Constitutional Law

Supporting Our (Closeted) Troops

Since being enacted in 1994, over 12,500 lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel have been discharged from the U.S. military for their sexual orientation. Among them is former National Guard Specialist Amy Brian.

Brian was discharged from the Kansas National Guard last month after a civilian co-worker reported her for kissing her partner while standing in line at a Wal-Mart. The investigation revealed that Brian failed to adequately hide the fact that she is not heterosexual, resulting in the Iraq War veteran being dismissed from the military.

Under the Clinton-era Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, military recruiters and authorities are banned from asking about a soldier’s sexual identify. However, soldiers are required to hide their sexual orientation from public view unless they are heterosexual.

According to figures from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, women are disproportionately affected by the policy. In 2007, women only made up 14 percent of the Army. However, during the same year, women accounted for 46 percent of all Army discharges under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

While on the campaign trail, then Sen. Obama pledged to end gay discrimination in the military. However, more recent indications have been that Pres. Obama is in no rush to put this policy to rest.

H/T: How Appealing.

Full post as published by ACS Blog on February 17, 2009 (boomark / email).