Research Paper on Dont Ask Dont Tell

Obama signed a repeal of the 'Don't ask, Don't tell' which allowed gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military. A great moment in the gay community was when Barack Obama repealed the 'don't ask, don't tell' after 17 years of that law being in affect. This policy forced gays to hide their sexual orientation or face dismissal because of their sexual preference. Obama says, "No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie, or look over their shoulder in order to serve the country that they love.("Obama signs Repeal")". The signing ceremony was a breakthrough moment for the nations gay community and also it made the gay community involved in the military appreciate Obama("Obama Signs Repeal"). Obama couldn't be prouder to repeal the 'don't ask, don't tell" act."I say to all Americans, gay or straight, who want nothing more than to defend this country in uniform, your country needs you,

Many homosexuals that served in the Military prior to 2015 had to hide who they were and their loved ones throughout their career. They were forbidden to get married and receive the same benefits as their heterosexual

It was in December 1993 that Clinton issued a defense directive that military candidates should not be asked about their sexual orientation (Washington Post). This allowed gays who were not openly gay to serve in the military, however it still prohibited openly gay people to serve in the military. Over the years, the law has faced its share of challenges, many which ended up in a court room. In 2006, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and the law was also upheld five times in federal courts (Washington Post). These doings have ultimately led up to the most recent actions involving the law. In 2008, President Obama campaigned on the promise that he would fully repeal the law (Washington Post). In 2010, both the Senate and House of Representatives voted to repeal the law, allowing President Obama to sign the repeal. (USNI) This repeal effectively ended a 17 year ban on open gays being able to serve in the United States military.

This condemnation eventually led to the introduction of the separation of homosexuals from military service as seen with the neutral blue discharges which were often given to homosexual servicemen starting in 1916 . This neutral discharge was then labeled “general” and “undesirable”, resulting in a less honorable discharge. Discharges concerning men who were found to be guilty in engaging in homosexual acts were severely different than those who were neutrally discharged. If this were the case then you were then dishonorably discharged (“Don't Ask, Don't Tell” - Wikipedia). The current policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Harass, Don't Pursue1, derived from the original 1993 Department of Defense Directive 1332.14 coined Don't Ask, Don't Tell, ensures that any American citizen can participate in the Armed Forces. This policy is a step-up from the usual immediate discharge, however, this is only if the service member does not identify

Transgendered persons can potentially lose their position in the military. Although other political leaders disagree with president’s trumps proposal. I disagree with the proposed actions that transgenders should be banned from the military, based on material and nonmaterial components. The terms Heterosexism, cultural relativism, feminist and standpoint theory will be used to support my decision.

Lately, there has been an outbreak of people of the LGBT community coming out in the military. Historically the United States has had a policy of discharging gays in the military. There has been an act called the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”, it is basically saying that as long as somebody does not ask about your gender preferences, you do not have to tell. Even though the ban has been lifted, many militaries still say they cannot accept anyone from the LGBT inside. They do not care about how well you can perform or your strengths and that mindset is going to come back and hit them in the long run. Militaries that are judging these kids are taking them away from somewhere they feel safe and a place where they can finally belong. Members of the LGBT community find refuge in the military. It was one of the only places where they can prove their worth, where people aren’t focusing on their sexuality. They shouldn’t be judged based on their sexual preferences. Instead, they should be judged on their personality, performance, and their ability to get the job done precisely and correctly.

Another problem with the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is that, if discovered, homosexuals will be discharged from the military. The discharge of a homosexual from the military, based on his personal life, is a violation of equal rights. Every human is different, but none should be judged separately based upon who they are. “We find unity in our incredible diversity, drawing on the promise enshrined in our Constitution: the notion that we are all created equal, that no matter who you are or what you look like, if you abide by the law you should be protected by it; that if you adhere to our common values you should be treated no different than anyone else” (Obama 1). This statement shows that the nation does know about equal rights and is pushing for equal rights; therefore, “don’t ask, don’t tell” needs to be repealed for the integrity of our nation.

In December 2010, Barack Obama put an end to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy with the signing of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010. His speech, given prior to his signature, recognized the past and present homosexual members of the United States Military, and the sacrifices they have made in order to serve. As a result of this Repeal Act, the he said that the thousands of males and females in uniform would no longer be asked to live with a lie, or look over their shoulder, in order to protect and serve a nation that they love” (Repeal Act, 2010).

Without “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” homosexuals are subject to more discrimination and abuse. “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” protects homosexuals from the most harmful situations. A large number of the military members join at a young age, shortly after graduating from high school. They are often from small towns and conservative backgrounds, and as a result they have less exposure to the homosexual lifestyle (Beattie). This means the majority of incoming soldiers may not be as accepting towards homosexuals, which could result in harassment and abuse. The “Winchell Case” is a good example of what could happen if an open policy is enacted (Walke).

In 2016, former president, Barack Obama lifted the ban of transgenders being in the military. Now the question comes up, should transgender be allowed in the military? This is a very “touchy” topic as when discussed in verbal debates, situations can become pretty heated. Recently, current president, Donald Trump reversed the decision and put the ban back on as he made the announcement on Twitter saying, the military does not need to be “burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgenders in the military would entail.” (Caceres). Several members of the military have voiced their opinions on why they think transgenders should be allowed in with no problem.

Sparking a worldwide controversy, President Donald Trump reinstates the military ban on transgender individuals. On September 20, 2011, President Barack Obama repealed the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. The policy which allowed gay, lesbian, and bisexual

In 1999, more than 1,000 men and women were discharged from military service due to their sexuality. That number has actually decreased compared to recent years. (Suro NP) Homosexuals were purged from federal employment in 1950, with Bill Clinton updating that policy in 1993 by adding the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue” policy. (Deicher 176) This policy doesn’t work and needs to either be updated again or the ban against homosexuals lifted. Gays should be allowed to fight for the military for employment reasons, the right to fight for one’s country, and because they are no different from anyone else. The fact of the matter is that not even experts can argue in favor of keeping the

Gay people have not always been barred from military service, and in fact, have served in the nation's wars throughout its history. The military's official stance toward gays and lesbians has evolved over time, often in tandem with social change. In the 1920's and 1930's, homosexuality was treated as a criminal offense, punishable by imprisonment. That attitude began to change in the early 1940's,

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, about nine million people identifying as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) live in the United States, making up about 3.5% of the population. Throughout history and in contemporary times, LGBT individuals have faced persecution and been denied rights and privileges that heterosexual citizens have not. The Clinton Administration's “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, in effect from 1994 to 2011, prohibited openly homosexual or bisexual men and women from serving in the military, and marriage and child adoption by same-sex couples have been banned in many states before the Supreme Court's ruling on the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges case. Despite recent reversals of anti-LGBT laws such as these and support

I totally agree with you on the premise that the United States Armed Forces are institutions highly capacitated, and trained in order to fulfill the requirements needed to protect and serve American citizens. On September 2011 after the don’t ask don’t tell policy was repealed the Armed forces comply with the law and incorporated the specifics of the ban accordingly. The basic requirements for enlistment are the following: