Executive Order 10450: Eisenhower and the Lavender Scare

In 1953, the Eisenhower Administration came into office promising to clean up the government. That promise had devastating effects for thousands of LGBTQ Americans who were faithful civil servants.

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The 1950s are remembered fondly as a decade of prosperity and the advent of the modern American image. In 1950, the first Peanuts comic strip hit newspapers, Bing Crosby ruled the radio waves and the first color TV program was broadcast. However, amid the postwar cultural boom, a more sinister threat was forming. Communism and the looming danger of nuclear war were two of Americans' primary concerns, while an underlying other issue was interwoven in their fabric. In the words of Joseph McCarthy, “The great difference between our Western Christian world and the atheistic Communist world is not political, gentlemen, it is moral.” Individuals grew concerned that American morality was under attack domestically. Perceived communist behaviors such as atheism, adultery, premarital sex, and homosexuality were believed to be spreading rapidly among Americans, especially within the State Department.

Hailing from Wisconsin, Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy was a relatively unknown figure in national politics until February 9, 1950. McCarthy was launched into political stardom when he publicly announced that he possessed a lengthy list of communists actively employed in the State Department. Such a bold claim captured the attention of the American public. Causing quite a stir in Washington, these accusations were presented to anyone who would listen. Within a single day, the previously unknown Senator had launched the federal government into crisis.

Ironically, and much to McCarthy's disappointment, few communists were found within the State Department. Instead, McCarthy shifted his attacks to a more vulnerable demographic. Grasping for results and headlines, McCarthy and other communist crusaders proclaimed that homosexuals were now considered a threat to national security. Their reasons? Homosexuals were more susceptible to blackmail by communists because their sexuality could be used to reveal perceived moral shortcomings. Furthermore, homosexuals were “morally bankrupt”, and therefore “generally unsuitable” for government work. With McCarthy's impetus, in 1950, a moral panic surrounding the subject of homosexuality swept across federal agencies. The surge in paranoia and ensuing witch hunts resulted in what is known as the Lavender Scare.

In 1950, homosexuality was far from accepted in American culture, but the general policy was that individuals keep their sexuality to themselves and employers didn't ask any questions. Amid this near indifference, gay communities flourished in the shadows with little organized opposition. From the years of the Second World War to 1950, homosexuals were employed by the federal government, and Washington D.C. had become home to a burgeoning gay culture. However, federal indifference to homosexuality came to a screeching halt in 1950.

The Eisenhower Administration

The election of 1952 featured Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson and Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower. Whispers of nuclear war and communist spies circulated across the nation, leaving voters anxious for a solution. Consequently, one of the worst labels for a politician was “soft on communism”. Both staunch Republicans and Democrats seeking ammunition hurled allegations that Ike had been overly sympathetic toward the U.S.S.R during his military career. Stevenson was similarly accused of being weak on communism. Consequently, on the campaign trail, it became crucial that Ike define his stance on the issue of communist subversion. Eisenhower was advised to take on an anti-communist crusade to capture both Republican and moderate voters. He also enlisted the help of Senator Richard Nixon as his running mate. Together they promised to “clean house, " committing to remove any “undesirables" in the federal government. In a landslide victory, Eisenhower had secured the vote and won the presidency but how would he keep his promises?

By this time, homosexuality in the government had snowballed into an unavoidable issue. McCarthy’s allegations continued to tear relentlessly through the State Department. In response, Eisenhower enacted Executive Order 10450 on April 27, 1953. The order defined, “Any criminal, infamous, dishonest, immoral, or notoriously disgraceful conduct, habitual use of intoxicants to excess, drug addiction, sexual perversion” as a threat to national security. “Sexual Perversion” referred to homosexuality. This Executive Order subjected all federal employees to an in-depth investigation by their employers. Such investigations were incredibly invasive. If one was investigated nothing was off limits, friends, family, and acquaintances were interviewed and asked to reveal details of their intimate lives. Even having friends who were gay was grounds for immediate dismissal. It was impossible to keep the personal and professional sphere separate.

Executive Order 10450 was spurred on by pressure from frenzied media and McCarthy supporters within the Republican Party. These two groups left Eisenhower in a difficult spot politically. Eisenhower despised the less-than-sound tactics used by McCarthy. However, Ike feared losing favor of the factions of his own party who embraced McCarthy’s antics. The resulting indifference allowed for mass persecution of homosexuals within federal agencies, ultimately harming the livelihoods of the thousands who experienced it.

Those investigated and fired from the State Department on grounds of perversion were barred from other federal jobs, halting any career aspirations of attaining federal employment in any sector. Additionally, the process in which investigations were completed exposed an individual's private life, irreparably damaging their relationships with family and friends. The effects rippled into local gay communities, limiting interaction among community members.There was fear of being outed by undercover investigators or by those who had been intimidated into listing known homosexuals during interrogations. When faced with public humiliation from their employer, many individuals' mental health and well-being suffered. Among the thousands of employees terminated for their sexuality, some committed suicide.

An estimated 7,000-10,000 federal employees were fired or resigned because of their sexuality during the Lavender Scare. Executive Order 10450 spared no one. Robert Cutler, a Harvard graduate, esteemed presidential correspondent, and National Security Advisor for President Eisenhower, fell victim to the panic. Referring to Cutler, the New York Times insisted that “No man in the Government, with the possible exception of the President, knows so many of the nation’s strategic secrets,”. Yet at the height of his political career, Cutler, a gay man, quietly resigned fearing his sexuality would be exposed. Despite losing one of the core members of his administration, Eisenhower held steadfast that “working in the government must be regarded as a privilege and not a constitutional right.” Anyone who was inconsistent with the moral standards outlined in Executive Order 10450 could be terminated. Eisenhower was questioned by journalists about the percentage of employees fired for security reasons or morality but it was a number he was hesitant to reveal to the public. Consequently, American audiences were led to believe that the federal government had been successfully removing communist threats. In reality, homosexual employees, who had done nothing to endanger national security, took the fall.

Despite President Eisenhower’s accomplished career, the passing of Executive Order 10450 was disastrous for gay Americans. While more widely remembered by history, the Red Scare produced few results; conversely, the oft-forgotten Lavender Scare victimized Americans in their workplace and beyond for the latter part of the 20th century. The damages caused by the Lavender Scare were long-lasting, but emerging from it was a call to action. A sense of urgency sprouted among homosexuals to start advocating for change. In the face of unjust treatment, gay men and women formed social clubs, produced publications, and staged protests. The subsequent wave of activism, known as the Homophile Movement, evolved into the Gay Rights movement as we know it today.

Executive Order 10450 remained active through subsequent administrations.Courageous individuals risked their well-being to speak up against federal discrimination, chipping away at Executive Order 10450 for decades. It was not completely repealed until 2017, when President Barack Obama ended the order on his last day in office.