Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Congress has repealed the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy which will allow for openly gay men and women to serve in the military. This is another two-edged sword issue that will have positive and negative effects on people serving and those desiring to serve.


I’ve read that this will impact the female population of the military more than the males. That would fit the stereotype for women who want to prove their masculinity and/or their capacity to do tasks as well as, or better than, their male counterparts. It also fits the stereotype for effeminate males who might be too reserved to take on the challenge of completing boot camp requirements necessary to serve in any military branch.

One of the positive impacts for the military that hasn’t been mentioned (that I’m aware of), is closing the loop-hole used by personnel who claimed “homosexuality” as a means to get out of the military, or certain duty assignments. When I served in the Navy almost 30 years ago, this alternative was openly discussed among us enlisted personnel, and was used successfully by a few guys that I’m aware of. I wonder if there is any way to check statistics on how many males who received a general discharge from the service because they claimed to be gay, later went on to marry females?

With the change in policy voted on last night, the military might find that there are suddenly a lot less males who claim to be homosexual. And, I suspect, that the ones who truly are gay will continue to serve under the guise of being a masculine heterosexual. But what do I know?