Homosexuality In The Military

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Homosexuality in the Military Serving in the military is for many the most honored position they will hold in their lifetime. Many dedicate their entire lives to serving their country, although for some soldiers the dream of proudly serving their country is cut short because they are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. The debate over whether homosexuals should even be allowed in the military let alone be permitted to reveal their sexual orientation while serving has been ongoing over the last 30 years. Many would choose to argue that the allowance of homosexuals in the military would have an adverse effect all around. America’s acceptance of homosexuals has continued to grow over the past couple of decades; however, the struggle for complete approval and impartiality still exists. Nowhere are viewpoints toward homosexuality more conservative than in the U.S. military, yet the recognition of homosexual lifestyles has progressed so much that even the armed forces attitudes are slowly evolving in the direction of acceptance and equality. The History of Homosexuality in the Military Human sexuality is complicated, yet society seems to only see such issues in a black and white fashion. Homosexuals have been a part of society since the dawn of man and are an accepted and integral part of many cultures. Likewise, homosexuals have also served in militaries throughout history as well. For the ancient Greeks homosexuality was an accepted part of life and members of the military were encouraged to embrace this lifestyle, especially while on the battlefield (Webley, 2011). Such acceptance historically is not widespread; in fact just the opposite has been the experience of most gays serving in a military. In the 1400s the Knights Templar burned many of their members at the stake for homosexual behavior, and as the first leader of the United States, even George Washington

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