Gays in the military: what’s the problem?

The failure of US Congress to approve a bill allowing openly gay people serve in the American armed forces pushed me to doubt US democratic values and its moral right to lead the promotion of open society values. How come that the only superpower in the world lags behind even Eastern Europe and some Latin American countries in legislative securing of gay serving in the army?

American Republicans say the problem lies with the risks of overall morale of the US forces, meanwhile ranting about the reluctance of heterosexual military to serve in the army should gays be allowed to serve openly. Another latent reason is a higher religiosity of US electorate on the eve of midterm elections in comparison to European countries. However, Brazil is not less religious, but there are no restrictive laws there.

Advocates for repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” say it is high time for gays to serve their country proudly and openly, and they claim there is no evidence that such a change would be detrimental to the military. These advocates for changing the 1993 policy add that the U.S. military needs the tens of thousands of gays and lesbians who currently serve and the tens of thousands more who would enlist if they were allowed to do so.

For the ancient Greeks, gays serving in the military were no big deal. Indeed, Plato wrote in his Symposium that a small army composed of lovers and those they loved would be more than a match for much larger armies: "For love will convert the veriest coward into an inspired hero." But for the most part, that's where support of gays in the military ended. Following the Crusades, the Knights Templar were persecuted and many members burned at the stake for their same-sex affairs in the early 14th century. In the Napoleonic wars, four men aboard the British ship H.M.S. Africaine were hanged in 1816 for "buggery"; two other crewmen were whipped for "uncleanness" (a term used to describe deviant sexual behavior).

In many corners of the world, the modern policy on gays in the military could be labeled this way: “Don’t Ask, Don’t Care.” In 2010 over 30 countries allow gays to openly serve in their armed forces, including the U.S.'s closest allies Canada and UK. The British military began allowing gays to serve in 2000; members of the Ministry of Defense told The New York Times in 2007 that there had been no reported incidents of harassment, discord, blackmail or bullying, nor any erosion of unit cohesion or military effectiveness. In Israel, which has had no restrictions on gays serving in the military since 1993, the army magazine, Bamahane, showcased two men hugging each other on a 2009 cover.

In his first State of the Union address, US President Obama declared that he would work to "finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are." Though a June 2009 Gallup poll showed that 69% of Americans support allowing gays and lesbians to serve in the military, Republicans went against the stream.

According to the last study (January 2010) conducted by the Williams Institute at UCLA's School of Law, there are an estimated 66,000 lesbians, gays and bisexuals currently serving in the U.S. armed forces; for these soldiers, progress on a repeal is only the latest glimmer of hope in a long history of secrets.

While the Pentagon agreed to stop asking about sexuality in recruitment forms and interviews, it never agreed to stop investigating whether those serving in the military were gay. As a result, since 1994, more than 12,000 service members have been dismissed because of their sexual orientation.

In the U.S., however, many think it's time for the military to catch up with the times. "As a nation built on the principle of equality," wrote General John Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a letter to Pentagon leadership, "we should recognize and welcome change that will build a stronger, more cohesive military."