Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the Military

In September 2011, the United States lifted the â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell† policy (DADT), which restricted gay, lesbian, and bisexuals from openly serving in the military. This was the first time in American history in which people of every sexual orientation could serve openly (â€Å"11 Facts About,† n.d.). This was a momentous occasion for some and not so much for others. For those military members that had served in secret and those members that were firmly against gays and lesbians, this repeal had different meaning. Both groups contained members that have served in the military for years and were products of the Former President Bill Clinton’s 1993 â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell† policy. For many soldiers of this era, communication issues arose due†¦show more content†¦Despite the challenges and following numerous public debates and congressional hearings, President Clinton has able to reach a compromise in 1993. à ¢â‚¬Å"The ‘‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue’’ policy passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993 was the compromise outcome of Clinton’s campaign promise to repeal the ban on military service by homosexuals† (Rich, Schutten Rogers, 2012). Soldiers would not be actively screened and as long as their sexual orientation was kept personal, there would be no adverse actions taken. Under the â€Å"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell† between 1993 and 2011, over 14,000 military men and women were discharged due to their sexual orientation (â€Å"11 Facts About,† n.d.). The Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy did not explicitly state that gay, lesbian or bisexual was wrong. In essence by creating a policy that required a person to hide their sexual orientation the US conveyed the message to the military and the civilian population that gay, lesbian or bisexual was still wrong. The 1993 policy did not strengthen communications between military members of varying sexual orientation, in essence if strengthened the barrier by avoiding the subject. A study discussed by Bonnie Moradi from the University of Florida revealed, â€Å"sexual orientation concealment was correlated significantly and negatively with social cohesion† (Moradi,Show MoreRelatedMilitary Discrimination against Homosexuals Essay1682 Words   |  7 Pagesto serve in the United States military service including the Navy forces. Service men and women in the military were judged not only with reference to their behavioral conduct but also from their sexual orientation results . 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