Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: The Conundrum in the US Army

A vote to repeal the ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy, which prohibits homosexuals from serving in the US Army, is being undertaken. While homosexuals have always been banned from entering under US law, the ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ agreement was brought in under President Bill Clinton’s reign as a compromise with those in the ‘No Hate’ campaigns.

The compromise being seen as a joke to gays and lesbians across America who saw it as the same rule whether ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was in place or not.

Here in the UK, homosexuals have been allowed in the army since 2000 under Labour Party laws that allowed equal opportunities to this minority group within the services. However the USA once again are behind; despite being far ahead of the UK by having the first black President, their attitudes to homosexuals are far behind due to the highly republican attitudes throughout the south of the country. The law has been criticized by many homosexual groups who wish for equal rights and the chance to serve for their country, which begs the question when so many people are needed in the army, why do the government stop worthy and proud people to fight for their country?

During my time in America, I spoke to many people within the US Army who really want the law changed; many believe it would not make a difference and the more help the better. After speaking to an anonymous gay militant who had served in the past, I got a clearer picture about life in the US Army in Alabama, one of the more republican states.

The militant told stories of servicemen sneaking off to local saunas and engaging in homosexual acts; in some cases even the heterosexual servicemen would engage in gay sex due to being away from their girlfriends, and as one of the cadet’s put it, ‘needed some relief’. The servicemen whom I spoke to in Illinois argued that gay or straight, it had no effect on the job in hand, which was protecting the United States of America.

If the law is overturned, it is questioned over how long the equality law will keep in place. In 2009, the law allowing homosexuals to marry in the state of California was reverted back due to the vote on Proposition 8, banning gays from entering into a marriage accepted by state law. Comedian and gay activist Ellen DeGeneres was one of the people affected by the law, who had married her partner Portia de Rossi the year before.

Liberal American citizens have hope that President Obama will bring new hope to the country in terms of their diversity laws; at present the law banning homosexuals from the army looks to be overturned, but for how long is another matter.

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