Lgbtq in the us military
Repeal of "Don&#;t Ask, Don&#;t Tell"
The discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on queer and lesbian service members is officially in the dustbin of history. For 17 years, the law prohibited qualified gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans from serving in the armed forces and sent a letter that discrimination was acceptable.
The Introduction of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
In , the U.S. adopted “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as the official federal policy on military service by lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals. The rule was discrimination in its purest form and prevented service members from being openly gay without threat of being discharged. DADT was based on the false assumption that the presence of LGBTQ+ individuals in any branch of the military would undermine the ability of people to carry out their duties. Over the course of the policy’s animation, thousands of courageous service members were discharged simply for who they were and whom they loved.
Ensuring Justice for Service Members Everywhere
HRC made repealing DADT a uppermost priority — and public se
The Pentagon has reached a historic legal settlement with more than 35, queer and lesbian military veterans who were dismissed because of their sexual orientation, and in many cases denied an honorable discharge and the array of services they had earned, CBS News has learned.
Under the terms of the agreement, veterans whose discharge papers reference their sexual orientation as a reason for their separation from the military can now avoid a cumbersome legal process and be re-issued paperwork that eliminates any reference to their sexuality. If they were denied an honorable discharge, they will also be eligible for an immediate upgrade review, the agreement says.
"When I was discharged because of my sexual orientation, I felt that my country was telling me that my service was not valuable – that I was 'less than' because of who I loved," said Sherrill Farrell, a U.S. Navy veteran who was a plaintiff in the case. "Today, I am once again proud to have served my country by standing up for veterans enjoy myself, and ensuring our honor is recognized."
The settlement, which still m
More than US veterans given honourable discharges after 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' review
In a statement on Tuesday, he paid tribute to "the service and the sacrifice of all our troops - including the brave Americans who raised their hands to assist but were turned away because of whom they love".
With the upgrades from the review, nearly all of the 13, individuals who were let go under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, now have an honourable discharge, he said.
Those veterans will see their discharge papers automatically updated and will be eligible to ask for copies of their upgraded discharge certification.
Those who believe they include been erroneously or unjustly left out of Tuesday's decision may also request a correction to their military records, the Pentagon told CBS News, the BBC's US partner.
The US has relatively recently changed its stance on gay and bisexual people serving in the armed forces.
In June, President Joe Biden issued pardons to thousands of service members who had been convicted of a crime under military statute based on
The Warrior Identity: LGBTQ+ Military Service Members
By Z Paige L’Erario, MD; Roshni Patel, MD, MS; Suzanne Marmo, PhD, LCSW, APHSW-C; and David Vincent, PhD
Social Function Today
Vol. 23 No. 2 P. 12
US military service members are often related with a warrior identity.1 The image of a lone male soldier on the battlefield traditionally has been reinforced by recruiting initiatives and military imagery to match that social construction. However, our perceptions and expectations of who participates in military service is changing.
The number of LGBTQ+ young adults and adolescents is increasing. As many as 1 in 5 people in Generation Z identify as Diverse, and 1 in 20 identify as transgender alone.2,3 For social workers who specialize in work with veterans, these are vital data to inform our practice, as Generation Z represents the greatest number of incoming recruits into the United States military.4 Therefore, the question should be asked: What policies have the US military implemented to protect our LGBTQ+ service members and veterans?
Demographics of