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Dorian Rhea Debussy

Authors at the Library

Join Dr. Dorian Rhea Debussy to discuss her engaging, meticulously researched new book on the evolution of anti-LGBTQ+ policies in the American military and intelligence community.

Authors at the Library with
DORIAN RHEA DEBUSSY

Saturday, June 13 | 1 p.m.
Auditorium | Main Library | 96 S. Grant Ave.

12 p.m. | Library opens, book sale by The Book Loft
1 p.m. | Densil Porteous in conversation with Dorian Rhea Debussy
1:45 p.m.| Audience Q&A
2:00 p.m. | Book sale and signing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dorian Rhea Debussy, Ph.D., is the Director of External Affairs at Equitas Health. A nationally recognized expert in LGBTQ+ politics, she specializes in healthcare and defense policy. Debussy is also a Lecturer in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at The Ohio State University. Her new book, The Lavender Bans: A Century of Anti-LGBTQ+ Policies in the US Military, was published by Columbia University Press in March 2026.

ABOUT THE BOOK

There is a long history of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in the American military and intelligence services, from vice squad stings during World War I to the “Lavender Scare” of the early Cold War through “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the Trump administration’s transgender ban. How have the rationales for anti-LGBTQ+ policies changed over time? When and why did these policies shift? What does anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination reveal about the US military, American political institutions, and broader themes in queer history?

The Lavender Bans is a comprehensive account of the evolution of anti-LGBTQ+ policies from World War I to the present. Dorian Rhea Debussy—a leading expert on LGBTQ+ history in the US military—examines six distinct periods of exclusion over the course of a century, tracing continuities and changes alongside the growth of the national security state. Bringing together interdisciplinary scholarship and close analysis of archival documents, she offers new insights into the policies affecting LGBTQ+ people in the armed forces.

Meticulously researched and rich in detail, The Lavender Bans sheds light on a long and troubling history—with deep contemporary relevance as exclusion of transgender people continues. It is an engaging, important, and timely book for a range of readers, including scholars, students, policy makers, military personnel, and people affected by anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Densil Porteous serves as the Executive Director of Stonewall Columbus, one of the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ+ community centers and the organization behind Stonewall Columbus Pride. Porteous is widely recognized for his work at the intersection of community engagement, institutional strategy, communications, and equity-centered leadership. His career spans more than two and half decades across nonprofit leadership, higher education administration, strategic communications, advancement, and entrepreneurship. A nationally recognized speaker and thought leader, Porteous has appeared at forums and conferences including the Milken Institute Global Conference, South by Southwest (SXSW), the Eradicate Hate Global Summit, and the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner. His writing and public commentary often explore themes of identity, resilience, belonging, equity, and the evolving role of LGBTQ+ institutions in public life.

EVENT DETAILS

The event is free to the public but due to limited seating registration is requested.

Dr. Debussy's book will be sold on site by The Book Loft.

Parking available in Main Library's attached garage, while available.

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