By Jakey 
What was ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’?
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) was a controversial US military policy that prevented gay, lesbian and bisexual personnel from serving openly in the armed forces between 1994 and 2011.
Introduced under President Bill Clinton as a compromise to the military’s longstanding ban on homosexual personnel, the policy allowed gay and bisexual people to serve provided they concealed their sexual orientation. Military officials were generally prohibited from asking about someone’s sexuality, but personnel who disclosed it or whose sexuality became known could still face dismissal.
More than 13,000 service members were discharged under the policy, with some receiving less-than-honourable discharges that affected their access to veterans’ benefits, employment and other opportunities.
The policy was repealed under President Barack Obama, with the repeal taking effect on 20 September 2011, allowing gay, lesbian and bisexual personnel to serve openly for the first time.
In the years since, the US Department of Defense has undertaken efforts to review and correct the records of veterans discharged under the policy.
This history provides important context for the election of Cait Conley, who served in the US Army during an era when openly acknowledging her sexuality could have ended her military career.
Sources and further reading
- US Department of Defense – Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: History and Discharge Reviews — Details the policy’s history, more than 13,000 military discharges and subsequent reviews of service records.
- The White House Archives – President Obama’s Statement on the Repeal — The official statement marking the policy’s repeal on 20 September 2011.
- US Department of Defense – Review and Correction of Military Discharges — Explains efforts to correct military records and address the consequences for LGBTQ+ veterans.