Uniform Discrimination

The U.S. military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy of discharging gay and lesbian servicemembers who reveal their sexual orientation violates human rights and deprives the military of skilled personnel. Under “don’t ask, don’t tell,” any servicemember who acknowledges his or her homosexuality by word or deed is discharged. Between 1994 and the end of 2001, more than 7,800 servicemembers were forced out of the military because of the policy. The Pentagon has done little to protect gay and lesbian servicemembers from hostile treatment or violence by other servicemembers. Harassment of gay and lesbian servicemembers is committed with near total impunity. Many servicemembers endure harassment in silence for fear that reporting it will lead to disclosure of their sexual orientation and hence a discharge. But harassment has made life in the military so intolerable for thousands that they have “voluntarily” acknowledged their homosexuality in order to secure a discharge. Although the Pentagon announced in 2000 an Action Plan to combat antigay harassment, it has failed to implement it.