UCC leader hails the end of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

UCC leader hails the end of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
UCC leader hails the end of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

> Written by Staff Reports
> July 22, 2011
> []

The Rev. Michael Schuenemeyer, the UCC's executive and minister for 
LGBT concerns, issued a statement praising the Pentagon's 
announcement of the repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" 
(DADT) policy that prohibited openly lesbian, gay and bisexual 
persons from serving in the military.

Acting on a 2008 campaign promise and following the decisions of 
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Adm. Mike Mullen, the Joint Chiefs 
of Staff chairman, President Barack Obama has formally repealed the 
ban on gays serving openly in the U.S. military. The law, passed in 
December, specified that the repeal will take effect 60 days from today.

"With the repeal, gay, lesbian and bisexual service members will no 
longer be forced to deny who they are as persons or maintain lives of 
secrecy and separation from their service comrades," Schuenemeyer said.

However, he noted in his statement that the repeal of DADT does not 
protect transexual service members from discharge based on expression 
of gender identity.

Schuenemeyer's full statement is included below:

> ----------

The Rev. Michael Schuenemeyer

Executive and Minister for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns
Wider Church Ministries, United Church of Christ
July 22, 2011

With today's certification from the Pentagon and President Obama, the 
last step to the repeal of the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell 
policy has been taken and in 60 days, the policy will be dead.  This 
ends a policy that forced same gender loving military personnel to 
lie about their sexual orientation in order to serve and defend their country.

Eighteen years ago the 19th General Synod of the United Church of 
Christ 
<http://www.ucc.org/news/http://www.ucc.org/assets/pdfs/1993call.pdf>called 
for an end to the ban against gays and lesbians in the military. The 
resolution supported "the development of just and uniform standards 
of sexual conduct for all military personnel."

United Church of Christ leaders have advocated that no category of 
citizens of the United States should be regarded as second class and 
singled out for discrimination. All should be afforded equal 
opportunity and equal protection under the Constitution.  Under the 
Don't Ask Don't Tell policy more than 13,000 gays and lesbians were 
discharged and an uncounted number of others left prior to completing 
full careers due to the pressures it imposed.

With the repeal, gay, lesbian and bisexual service members will no 
longer be forced to deny who they are as persons or maintain lives of 
secrecy and separation from their service comrades.  They will be 
free to acknowledge their orientation and their loved ones, and rest 
secure in the knowledge that should they be killed or wounded their 
loved ones will be notified.

It is important to note that the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell 
applies only to sexual orientation and not to gender 
identity.  Transgender people continue to suffer the injustice of not 
being allowed to serve openly in the military.  Although transgender 
service members will no longer be discharged under Don't Ask Don't 
Tell, they may continue to be barred from enlisting or serving openly 
under other provisions of the military code.  Like the Don't Ask 
Don't Tell policies, the bans on service by transgender people are 
also based on stereotypes and a lack of accurate information.  The 
military should take immediate action to repeal these policies, as 
well.  There is more information on this from the Service members 
Legal Defense Network at 
<<http://www.ucc.org/news/http://www.sldn.org/pages/transgender-people-and-military-service>sldn.org/pages/transgender-people-and-military-service>.