Don't Ask, Don't Tell Must Stand

Many people do not seem to understand why don't ask, don't tell is so crucial to our Military. They equate it with homophobia when someone states that it should stay, others think it is unfair. The reason that we have don't ask, don't tell is the same reason that we have separate bathrooms for men and women. The same reason we have separate locker rooms in schools and sporting events and the same reason we have separate dressing rooms.

Neither men nor women want the other sex looking at them when they are changing, showering and grooming themselves in general. Everyone seems to understand this fact. There is no one griping about separate bathrooms, changing rooms and locker rooms for males and females, but when gays and lesbians are thrown into the mix, no one knows what is appropriate.

It is not that the proponents of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, don't like gay individuals, it is more that they are an exception to a rule. No one knows how to handle the fact that they are physically one sex and yet attracted to their same sex.

Women do not want men ogling them when they are naked, but what about a lesbian ogling them? Isn't that just as uncomfortable? If don't ask, don't tell is revoked will gays and lesbians be free to stare as much as they want, making their comrades uncomfortable.

Men, also do not want someone in their locker room staring at them inappropriately, stealing glances, brushing up against them or making passes at them. With don't ask, don't tell enforce they do not have to worry about those things happening because if it happens the individual is disciplined. Also, men are generally more comfortable in the locker room because they do not know who is gay and who is not gay. This takes the pressure off of everyone.

Some people may think this is a ridiculous stance, that everyone in the military is an adult and knows how to behave like one. To that I say, phooey. We are all sexual human beings. It is unfair to ask straight men to shower next to gay men and it is unfair to ask straight women to shower next to lesbians.

If don't ask, don't tell is banned in the military, the military will need to make other accommodations for gays and lesbian, not because straight men and women are homophobic but because we are all human and we have feelings too.