Women are hurt more by Don't Ask, Don't Tell than men
by PageOneQ
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, the national organization which challenges the ban on service by open gays and lesbians in the US armed forces, has released data showing women are targeted and discharged from the military for breaking the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy at a rate double that of men.
While 15 percent of the military is comprised of women, cases against women brought under the policy account for 30 percent of Don't Ask, Don't Tell discharges. In FY2005, the military discharged 726 service members, 219 of which were women.
The full Servicemembers Legal Defense Network press release follows....
# WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Women continue to be discharged at twice the rate of their presence in the armed forces under the federal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law banning openly lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members, according to new data obtained by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN). While women account for approximately 15 percent of the armed forces, they totaled 30 percent of those dismissed under the gay ban in FY2005. In all, 219 women out of a total of 726 service members were discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The Army, reported discharging 146 women in 2005; the Navy, 31; the Air Force, 28; and the Marine Corps, 14.
http://pageoneq.com/news/2006/dadt_090706.html
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