Note I said OPENLY gay.
This seems like a form of discrimination based on ones sexual orientation.
2006-09-14 09:55:03 · 37 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Because some soldiers feel uncomfortable with the idea of serving with an openly homosexual person. But, should that person's comfort be placed above another person's arguable right to serve the country? Let's not forget that this was the same reason for keeping blacks and women from being integrated into the "regular" army until fairly recently...some people were "uncomfortable" with the idea. There will always be people who are uncomfortable with someone else's lifestyle. My husband (a soldier) couldn't care less if the guy next to him is homosexual or not...and I guarantee if you got your leg blown off and the only medic around was a homosexual, you probably wouldn't be too uptight about letting him help keep you from bleeding out.
PS: To whoever wrote that the homosexual "might" have AIDS, army personnel are tested at least yearly for AIDS...and, btw, there are people serving in the military with HIV; they're just non-deployable to OCONUS locations.
2006-09-14 13:19:25 · answer #1 · answered by katheek77 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because I cant shower with females!!! How would you separate them? If you did it would be discrimination. So a gay guy could be in the shower and check out all of the other dudes sexually or any other intimate situation. Who the hell wants to live with that? Because if they openly allow gay dudes into the military then separating the sexes is now a moot point. Guys can watch girls shower and there is no more privacy. And don't think a gay guy would not look or get aroused , he may be gay but he is still a guy and whatever he is attracted to will get him horny. If he was showering with sheep and that is what he was into he would get hard, even though it was not his special sheep. The decision to not let gays in the military is 50% homophobic and 50% common sense. If you let them in openly you then give them the right to put it on display opening them for the extremely harsh realization that they are in the military. If you think that life for them is hard in the outside world not being understood then you have never been in the military. They would be bashed , segregated and humiliated in the very close knit and separate world of the military. Simply put , they just do not belong.
2006-09-14 15:51:58 · answer #2 · answered by Tusker9E 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Beyond the don't ask don't tell policy, I'm sure it's probably along the same lines of why they're hesitant to put a woman in the military. Things have come a long way in that arena, and I'm not looking to start something there, but.... I remember basic training in the Navy. We didn't get to keep our hair like they do now (at least in the Marine Corps), we had to cut it off above our collar line, wear the same 5 mile tall baseball hats the guys did - and tucking our hair up in it, and our sweats were just a little bit more baggy than the guys' were - so you couldn't tell them was breastesesss under there. ;) lol
I'd have to say distraction. You put a woman in close quarters with a man and there's bound to be some tension eventually (hypothetically speaking). Maybe whomever makes these decisions figures the best way to keep a possible 'situation' from happening if you get someone who is openly gay in close quarters with someone who doesn't agree with that lifestyle, is by preventing them from joining.
There's a whole list of things that will keep you from joining, including bed wetting. So, I think maybe in this day and age it's time that they revisit that 'Do Not Enlist' list and make some changes before they run out of enlistable people. :)
2006-09-14 10:58:03 · answer #3 · answered by Angel 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
First of all, properly most heterosexual men feel uncomfortable being around someone who openly confesses to be a gay person. The sexual attraction I believe is the main issue in the accepting or not accepting openly gays in the military. If most heterosexual military men could understand that Gay military men are there for the same reasons they are, maybe they could overcome this discomfort of being around them. I want to clarify what I mean by sexual attraction. This behavior can be hopefully disarming if an openly Gay man looks at the heterosexual man in a desiring or lustful way or tries to entice them to be sexual active with them. I don't claim to have an answer but hopefully this will help explaining the banning of openly Gay men in the military.
2006-09-14 10:31:08 · answer #4 · answered by brother g 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No one has the right answer yet so here it is; one word -Clinton.
Before Clinton took the Presidential seat if a soldier told his Commander he's gay the Commander could tell the soldier to prove or get back to work or put the soldier out but it would still have to be backed with proof. Clinton pushed for the gay vote because it was a hot topic at the time and he got it by a landslide because he said he was going to change the military policy for them. He did and made it worse because now if they announce their sexual preference they are automatically put out and no proof is needed.
2006-09-14 12:57:45 · answer #5 · answered by schlepp 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We live in a nation who's moral foundations are based from the bible, what else would you expect? I also think it's because of the negative stereotypes associated with being gay. I can already see it in some of the ignorant answers above mine. What makes you think that every gay guy out there wants to have sex with you? Living out here in San Francisco, I can honestly say that most of my gay friends have ridiculously high standards. Meaning they aren't attracted to every guy out there for those of you who didn't understand that.
I think a lot of people think that all gays look and act like the ones from Queer Eye for a Straight Eye, or whatever its called. The only thing I have to say to you is, "YOU NEED TO SERIOUSLY GET OUT MORE." One of the answers from above said that gay guys are useless and have no muscles. Let me say something to you, gay guys like to hit the gym, so don't think that the next time you work out the guy next to you isn't gay, he very well could be. And besides, if muscles is all you needed in the military, then you must be either very naive, or just plain stupid.
2006-09-14 10:45:49 · answer #6 · answered by Jay 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am glad you made the distinction. Openly gay ppl are unsure of there orientation, therefore they would not be reliable in combat since they know not who they are. As for the real gay folks who have nothing to prove, I love them as much as a brother. I have many close gay friends and do not condemn them for their life style. It is not my job to morally judge them. That is between them and their god.
2006-09-14 11:24:16 · answer #7 · answered by child_of_the_lion 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As there is a "Don't ask - don't tell " policy in place unless you really want out of the military no one cares.
Yes there are people in the military that say "I'm gay " just to push the envelope and get discharged. Knew a few that did it , can't say if they were gay or not. Didn't care.
2006-09-14 10:54:00 · answer #8 · answered by Akkita 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's partly to protect the homosexuals, and partly because of the restrictions on sexual activity in the military.
US soldiers are not allowed to engage in:
oral sex
anal sex
sex in positions other than missionary, or woman-on-top
If they are caught engaging in ANY of the above, it could mean prison time at the most.
Homosexuals cannot have sex any other way besides orally or anally. Therefore, it's not allowed.
2006-09-14 10:32:55 · answer #9 · answered by The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The military tries not to put it self in the situation where people get affended and having gay people in a group shower would NOT be good for the straight people around. They do it ahead of time so there's no problems in the future. There are alot of requirements that must be met to get in to the military thats one of them.
It's a don't ask don't tell. It not really dicrimination it not like they can say, "we think he/she is gay so he/she can't come in". It works so they stuck with it, and really who cares.
2006-09-14 10:00:55 · answer #10 · answered by jrgaither1008 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋