Gays In The Military

Improved Essays
When President Bill Clinton took office after winning the 1992 election he stated that he would stay true to his campaign promise to repeal the military ban on gay, lesbian, and bisexual people in the military through an executive order. This was met with backlash from important military and political leaders and the religious right. Clinton and his administration knew they couldn’t alienate these groups because they would need them to help pass policies throughout Clinton’s term that he viewed as more important. Clinton began to signal he would shift to a compromise, most noticeably in an interview on “CBS This Morning” by using language that the antigay right was known for, such as “lifestyle, endorse, approve, promote” (RIMMERMAN). With …show more content…
This prohibited conduct included service members talking about their sexual identity and participating in homosexual conduct, anything from sex to handholding. Those who did would be discharged. On the other hand, military officials were also banned from asking enlistees about their sexual activities and they could not launch investigations just to determine if a member was gay or out members. This policy was not what Clinton had promised gay Americans, they were being shoved back into the closet, attitudes them from military leaders were now even worse, and if accused of participating in homosexual acts they had to somehow prove the accusation was false. Since 1994 over 14,500 active service members have been discharged because of DADT, the number of discharged per year however decreases in times of war when important personnel are needed, regardless of their sexual orientation. (Daily …show more content…
In June of 2016 the Secretary of Defense announced ended the ban on transgender service members, stating that they would be able to openly serve in the military. The Department of Defense’s policies that were immediately effective were that transgender individuals could serve openly and that they could no longer be discharged on the basis of their gender identity. The rest of the polices are being phased in in these next twelve months, including training for commanders and service members, medical guidance detailing transition related care, providence of all medically necessary care related to gender transition, and changing members gender in the military’s management

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