I mean, they can march around and pull triggers but how can they be seen as a strong, mature, honorable, and brave military machine when the thought of a gay man serving with them scares them.And what is so funny is that a gay man is serving with them!The only difference is the gay man is forced to lie about the fact that he is gay so that everyone else doesn't get scared.
I know that I am just a woman and everything, but if my boyfriend can work with a gay guy with no problem, shouldn't a trained soilder be able to?Also, it is interesting to know that several nations have begun allowing gays to serve openly.So, when the US military does joint operations with those military's, how do they cope with their phobias?
2007-01-03 22:41:58 · 10 answers · asked by Jennifer 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
Julia, you're right.My bf does not share living with his co-worker.But gay men, as another answerer has stated, have been serving in the military for a very very very long time.Not to many problems with sex or harrassment are reported.Gays ahve always been there.What is so wrong with just letting them be there without having to lie so that everyone else feels better?Should not the entire service be about duty anyway?I think it should not matter either way what a service man or woman does on their own free time off base.
2007-01-03 22:55:21 · update #1
Actually, and in a rare moment for yours truly, I'm going to partially defend the military's stance on this, based on another of their precepts.
The army generally looks down on sexual activity between male and female soldiers as well. It's believed that sex can easily get in the way of performing their duties, which in a life-or-death scenario can be very not good. Even thinking about sex can throw off someone's game (and I can speak from personal experience on that). In that light, it makes sense that they wouldn't want someone's sexual orientation to be something soldiers should be concerned about.
It's partially because of the state of society that the army takes its stance. Gay people aren't fully accepted into society yet, and there's still some of that ignorance-based fear lingering in some people's minds. Removing that awkward fear to help speed along the work being done by the military is comparable to the 'no fraternizing with co-workers' policy many corporations have put into effect.
However, that doesn't mean they're using the proper approach. First off, it assumes that gay men wouldn't be able to control themselves sexually, which is retarded, end of story. Secondly, as you say, not mentioning that you're gay doesn't make you straight. Why not just say that you're gay and continue working as usual? Nothing would change.
In a certain light, the military's stance is actually kind of unknowingly progressive; straight and gay people working together towards a common goal without sexuality even coming into play. If society itself can accept gay people, then the military can take that last step by removing the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy and emphasize the idea of acceptance.
EDIT: To Julia, the person who posted just before me, it's actually a historical fact that armies of the past not only accepted, but in some cases encouraged the men to become closer in that respect. It was true of some of the samurai in feudal Japan, and I believe the ancient Roman army as well.
In fact, there was supposed to be a wing of the ancient Roman military composed entirely of gay lovers, based off the belief that the men would fight all the more vigorously to protect their lovers on the battlefield. Since women weren't allowed to be soldiers back then, gay men were their only recourse. It worked pretty well, too.
As one stand-up comedian said, "If someone's going to be covering my butt [on the battlefield], I want them to think my butt's pretty cute."
2007-01-03 22:54:21 · answer #1 · answered by vfaulkon 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I am gay and I was in the military for 10 years. It was a challenge to say the least, because I have never ever been in the closet. Suddenly I was in the closet, because of the Don't ask and Don't tell policy that was put into place by the former CHEATER and LIAR President Clinton. He lies so he wants the military to lie and America thinks that is OK. How is lying about who you are a good thing? Gay people are all around us everywhere. Some people don't even know that there best friends are gay. I have seen so much from soldiers such as paying a hooker for sex in Korea while being married. Prostitution is legal there. Being GAY is not legal in the stupid military. THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF DISCRIMINATION. BEING OPENLY GAY IN THE ARMED FORCES WILL GET YOU DISCHARGED.
2007-01-04 07:26:39 · answer #2 · answered by kim j 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not the individual soldiers who have an issue with it. It's an old policy that will probably someday be changed. But the original reason for it was that gay men are seen as "feminine" and for a long time women were not allowed in the military and after they were, they weren't sent to battle, and now they still aren't eligible for the draft. The only reason women's military rights have changed sooner is that they had outspoken movements and such long before homosexuals did.
ps there's lots of gay military members. including a couple good friends of mine here on base.
2007-01-04 06:46:47 · answer #3 · answered by Eowyn 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The thought of gay men serving in the military doesn't "scare" the military.
For heaven's sake, how come every time someone opposes something that gays want, it's always mischaracterized as "fear"?
Actually, in these politically correct times, it's actually brave to OPPOSE gays in the military.
The most important thing to the military is battle readiness, not to mention unit cohesion. Those things have to be guaranteed, regardless of whose feelings get hurt.
Your boyfriend works with a gay guy, and you say that soldiers should be able to do the same thing.
But ask yourself -- does your boyfriend live in very close quarters with his gay co-worker?
Does your boyfriend have to sleep, take showers with, and live in very close quarters with someone who sees everyone else in the barracks as a potential sex object?
So, no offense, but your comparison is off-base. Your boyfriend's job, I'm presuming, does not entail all the living details that the military does.
.
2007-01-04 06:47:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
I think the retired flag officers who publicly came out a couple years ago dispels the myth that being gay means you can't be an asset to the armed forces. After all, the DOD does not just had out stars to everyone...
2007-01-04 10:21:17 · answer #5 · answered by selmaguy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think anyone who wishes to serve this country in the military should be able to as long as he or she is fit for duty. The gay and lesbian soldiers among the 3000 dead from Bush's folly are just as dead as the straight soldiers.
2007-01-04 08:42:59 · answer #6 · answered by tjnstlouismo 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your facts are a little misconstued. The US military does allow gay's to serve in the military. They just dont want to know about it. Gay's have been in the military from the beginning of time.
2007-01-04 06:45:27 · answer #7 · answered by Rick R 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think the "don't ask, don't tell" policy is a bunch of crap. what the military seems to be saying, is it's OK to be in the military if you're gay, as long as you live a lie? I guess they don't care if we're killed in battle, though.
2007-01-04 08:25:57 · answer #8 · answered by redcatt63 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Don't Ask, Don't Tell law is in place to prevent hate and hanious crimes against LGBT citizens serving in the armed forces. It's not broke, don't try to fix it.
2007-01-04 07:40:26 · answer #9 · answered by tina.ryan 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No i think that a military thta doesn't accept gays in not a brave
2007-01-04 06:45:17 · answer #10 · answered by Yeshayahu G 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋