A First for US Navy: Two Women Share Ceremonial First Kiss
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U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Mann/Released(VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.) — That old adage about sailors having a girl at every port took on a new meaning when the USS Oak Hill arrived at Virginia Beach, Va., Wednesday after a three-month deployment in Central America.
Citlalic Snell of Los Angeles waited patiently on the dock for her sailor to arrive and sure enough, she wasn’t disappointed when Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta stepped off the boat before anyone else to plant a kiss on her partner.
As far as anyone knows, this was the first time a same-sex couple enjoyed the Navy’s ceremonial first kiss since the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Typically, a crewmember is selected by a raffle to do the honors. Gaeta wanted to make sure she had a better chance at winning, having bought 50 tickets.
Nobody seemed bothered by the smooch. In fact, the dock erupted into cheers at the sight of the pair enjoying the time-honored Navy tradition.
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