With yesterday's National Equality March and President Obama's promise (again) to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell (the speech transcript was released last night), we missed the story last week about government stats showing that women are more likely than men to be discharged from the military for Don't Ask Don't Tell.
While 619 people were discharged under DADT last year, one-third of them were women (when they only account for 15 percent of all active-duty and reserve members). The numbers were particularly prevalent in the Air Force, where women represent just 20 percent of the Air Force but were 61 percent of the members discharged for DADT.
Folks say there's not enough evidence yet to know if women really are being targeted, possibly as a result of the prevalence of sexism and misogyny that the military is often charged with, or if it's just the case that there are more lesbians in the military than gay men. (Community poster Spiffy McBang beat us to the punch on the story and had some discussion on this.)
But regardless of the breakdown of who is discriminated against through DADT, what matters most at this point is that all people should have the freedom to serve openly. We'll be waiting, Mr. President.
UPDATE: NBC's John Harwood reports that the White House believes LGBT mobilizing is merely part of the "internet left fringe":
HOLT: But in general when yo look at the left as a whole, have there been conversations about some things they thought would have been done but haven't?HARWOOD: Sure but If you look at the polling, Barack Obama is doing well with 90% or more of Democrats so the White House views this opposition as really part of the "internet left fringe" Lester. And for a sign of how seriously the White House does or doesn't take this opposition one adviser told me today those bloggers need to take off their pajamas get dressed and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult.
Just, wow.
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I think the simple explanation for this is that, while homophobia is high in the military, men can hide their homosexuality by "male-bonding" (objectification of women) more easily.
Women, on the other hand, often have their personal and sex lives scrutinized more, not because of policy, but simply as common, unofficial practice as part of this "male bonding." Somewhere along the line of this objectification, they are bound to find what they are looking for.
Funny - I would suspect that most men in the military would be fine with lesbianism - so long as it benefits them. But if a woman were to decide to be exclusively lesbian, then it's not so okay anymore.
I think some of it may be, similar to what Marc said above about women's personal lives being under greater scrutiny, the idea that any woman without at least a recent boyfriend or husband is at least somewhat suspect. Women have a greater need to be in a relationship, after all, and never want to just focus on their career, etc.
And, what kind of logic allows discharge under DADT anyway? Even if you were to walk in on your roommate and five other people of the same sex, wouldn't telling your CO kinda be telling?
Just a point of clarification on DADT - investigations are only started if there is evidence that the person is gay.
The military, on paper, does not investigate those who watch gay porn, go to gay bars, have gay friends or protests in gay rallies outside of uniforms.
This, of course, does not prevent a homophobic person from following and scrutinizing the lives of these people, as an attempt to find out if they are gay.
What's more - it takes time and money to do so. Each case that is brought up requires an officer who is assigned to investigate. I am not sure if I want my tax dollars going to such a witch hunt. What's more, I'd rather see officers in my unit do their jobs, instead of running around worrying about people's sex lives.
I have a hard time imagining even having the time and energy to be such a little stalker. It's just so nasty.
And, besides the time and money involved in an investigation, what about the effects of distraction and worry such a policy causes? How does it help anyone that our soldiers have to worry that, just for something like hugging a friend they haven't seen in years or has just suffered something awful, someone might get suspicious and cause them a lot of grief regardless of the outcome of the investigation? Potentially derail their career?
I'm pretty much a pacifist on a national level; I'm not really privy to whatever evidence or lack thereof is being used to say we ought to fight so it's hard for me to trust we are doing the right thing. But that has little to do with the soldiers, who deserve to be treated decently and given as much freedom as is compatible with their job.
Governing is difficult, but pushing forward for a worthy cause is worthwhile.
I really resent the assertion that LGBT bloggers just sit idly by on the sidelines. We've advanced many causes and after all, we were one of the first to jump on board the Obama bandwagon when no one gave him much of a chance. I really don't understand the logic here, except for the fact that even accomplishing the minimum has been much more challenging than many of us were either led to believe or wished to see.
I really hope Obama isn't planning on waiting until after the 2010 election to repeal DADT.
This is surprising to me. Usually misogynists would say gay women are OK (and even sexy) while gay men are gross. DADT will be repealed soon, though, I believe. http://www.newsy.com/videos/obama_i_will_end_don_t_ask_don_t_tell
I used to think that being a female meant that I would be LESS likely to have DADT used against me... this is something of a wakeup call. I remember having to sign paperwork stating that I would never tell anyone I was gay or bisexual or act that way (though I'm currently only in ROTC and I don't think they have the resources to stalk people and find out.) I always wondered where Integrity First (Air Force so-called core values) came in, and what a GLB servicemember was supposed to say if asked about their orientation. The military's not supposed to ask but of course there's no prohibition asking for anyone else.
I actually had to turn in an assignment for a gender class I'm taking saying "you asked, but I can't tell" regarding a question on our sexuality. (It wasn't something anyone else would ever see, and the teacher was fine with that, but it bothered me that I had to.)
I wouldn't stress.
This year a female LT in my unit brought another female LT from another unit as a date to a large military ball. It was quite clear (to me) that it was more than platonic, and nobody said anything.
The few DADT cases I'm familiar with either involved partners/ex-partners with a grudge going to the command, a command with a personal grudge either against the Soldier in particular or against homosexuals, or the Soldier using it as a tool to get out of the Army.
Good to know, although I won't feel comfortable until DADT is gone.
the Soldier using it as a tool to get out of the Army —you know, you'd think that would be a reason for even the most conservative of folks to be on board with repealing it.
Absolutely. It needs to go. I'm just saying that in my (limited) experience it is not enforced.
And the conservative folks do want to repeal it - and go back to making people swear that they are not afflicted with 'teh ghey.' Because every time two homos kiss, the terrorists win!
It's only enforced n the couple hundred people kicked out every year.
It's only enforced on the couple hundred people kicked out every year.
Not to just be snarky, but as a National Guard member I had to drill one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer but I was under DADT every single minute of the every single day. It changes how you live your life. You self-censor and lie. Beyond who it kicks out, it hurts those who are not kicked out in ways that can be just as devastating short of a paper trail that follows you every day of your life.
This is based on purely anecdata, but it is far more acceptable to be an open lesbian in the military than an open gay man. I suspect that these numbers reflect the likelihood of a person being open about their sexuality rather than anything else.
In my basic training company (Army), there were several lesbian relationships quietly (and not so quietly) going on in the female bay. During one health and welfare inspections (Drill sergeants ransacking everyone's stuff) a love note from one female soldier to another was discovered. It was read aloud to the platoon. No disciplinary action was taken. All of them graduated.
Two male soldiers were caught in a highly suspect situation in which it was extremely likely some kind of sexual act was occuring. They were gone from the unit the next day, and immediately chaptered out of the Army.
If someone is willing to fight for this country, then let them. It shouldn't be based on their sexuality. Women are literaly risking their lives for people and whos to say who they get to go home with at the end of the night. As long as it doesn't affect their job, it shouldn't matter.