Out and Proud in the Army

Seventeen years after President Clinton instituted “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” a debate rages on as to whether or not to repeal the discriminatory policy. Barack Obama has stated his intent to repeal the United States military’s morally reprehensible ban on open homosexuality in the armed forces. The president has introduced legislation that would not only repeal the policy, but would make discrimination against homosexuality in the armed forces illegal.

From the basic, misguided theories of political correctness came the idea that it would serve the interest of those individuals in the service to have a rule banning anyone from serving if they are openly gay. This not only silences a significant portion of the population, but also prevents this population from earning the benefits allotted to other members of the armed forces. Once a service member is outed, they are immediately dishonorably discharged. If they studied under
the G.I. Bill, they even owe the government for their education. Furthermore, there are instances of “third-party outings” whereby, in a move directly out of the dictatorship rule-by-paranoia playbook, rumors of being gay lead to witch hunts. “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” does
technically allow gay people to serve in the military, but only under the Kafkaesque circumstances of this civil rights-violating catch-22 policy.

But “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” does have its defenders, even in the queer community. One argument is that no one should fight for the right to serve in the armed forces, because there are more pressing queer-rights goals (like stricter, universal hate-crime legislation that would include trans folk). A more common argument is that the U.S. military’s soldiers are too ignorant to accept fellow soldiers that happen to be gay, thereby effecting unit cohesion and morale. This was one of the stronger rationales for compromising between a gay-friendlier military policy and an absolutist, no-gays-allowed military. Unfortunately, this compromise results in an essentially no-gays-allowed military that is all but absolutist.

The strongest argument for repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” comes from the large numbers of gay military personnel, whether they are organized into activist communities (and likely already dishonorably discharged) or closeted (and most likely currently serving). For the large number of gay folks already involved in the military, as well as those who are intending to enlist (but are prevented or discouraged from doing so), the fight to end “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is necessary and very real. Under the current policy, the identities of each of these military personnel are a danger to their own careers—their own chosen vocations.

By 2011, things might have changed significantly enough to have made a difference. Obama’s intent and initiative may galvanize criticism of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” into real legislative action. Let us hope the legislation passes.