ABSTRACT
The following statement is a revision of a statement passed before the U.S. military instituted its “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in 1993. Although “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” represented a softening of the military’s attitude, it perpetuated a requirement for secrecy and the hiding of one’s identity—modes of operation that are hardly conducive to healthy emotional functioning. In addition, this policy is still discriminatory, as it imposes requirements on homosexual men and women that are not applied to heterosexuals. Last, antihomosexual bias continues to be prevalent among the ranks of the military’s leadership and enlisted personnel, and anecdotal reports suggest that incidents of harassment and violence against gays are common (Rostker, Harris, and Study Group Directors, 1993). In light of these indications of continuing anti-homosexual bias in the armed forces, the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry believes that a reissuing of its call for an end to discrimination against gays in the military is timely.
