Why can't military personnel serve while being openly gay, when we all know there are gays in the military?

Question

I know about the don't ask don't tell regulation. I am gay and in the military. I just don't understand why I don't have the freedom to be myself as heterosexuals do. There are many military personnel now that serve, and are pretty much openly gay, they just don't say, "I am gay.” I have never seen a homosexual disrupt the normalcy or uniformity of the military. If anything, we have many personnel who have excelled while in the military.

So far the answer is, because it makes straight personnel uncomfortable. Does this mean that because heterosexuals are uncomfortable I should suppress my individuality? I have not seen anyone uncomfortable with serving with a known homosexual. I believe that being a homosexual will not preclude me from properly defending my country or the individual fighting next to me. I am not saying that I should be able to be disruptive because I am homosexual, I am simply saying that I should be able to hold my partners hand in public without worrying about someone who knows me seeing me and reporting me.

Answer 1

For the same reason Homosexuals are not allow to get married, or do whatever else "Normal" people are allowed to do. As a man serving in the military, I fight for freedom. Unfortunately there are many who beleive that those freedoms should only be for those selected worthy. All men are not created equal. 260 years ago that was the way it was hoped to be, but as history has proven, many people belonging to many minority groups have had to fight for what our fore-fathers wanted. Freedom from persecution. Freedom to live a life without others instilling their will upon another. Its a hard fight, an uphill fight. Once Homosexuals get the rights and freedoms that every other American enjoys, the American People, as a whole, will find someone else who is different and deny them rights. Whether you are a man or woman, straight or gay you are welcome to fight and live beside me. I ask the same for women and gay men, flirt with me once, come on to me once. Either I'm interested or I'm not. When I say that I am not interested, stop and all is good. I'm not gay and I'm in a relationship so the answer will be no to everyone, but one will never know unless they ask the question.

Answer 2

Ignorance-pure and simple. People say that they are 'uncomfortable' being around gay men (I've seen it plenty of times on here)-why? Do you think as a man that a gay man will hit on you-and if so how incredibly egoistic and narcisistic! Gay men and women are not sex hounds that hit on everything that move and that are going to jump on you just because you have the same genetalia, but sadly, people think of homosexuality as a sexual devience so again it comes back to ignorance. And quite frankly, on that theory, why are women allowed in the military-you don't think that heterosexual men hit on women in the military all the time?? You don't think that makes women incredibly uncomfortable - oh, but see that's OK because it's 2 straight people. That's the attitude by many in society.

Personally, I think it's total bull ****. I remember watching the vote on legalizing gay marriage (I live in Canada) and shaking my head in disbelief as people actually voted against it (It passed of course although almost all of the provinces had already legalized it). I think gay or straight is irrelevant, it is a human rights issue. If we judge people, it should be based on the type of person that they are, not who they chose to love. If someone has a problem with 2 gay men in the military being open about it and having a relationship with each other-that is their problem so they can deal with it, not you.

Answer 3

Ignoring the blatantly homophobic holy man on this question, the reason gays aren't supposed to be open in the military is because they could become a security risk. If anyone found out they were gay they could be blackmailed into giving state secrets... err but if everyone knows they are gay then doesn't that do away with the blackmail scenario?

Oh wait, it could be because using 1930's scientific studies, the military still classifies homosexuality as a mental illness.

And these are the people we are trusting with our freedom...

Answer 4

because for many non gays, it would be a violation of thier constitutional rights if they were forced to live and be housed with openly homosexuals.

It would cause conflict and stress in a already hard situation.

Now both in prison and in police I have worked with homosexuals and did not have an issue doing so. and would trust them as I would anyone. but with that said, not everyone is as open and accepting as I am.

Answer 5

Would the straight military put up with open gays in their ranks?

Answer 6

"It would be violation of heterosexuals civil rights because they would be forced to live with homosexuals" Are you crazy, dude?

I am "forced" to live with heterosexuals every single day and you don't hear me claiming that it violates my civil rights!

I have never heard of anything so silly!

Answer 7

Bill Clinton instituted a Don't ask Don't tell policy.

Answer 8

of course we all know gays are there. Who do you think drive all those tanks? LESBIANS


PS: I seriously cannot be,ieve the nerve of fr chuck in saying that he is accepting. It blows my mind. That's the people that talk to God !

Answer 9

It creates uncomfortable situations for our soldiers, and opens the queers up for potential harrassments.

Answer 10

what 1% percent of them are gay so what you probably are