The Washington Times: 3% of the US Army - Gays and Lesbians

The data of the new study show that at the moment, 36 thousand gays are in the US Army, and another 29 thousand gays are listed in reservists. These are 3% of the total number of US armed forces, which are officially prohibited from taking homosexuals, reports The Washington Times . (Translation of the material - on the website inopressa.ru ).

It should be noted that during his presidency, Bill Clinton tried to cancel this ban, but met a rigid resistance from the Pentagon leadership. The compromise, which subsequently received the name “Don’t ask, don’t say”, was reached in 1993: the US Ministry of Defense agreed not to ask the question of sexual orientation when admitting to the service, but if a soldier or serviceman was recognized or noticed in such non -traditional ties, then he or it was subject to immediately dismissal.

During the current study conducted by Urban Institute, the data of the national census for 2000 were studied, within the framework of which participants were proposed to fill out a long questionnaire with detailed issues of a demographic nature.

These data show that 28 thousand 872 men and 30 thousand 351 women are in same -sex relationships. Of these, 83 men and 91 women are in active military service, 710 men and 714 women are in stock, 3735 men and 2373 women reported that they were active in military service.

The current study on the number of gays in the US armed forces was built on the data of this census and other numerous surveys and research conducted after 2000.

Researchers indicate that the real number of gays and lesbians in military service can be more by 10-50%, because the data during the census of the population was collected only about same-sex pairs, gay-loners were not taken into account.

The armed forces have never conducted an official study of this issue. For decades, the leadership adheres to the policy “Do not ask, do not say”, which allowed to circumvent a strict ban on the service of homosexuals in the ranks of the Armed Forces. Gays and lesbians who reveal their sexual orientation or openly demonstrate their relationships, threatens the exception.

During the war in Iraq, the number of gays and lesbians excluded from the army was greatly reduced

According to the law, homosexuality is considered "incompatible" with military service. At the same time, the number of gays and lesbians, excluded by their rows of armed forces over the past three years, when the country has been participating in two wars, has declined sharply. It is unclear why they began to monitor the implementation of the rules less strictly, or gays and lesbians do not inform the leadership of their orientation.

According to the study, the probability of lesbian service in the army is 3 times higher than their friends of traditional orientation. Hey men are less likely to serve in the army than men of traditional orientation.

Lesbians in the Armed Forces are usually more educated than their heterosexual colleagues. About 28% of lesbians in the reserve have a degree, and among women of traditional orientation, this figure is 21%.

In 2002, women made up 15% of the total army, and under the law on the prohibition of the service of homosexuals, 36% of women were excluded, the organization of gay rights to ServiceMebers Legal Defense Network reports. In 2002, women made up 7% of the coast guard and 34% of women were excluded under this law.

According to gross estimates, since 1993, about 10 thousand military personnel of homosexual orientation have been dismissed from the armed forces.

Almost 1 million gays and lesbians talk about themselves as veterans of the Armed Forces - this conclusion can be drawn on the basis of statements by 10.2% of the same -sex couples that participated in the census. They live mainly in California, Texas, Florida, New York and Georgia. Los Angeles, Washington, New York, San Diego and Chicago are cities where the most veterans live.

In Washington, in the proportion to the veterans of the armed forces of traditional orientation, the most gays live - 10.2 per 1000 people of traditional orientation.