a woman in military uniform carries a sign that says "rights for LGBTQ we have always been here"

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The History of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Military Policy

You might be familiar with the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy from the 1990s, but have you ever wondered how we got there? In the early 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy, leader of the fear-based anti-communism campaign known as the “Red Scare,” launched the “Lavender Scare.” A small but loud group of people, McCarthy included, decided that queer people posed a threat to national security (and were probably also communist). 

On April 27, 1953, President Eisenhower signed Executive Order 10450, banning anyone from the LGBTQ+ community from working in any government job. Over the course of the year, the State Department reported firing 425 employees. Across the entire government, over 5,000 people were fired (many were outed) – including straight people who were perceived as possibly being gay. 

A picture of a protest sign that says "Rights for LGBTQ, We have always been here" 
Above the picture are the words "The history of don't ask, don't tell in the United States military"

In 1973, a federal judge reversed the EO and ruled that people cannot be fired from government positions based on sexual orientation. In 1995, President Clinton signed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which didn’t do anything except tolerate queer people in government positions as long as they didn’t actually mention anything about their lives. 

President Clinton’s law essentially was official lingo for “fine, you can sit with us, but you aren’t allowed to be yourself” under penalty of losing military benefits. People who refused to hide their sexuality were discharged from the military. These brave people chose themselves and the people they loved over healthcare, education, home loan assistance, and more. 

President Obama finally repealed the DADT in September of 2011, which became official in December of that year. In 2015, Secretary of State John Kerry issued a public apology for the damage done by the mass layoffs. In 2019, the Senate introduced the LOVE Act to investigate the terminations of government employees under the Lavender Scare. The Senate voted to send it to the Foreign Relations Committee at that time. But as of summer 2024, the committee has done nothing on it

In September 2021, NPR reported that all 100,000+ members of the military who were discharged as “other than honorable” were finally granted their full military benefits.

a black and white photo of someone in a military uniform with a rainbow flag covering their mouth

Mission Possible: The Story of Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell by C. Dixon Osburn

The Lavender Scare: The Cold War Persecution of Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Government by David K. Johnson

A black and white photo of Harry S Truman holding a pen, and a sepia-toned photograph of protestors hold signs. In red letters is the title "The Lavender Scare"
A black background and letters that transition from pink to yellow that say "The Deviant's War: The Homosexual vs The United States of America" Eric Cervini

The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. The United States of America by Eric Cervini

Serving in Silence by Margarethe Cammermeyer with Chris Fisher

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