target after her wife's story spread online, the toll of threats made against their children, and an emotional account of feeling safe for the first time during a visit to British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Beck shares reflections from his own visit to Dachau and the importance of speaking up rather than staying silent, and Cassandra closes with an update on her wife's promotion and her pride in her wife's decision to speak out despite the cost. This is the final part of a two-part series with Cassandra Marra, if you haven't heard Part 1, start there for the full story. Podcast Link: The Interesting MD Podcast YouTube Link: The Interesting MD Website Link: https://www.interestingmd.com/ Have a content suggestion? Email us at Ideas@interestingmd.com Contact me: Email us at Rob@interestingmd.com
