Don't ask, don't tell

This group of 55 Vassar students banded together with organizers from the national foundation Soulforce to take a stand against the Military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy at the Armed Forces Recruitment Center in Times Square. (2006)

Don't ask, don't tell (DADT) is the common term for the policy restricting the United States military from efforts to discover or reveal closeted gay, lesbian, and bisexual servicemembers or applicants, while barring those who are openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual from military service. The restrictions are mandated by federal law Pub.L. 103-160 (10 U.S.C. § 654). Unless one of the exceptions from 10 U.S.C. § 654(b) applies, the policy prohibits anyone who "demonstrate(s) a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts" from serving in the armed forces of the United States, because "it would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability." The act prohibits any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces.

Sourced

United States

Executive branch

President Barack Obama

• [We must] repeal the law that denies gay and lesbian Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. It's the right thing to do.
  • President Barack Obama (January 27, 2010), as part of his 2010 State of the Union Address — reported in Hornick, Ed (January 28, 2010). "Activists praise Obama's 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal pledge". CNN. Retrieved on 2010-10-28. 

Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates

• I fully support the president's decision.
  • Robert Gates (February 2, 2010), on decision of President Barack Obama to seek a repeal of the policy — reported in Shear, Michael D. (February 3, 2010). "McCain appears to shift on 'don't ask, don't tell'". The Washington Post (The Washington Post Company). Retrieved on 2010-10-28. 

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen

• It is my personal belief that allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly would be the right thing to do. ... I cannot escape being troubled in the fact that we have in place a policy that forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens. For me, personally, it comes down to integrity. Theirs as individuals and ours as an institution.
  • Michael Mullen (February 2, 2010) — reported in O'Keefe, Ed (February 2, 2010). "Live Blog: 'Don't ask, don't tell' Senate hearing". The Washington Post (The Washington Post Company). Retrieved on 2010-10-28. 

Legislative branch

Senator Ted Kennedy

• Mr. President, this November marks 10 years since our Nation imposed the discriminatory law known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" on the lesbian, gay, and bisexual patriots of our Nation. During the past decade, almost 10,000 men and women have been fired from our Armed Forces simply because of their sexual orientation.
  • Ted Kennedy (2003), on floor of United States Senate — Kennedy, Edward Moore (September 29, 2003). "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". Congressional Record (United States Congress). Retrieved on 2010-11-02. 

Senator John McCain

• The day that the leadership of the military comes to me and says, 'Senator, we ought to change the policy,' then I think we ought to consider seriously changing it.
  • John McCain (October 2006), speaking about Don't ask, don't tell, before students at Iowa State University — reported in Shear, Michael D. (February 3, 2010). "McCain appears to shift on 'don't ask, don't tell'". The Washington Post (The Washington Post Company). Retrieved on 2010-10-28. 

• At this moment of immense hardship for our armed services, we should not be seeking to overturn the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy.
  • John McCain (February 2, 2010), at a United States Senate hearing where Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen stated they supported the decision of President Barack Obama to seek a repeal of the policy — reported in Shear, Michael D. (February 3, 2010). "McCain appears to shift on 'don't ask, don't tell'". The Washington Post (The Washington Post Company). Retrieved on 2010-10-28. 

Judicial branch

Judge Virginia A. Phillips, United States District Court for the Central District of California

• Furthermore, there is no adequate remedy at law to prevent the continued violation of servicemembers' rights or to compensate them for violation of their rights.
  • Judge Virginia A. Phillips (September 9, 2010), ruling in federal court case, Log Cabin Republicans v. United States — reported in Watson, Julie (October 13, 2010). "Judge halts 'don't ask, don't tell' policy". Associated Press (Ohio.com). Retrieved on 2010-10-28. 

Judge Ronald B. Leighton, United States District Court for the Western District of Washington

• There is no evidence that wounded troops care about the sexual orientation of the flight nurse or medical technician tending to their wounds.
  • Judge Ronald B. Leighton (September 24, 2010), ruling in federal court case, Witt v. Department of the Air Force — reported in Johnson, Gene (September 24, 2010). "Federal judge orders lesbian reinstated to Air Force". MSNBC. Retrieved on 2010-10-28. 

See also

• Bisexuality
• Homosexuality
• LGBT
• Military
• Sex
• Sexuality
• Sexual orientation
• Queer
• War

Further reading

• Belkin, Aaron (2008). "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell': Does the Gay Ban Undermine the Military's Reputation?" Armed Forces & Society, Jan 2008; vol. 34: pp. 276–291
• Bowling, Kirby L., Firestone, Juanita M., and Harris, Richard J. (2005). "Analyzing Questions That Cannot Be Asked of Respondents Who Cannot Respond" Armed Forces & Society, Apr 2005; vol. 31: pp. 411–437
• Carter, Chad C. and Kolenc, Antony B. (2005). "Don't Ask, Don't Tell:" Has the Policy Met Its Goals?PDF (157 KB) University of Dayton Law Review, Fall 2005.
• Donnelly, Elaine (2007). "Constructing the Co-Ed Military," Duke University Journal of Gender Law and Policy, May 2007.
• Johansson, Warren and William A Percy. (1994). Outing: Shattering the Conspiracy of Silence. Harrington Park Press.
• Levy, Yagil (2007). "The Right to Fight: A Conceptual Framework for the Analysis of Recruitment Policy toward Gays and Lesbians" Armed Forces & Society, Jan 2007; vol. 33: pp. 186–202
• Moradi, Bonnie and Laura Miller, (2010). “Attitudes of Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans toward Gay and Lesbian Service Members,” Armed Forces & Society Vol. 36, no. 3 (April 2010) Attitudes of Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans toward Gay and Lesbian Service Members — Armed Forces & Society. Afs.sagepub.com (2009-10-29). Retrieved on 2010-10-13.
• Schaub, Gary Jr. (2010). "Unit Cohesion and the Impact of DADT" Strategic Studies Quarterly Vol. 4, No. 3 (Fall 2010), pages 85–101
• Zylbergold,Bonnie (2007). "The Key to Enlightenment: Semper-fi, a documentary about ex-marine Jeff Key, showcased at Frameline31", American Sexuality Magazine

External links

• Video Report: Gays In The Israeli Military
• Pub.L. 103-160 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994
• Department of Defense Directive 1332.14
• Center for Military Readiness
• 10 U.S.C. § 654 – the policy concerning homosexuality in the armed forces
• Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Gays and U.S. Military Policy
• Human Rights Campaign
• Servicemembers Legal Defense Network
• Chronology of "Don't ask, don't tell"
• Michael D. Palm Center
• Blue Alliance – LGBT Alumni of the US Air Force Academy
• Knights Out – LGBT Alumni of the US Military Academy
• USNA Out – LGBT Alumni of the US Naval Academy
• Thomasson v. Perry – The first test of "Don't ask, don't tell" to reach the Supreme Court was turned down without comment and without setting a precedent.
• - OutServe – An Underground Network of Active Duty/Guard/Reserve
• Pte. Bethany Smith, lesbian denied DADT Discharge – the first gay american soldier to seek Canadian refugee status on the basis of sexual orientation
• In Landmark Ruling, Judge Rules "Don’t Ask Don't Tell" Policy is Unconstitutional - video report by Democracy Now!
• Podcast: Why the American Medical Association (AMA) Supports the Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell