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Pentagon lists homosexuality as disorder
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| chicagoirishtim |
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...EMPLATE=DEFAULT
Pentagon lists homosexuality as disorder
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Pentagon document classifies homosexuality as a mental disorder, decades after mental health experts abandoned that position.
The document outlines retirement or other discharge policies for service members with physical disabilities, and in a section on defects lists homosexuality alongside mental retardation and personality disorders.
Critics said the reference underscores the Pentagon's failing policies on gays, and adds to a culture that has created uncertainty and insecurity around the treatment of homosexual service members, leading to anti-gay harassment.
Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Jeremy M. Martin said the policy document is under review.
The Pentagon has a "don't ask, don't tell" policy that prohibits the military from inquiring about the sex lives of service members but requires discharges of those who openly acknowledge being gay.
The Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military, at the University of California at Santa Barbara, uncovered the document and pointed to it as further proof that the military deserves failing grades for its treatment of gays.
Nathaniel Frank, senior research fellow at the center, said, "The policy reflects the department's continued misunderstanding of homosexuality and makes it more difficult for gays and lesbians to access mental health services."
The document, called a Defense Department Instruction, was condemned by medical professionals, members of Congress and other experts, including the American Psychiatric Association.
"It is disappointing that certain Department of Defense instructions include homosexuality as a 'mental disorder' more than 30 years after the mental health community recognized that such a classification was a mistake," said Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass.
Congress members noted that other Pentagon regulations dealing with mental health do not include homosexuality on any lists of psychological disorders. And in a letter to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Monday, nine lawmakers asked for a full review of all documents and policies to ensure they reflect that same standard.
"Based on scientific and medical evidence the APA declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1973 - a position shared by all other major health and mental health organizations based on their own review of the science," James H. Scully Jr., head of the psychiatric association, said in a letter to the Defense Department's top doctor earlier this month.
There were 726 military members discharged under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy during the budget year that ended last Sept. 30. That marked the first year since 2001 that the total had increased. The number of discharges had declined each year since it peaked at 1,227 in 2001, and had fallen to 653 in 2004.
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| Required |
| Its a genetic disorder. |
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| chicagoirishtim |
| Gay people are born gay, you are atracted to somebody by looks, you dont have to think about it , it just happens. To bad the people that came up with this weren't killed on 9-11 |
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| thoroldjames |
WGAS if gays are born that way or a product of their upbringing or a bit of both?
it's 2006 for christ sakes. |
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| Abba |
The Ancients believed that a homosexual Army was more effective than a hetero-one. It was believed that because the Men loved one another, they would be more vigorous fighters and fiercely protective over each other.
The problem is the large amount of enlisted men from the red-neck south who would lynch one of their own if it was found out that he was gay, even after surviving countless battles together and coming out alive after months of live fire. Homophobia superceeds heroism and comeraderie, sometimes. |
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| Crazytree |
| the most homophobic of us secretly crave cock. |
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| jigzaw |
| I'd go with the medical community on this one, but even if it IS a disorder or genetic defect, that shouldn't be construed as a moral condemnation. If you're born that way, there's no morality about it, it's just the way you are, and if you choose to be that way then this is still supposed to be a free country where you shouldn't be harassed or treated any differently by the law. |
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| Bigtex77 |
| I guess that means the pentagon doesn't accept any tax dollars from gay people either. Oh wait, gays are good enough to pay for the bombing of other countries but not good enough to actually serve your country. Nice. Trust me, the army is better off with a gung ho but gay person signing up before my lazy but straight ass. |
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| Stickman |
| They've also listed physics and independent scientific inquiry as disorders as well. |
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| NC-Stern-Mark |
Quote: Originally posted by Abba
The Ancients believed that a homosexual Army was more effective than a hetero-one. It was believed that because the Men loved one another, they would be more vigorous fighters and fiercely protective over each other.
The problem is the large amount of enlisted men from the red-neck south who would lynch one of their own if it was found out that he was gay, even after surviving countless battles together and coming out alive after months of live fire. Homophobia superceeds heroism and comeraderie, sometimes. |
I really don't think homophobia is confined to the South Abba. It may be more prevalent but I live here and there are lots of openly gay people walking around. |
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| Abba |
Quote: Originally posted by NC-Stern-Mark
I really don't think homophobia is confined to the South Abba. It may be more prevalent but I live here and there are lots of openly gay people walking around. |
Thanks for telling me that because I'm actually going down to Charlotte in a couple of weeks to look at houses and perhaps even move there and my biggest concern would be to move in the middle of a bible thumping redneck enclave. believe it or not, it's your level- headedness that's relieved some of my apprehension that buttPirate generated about NC. |
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| NC-Stern-Mark |
Quote: Originally posted by Abba
Thanks for telling me that because I'm actually going down to Charlotte in a couple of weeks to look at houses and perhaps even move there and my biggest concern would be to move in the middle of a bible thumping redneck enclave. believe it or not, it's your level- headedness that's relieved some of my apprehension that buttPirate generated about NC. |
Charlotte is actually very progressive. Mecklenburg County, where Charlotte is located went for Kerry in the last election.
In downtown Charlotte or Uptown Charlotte, (same place, depends who you ask) there are _all_ kinds of clubs and hang outs.
Southeast Charlotte is the place to be. Area 4 and 5. Providence High and Butler High were named to the top 100 High Schools in America. No one is really from Charlotte, lots of diversity here and people are friendly and civil and don't beep their horns like maniacs. In fact, they hardly beep their horns at all.
Houses are generally in the 85.00 per sq. ft. range and property tax on a 200,000 dollar house is around 2,300 or less. Charlotte city taxes are higher than some of the surrounding towns like Matthews, Mint Hill, Stallings and Weddington. Home prices are stable here and actually went down in my zip code this year. There is so much development, that's keeping the lid on prices.
If you're going to commute, that's a factor as well as traffic here can be brutal at rush hour. Charlotte is a very nice city. I came here from the NY/NJ metro area in 98 and I would never go back for any reason.
I'd be happy to help if have other questions. |
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| ihatecabbie |
| North Carolina is a beautiful state. |
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| Ironpirate |
| Ive been in mecklenburg since 1989....Huntersville |
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