Question

Which of the following was an argument against the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy depicted in the documentary: "The Strange Story of Don't Ask, Don't Tell"?

a) It provided a fair and equal policy for all military personnel.
b) It was fully supported by all branches of the military.
c) It violated the rights of LGBTQ individuals and hindered military readiness.
d) It was a successful compromise between opposing viewpoints.

Answer 1

The argument against the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy is that it violated LGBTQ rights and negatively affected military readiness. Introduced in 1993, it faced legal challenges for being unconstitutional, leading to its repeal in 2010 and full enforcement ban in 2011.

Step-by-step explanation:

One argument against the Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) policy depicted in the documentary "The Strange Story of Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is that it violated the rights of LGBTQ individuals and hindered military readiness (option c). This policy, enacted in December 1993, allowed gay and lesbian individuals to serve in the military provided they did not disclose their sexual orientation. However, the policy led to the discharge of those who openly acknowledged their homosexuality, thus continuing discrimination against LGBTQ service members.

The DADT policy faced significant opposition and was challenged in court several times for being unconstitutional. It was officially repealed in 2010, and the ban on its enforcement was lifted in 2011. Since the repeal, LGBTQ individuals can serve openly in the military, with the policy against transgender service members also being revoked in 2021.