Gay US Military Officials Were Allowed To Confess Their Sexual Orientation On Today's History, September 20, 2011

Gary C. Ross, military serviceman who married his partner immediately after the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Act was repealed (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Today, September 20, exactly a decade ago or in 2011, the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Act (don't ask, don't tell) for the United States (US) military was officially repealed. The law is a rule that gays in the US military are prohibited from showing their sexual orientation. After the repeal of the law, they automatically no longer have to hide it.

After the law was repealed, the US military no longer had to lie about who it loved to serve the country. The armed forces are also guaranteed not to lose another chance to fight for being gay or lesbian.

Citing The Guardian, the law was introduced by US President Bill Clinton in 1993 as a compromise measure for full equality. The 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' law allows gay and lesbian military members to serve if their sexuality is kept secret.

While still on the campaign trail, as a presidential candidate, Clinton supported the removal of the Department of Defense ban on gays serving in the armed forces. But after he took office in 1993, Clinton faced strong resistance among military leaders in the Joint Chiefs of Staff and their allies in Congress. In particular, Sam Nunn, who was chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the time.

Bill Clinton (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

They argued that openly accepting gay members into the military would undermine the 'unity of the unit' and threaten combat effectiveness. After six months of Senate hearings and negotiations, Clinton compromised by introducing the term 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' which was later signed into law and became official Department of Defense policy.

It is hoped that gay groups can still join the military even if they have to lie. However, the law continues a culture of harassment of gay soldiers that had previously faced a total ban. The law is considered not to change anything about the lives of gay people in the military. Investigative services are still running. Military license plate checks at gay bars are still being carried out.

The US Legal Defense Network estimates that since the law was introduced, 13.000 gays and lesbians have been repatriated after their sexual orientation was revealed. In some cases, dismissals are carried out on the basis of testimonies from rejected lovers or those with personal complaints.

Retired General Merril McPeak of the U.S. Air Force who served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1990 to 1994 referred to himself as "Mr. Don't Ask, Don't Tell," saying he thought Don't Ask Don't Tell had a positive effect on the military. “Unity of units is not helped by sexual diversity,” he told TIME.

Barack Obama's Promise

Barack Obama was the one who promised to repeal the law during the 2008 presidential election campaign. But action on the matter seemed to stall until Obama made a speech in January 2010.

"This year, I will be working with Congress and our military to finally repeal laws that deny gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are," Obama said. The call was met with silence from members of the military sitting in front of the president, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Barack Obama when repealing the 'Dont Ask, Don't Tell' Act (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

A few days later, the then Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, said at a Senate hearing: "The question before us is not whether the military is prepared to make this change, but how do we ... best prepare for it. We have received orders from the commander in chief and we move accordingly."

In March 2010, the Pentagon relaxed the rules around 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' The military decided to no longer investigate anonymous complaints and sworn third-party testimonies. An internal survey commissioned by the Pentagon and released in 2010 found that two-thirds of all military personnel supported repealing the law.

"For more than two centuries, we have worked to extend that promise to all of our citizens. Our armed forces have been a mirror and catalyst for that progress, and our troops, including gays and lesbians, have given their lives to defend the freedoms and liberties we value. as Americans," Obama said, as the law was officially repealed.

"Today, every American can be proud that we have taken another major step to keep our military the best in the world. And to fulfill the ideals that our nation founded," Obama said.

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