We may be living through a resurgence of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in the military with the Trump administration’s trans military ban, but one Vietnam vet is spreading queer joy after his half-century-long gay love affair went viral on TikTok.
Back in March, Audri Pettirosi shared a TikTok documenting her great-uncle’s military service and 50-year relationship with his late husband. Now, former Marine Marshall Belmaine is opening up about his beautiful love story and the contributions both men made to the LGBTQ+ community over the years.
Pettirosi only met her great-uncle a little less than a year ago, but when she learned of his story, she knew she had to share it with the world.
“He's just done so much for this country and for the gay community,” the 21-year-old told People. "It's just a very important story that I feel like really needs to be told.”
And Belmaine’s love story clearly resonated with people since the TikTok video has already been viewed more than 585,000 at the time of publication.
While Belmaine’s life has been full of love and fighting for LGBTQ+ rights, he originally joined the Marine Corps in November 1965 because he dropped out of high school after suffering from homophobic bullying, and then was forced to keep his queerness a secret while serving in the military.
Balmaine told People he was surrounded by homophobia even within his own family, "including from my own family, including Audri's grandfather, who was my half-brother.”
While fighting against Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, he told the Miami Herald that while he was an active duty Marine, "It would have been easier to say that I had ax-murdered my grandmother than admit that I was gay.”
Balmaine may have received a Purple Heart for rushing into the line of fire to save a fellow Marine during the Vietnam War and got top-secret security clearance to work as a Marine guard for the National Security Agency, but he also had to remain cautious about keeping his gay identity secret throughout his career.
He was eventually honorably discharged in 1969 and met his late husband, Albert Wakefield, at a bar just two years later.
But it wasn’t until 1976 that Belmaine came out of the closet and was able to live his life out loud and proud.
Wakefield, who was the love of Belamiane’s life, was 13 years his senior, and together the two men worked as LGBTQ+ activists and also advocated for those in the military.
"We joined about 27 different organizations,” Belmaine said. “When everybody was going out on a Friday or Saturday night, having fun, we were in a meeting fighting for civil rights.”
Not only did the pair participate in rallies and protests, but Belmaine was the former president of American Veterans for Equal Rights, and he and Wakefield helped form gay men’s organizations like Homophile Union, Papa Gayos, “The Gay Co-op,” and a motorcycle/leather club for gay men called the Vikings, according to The History Project, which works to preserve the history of New England’s LGBTQ+ community.
Since the death of his husband, Belmaine has slowed down his activism but says he is “still in the fight.”
The two men’s love story — despite seemingly insurmountable odds — has moved people. The video has gone viral and the comment section is filled with viewers who were deeply moved.
“I’m shedding tears, I’m a Marine that served when it was illegal to be gay and serve. Then, DADT was implemented during my service. Semper Fi to your uncle,” one person wrote.
“I’m 57, gay, been with my husband 28 yrs. Stories like these are what broke the lies told to me by society and the churches when I was young!!! All respect for those two,” someone else commented.
“This is a great memory to share…as a Marine Vet, I can tell you there are a lot more of these stories out there that should be told. So many people choose hate, instead of love,” another person posted.
Pettirosi seems inspired by her great-uncle’s story as well and says she’s not ready to give up the fight for LGBTQ+ rights any more than he is.
"There's no room for hate in this world," she said, "and we got to stand up for what's right.”