Retired CIA officer opens up about coming out as gay during ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ era: ‘I was terrified every single day’ WSOC TV [Video]

When Kenny Leahman interviewed for a CIA job in 1985, he was given a routine polygraph test involving a series of yes or no questions about illegal activity, drug use and espionage — but one line of questioning took him by surprise.

“They asked me directly, ‘Are you gay?’ and ‘Do you ever have gay thoughts?’” Leahman told Yahoo News.

Leahman, then 25, recalled his heart sinking with each probing question about his sexuality. Although deeply committed to his Mormon faith, his wife and their young child, he knew an honest answer would derail his career or, worse, make him a target within his own agency. So instead he responded “No” and, much to his surprise, passed the polygraph.

The truth was Leahman had been attracted to men his entire life. He’d kept it secret for nearly three decades before finally coming out as gay — first to his ex-wife, …