Don’t Ask/Don’t Telland its repeal

Matt Sabaroff

What is DADT?-Military policy

-Sexual minorities & military service• sexuality not brought up• if outed, dismissal may be in order• dismissal regardless of ranking or importance• 1993-2010

History of LGBT military rights -1950 Truman signs UCMJ

• defines homosexual service rules• rules homosexual conduct result in discharge

-1982 Reagan’s Defense Directive

• reinforces discharge laws• declares incompatible w/ military service

History of LGBT Military Rights-1992 Clinton’s campaign promise• makes initial promise at DNC• promises to “lift the ban”-1993 Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell• compromise by Clinton• sexuality not questioned; open still discharged

Public opinion-Strong initial controversy• ~53.5% overall acceptance rate

o 44% open acceptanceo 63% closeted acceptance

Impact on military personnelhttp://www.tubechop.com/watch/1854691

Impact on military personnel-2010 Pentagon study• conducted before repeal decision• asked DADT repeal’s effect• overall report LGBT individuals have no detriment

Community support

• HRC founded 1980• Advocates LGBT rights advancement• $3 million DADT repeal• 625k emails, 50k written letters to gov’t

Community support con’t-Public support of repeal• Rises to 80% in 2011• 81% support closed, 79% support open• almost equal

DADT reaches its end-2003 Clinton proposes repeal• regretted his allowance• meant to protect homosexuals

DADT reaches its end

-2006 DADT is upheld by Supreme Court

• rules funding can be withheld• against nondiscrimination laws• essentially, strengthening DADT

DADT reaches its end-2008 Barack Obama elected• campaign promises repeal• Pentagon study conducted• 2010 bill passed, DADT banned

Overview-Large milestone in LGBT rights• public awareness

o slowly came to agreemento discrimination made apparent

• military struggleso landmark in oppressiono repeal brought unity

• repeal is a step forward towards nondiscrimination

Works Cited"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010." Human Rights Campaign. Human Rights Campaign, 20 Sept. 2011. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Mccabe, Brian J. "Public Opinion on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’." Public Opinion on Dont Ask Dont Tell Comments. New York Times, 30 Nov. 2010. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Hillman, Elizabeth L. "Gender and the Military." Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United States. Ed. David S. Tanenhaus. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan

Reference USA, 2008. 321-326. U.S. History in Context. Web. 6 Jan. 2014.

"Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT)." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 06 Jan. 2014.

Barack Obama. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia, 13 Apr. 2005. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Bill Clinton. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Harry Truman. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Laurince, Jonas. The Pentagon. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia, 9 June 2010. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.

Ronald Reagan. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2014.