Ban on gays in Military

[deyana]

Should gay people be able to serve in the military openly?

Link:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11528661

Quote:

US District Judge Virginia Phillips last month ruled the "don't ask, don't tell" policy unconstitutional.

Under the policy, gay people can serve in the military but face expulsion if their sexuality is discovered.

What do you think? Maybe GayTurk has some comments to make on this subject?

[Deleted]

Gays already serve in the military. The bigger problem is how military dependents of gay soldiers will be treated once DADT is repealed. Some states have legal gay marriage, so if you are a 'spouse' you then get survivors benefits, housing, medical, etc.

Several military friends I know say they have no problem with gays serving with them and already pretty much know who those people are. The problem is IMPLEMENTATION- of course they are trying to throw this out without really helping the military set up policies and procedures that will protect those people from being harassed once they are "out".

[deyana]

I don't see what is wrong with being gay and in the military. Every soldier should be judged by how they perform in their job, not by their sexual orientation.

[Deleted]

I don't get this,why exactly don't they want gays in the military? What is the problem?

[Deleted]

It is more than a bias, African Americans, and Native Americans were considered to be "military" material and were allowed to serve at the beginning, but were segregated from the white troops. Women are now allowed but can't serve in the "front" lines but that has been muddied and actually kind of ignored since Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. However, this goes further, by rifting the gay military person out of the service because of their sexual orientation... if you don't tell, then you are military material. The main reason this whole thing evolved is political. The contention is there would be unrest in the troops because of the sexual aspect of it and that the active duty military troops would be uncomfortable with gay people serving in a front line situation, also untrue. Clearly this has been debunked by most active duty military.
Women are also now spread thru most of the branches and will for the first time be allowed on submarines starting in 2011. The reason it has taken so long is more closely aligned with the reasons for don't ask, don't tell in that is has been sexual in nature.

Hope this helps you to understand.

[deyana]

Thanks for explaining that so well, t63.

I thought as much. It was all to do with how the other soldiers might feel about working along side gay men, or so some thought. But like you say, that has proved to be untrue. And obviously with the 'don't ask, don't tell' rule, they have to hide the fact they are in fact gay, so as not to upset the others soldiers and military personal?

I don't like the sound of that at all. The same kind of prejudices that black and native people in the military had to face in the past comes to mind. And of course women too. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth, so to speak.

[Deleted]

I have intimate knowledge of the subject because, I grew up with one of my mom and dad's friends, who was gay. Remember this was in the 40's and 50's. No one had to tell what exactly what the differences were, I was pretty intuitive and figured it out. Also one of my granddaughters is bi and I just love the young woman for who she is. No problem with her being bi and I think her partner is great!!!!

[deyana]

We've come a long way haven't we, t63? I bet many never even heard of gays back in the 40's and 50's.

[queenfreaky]

Oct 30, 2010 18:13:35 GMT -5 deyana said:

I don't see what is wrong with being gay and in the military. Every soldier should be judged by how they perform in their job, not by their sexual orientation.

I agree with u.

[Deleted]

It looks like DADT may be repealed. They are sparring over it in the Senate right now.

I wonder if this is quid pro quo for Obama going back on one of his main campaign promises to repeal the Bush tax cuts for the rich...

We shall see very soon methinks

[deyana]

So many laws changing in the US right now, it's hard to keep up with them all.