# The "argument" for not having gays in the military **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 20, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131 "2010-03-20T13:53:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/1 "2010-03-20T13:53:46Z")
[Because gays + the army + combat duty = genocide](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/19/gay-dutch-soldiers-srebrenica). Is it April the 1st already? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/2 "2010-03-20T13:58:45Z")
While I agree that the homosexual thing is stupid, the idea that focusing on peace too much was a bad idea is something I’ve heard before. Specifically, that it led to concessions being made to Hitler that should not have been made. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/3 "2010-03-20T15:27:56Z")
But of course. No one is going to take anyone wearing pink camo and lace seriously and will walk right over them in combat. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/4 "2010-03-20T21:47:04Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > But of course. > > No one is going to take anyone wearing pink camo and lace seriously and will walk right over them in combat. Eddie Izzard disagrees: > [@](#): > > And they’re missing a huge opportunity here because we all know one of the main elements of attack is the element of surprise. So what could be more surprising than the 1st Battalion Transvestite Brigade—airborne wing. The airborne wing parachuting into dangerous areas with fantastic makeup! And a fantastic gun. And the opposing forces going, “Fucking hell, look at these guys… Hey, they’ve got guns! Ahhhh! They’ve got guns! Oh bugger. I was so surprised. Were you surprised? I was surprised." ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/5 "2010-03-20T22:33:46Z")
I think the guy is a stupid ass. [here is what I think is a fairly good interpretation of the general Dutch reaction - with the implications WRT national politics](http://www.quirksmode.org/politics/blog/archives/2010/03/us_general_goes.html). Summarizing, the reaction is “who’s that nut?” and “let’s not get fuck with the Americans, they’re way too big”. ---
**Author:** ![HardlySanguine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HardlySanguine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HardlySanguine)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/6 "2010-03-20T23:30:42Z")
[off topic] Is it just me, or is that article really poorly organized? Also, can I just say, Dutch names are awesome. Eimert van Middelkoop, I would totally be a dungeon master/evil torturer for you. [/off topic] ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/7 "2010-03-21T00:12:28Z")
\ I’m a gay male and unlike straight males all I can think about is sex and where my next sexual experience will come from. If I was in the army I’d be far more interested in looking at a guy’s butt than covering his butt \ 🙂 But that is the old argument. Gays will be looking for action. The argument is you can’t put male and female soldiers into the same quarters because they will be thinking about sex to the distraction of doing their job. Does it have merrit, I don’t know ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/8 "2010-03-21T00:54:52Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > But that is the old argument. Gays will be looking for action. The argument is you can’t put male and female soldiers into the same quarters because they will be thinking about sex to the distraction of doing their job. > > Does it have merrit, I don’t know Quartering of soldiers isn’t the point here - I’m pretty certain when soldiers are on duty or in combat they’re not thinking about getting sex so it really should be irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/9 "2010-03-21T01:04:43Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > \ > I’m a gay male and unlike straight males all I can think about is sex and where my next sexual experience will come from. If I was in the army I’d be far more interested in looking at a guy’s butt than covering his butt > > \ I would wager that there is a sizeable percentage (20+%) of Americans today who essentially believe that this is actually the case for the average gay man walking around the streets. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/10 "2010-03-21T01:07:48Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > Quartering of soldiers isn’t the point here - I’m pretty certain when soldiers are on duty or in combat they’re not thinking about getting sex so it really should be irrelevant. Dunno if you’ve read _Sniper One_, but there’s a hot American soldier on camp and her tits and ass are all that occupy their minds when they think about her. I’m not sure where I stand on this argument, but I don’t think that soldiers have a switch flipped in their heads that makes them non-sexual beings. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/11 "2010-03-21T01:53:44Z")
I think I’ve figured out Sheehan’s argument. You see, there were reportedly 400 Dutch troops defending Srebrenica from several thousand Serbs. If only all the gays had been sent home, there would have been _ **300** _ soldiers remaining. Manly men, true warriors, who would have defended the village against all odds, their buff bodies glistening in the sun as the [del]Persian[/del] Serbian forces assaulted their seemingly hopeless position. Yes, I can see the point Sheehan is trying to make. Place would still have been doomed, though - doesn’t he know how the story ends? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/12 "2010-03-21T05:57:44Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > I would wager that there is a sizeable percentage (20+%) of Americans today who essentially believe that this is actually the case for the average gay man walking around the streets. And just because it happens to be the case for me does _not_ make it true for the population in general. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/13 "2010-03-21T15:34:09Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > \ > I’m a gay male and unlike straight males all I can think about is sex and where my next sexual experience will come from. If I was in the army I’d be far more interested in looking at a guy’s butt than covering his butt > > \ Yeah, me too. And when I’m in the shower with 20 straight guys, all I’m thinking about is how to overpower all of them at once and have my way with them. :rolleyes: I wish I had half the power they think we have. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/14 "2010-03-21T17:42:30Z")
I’m a straight male and I think about sex all the time. I’ve never been in the service or in combat but I’m pretty sure I’d still be thinking sex all the time. It doesn’t matter if I’m doing a TPS report, standing in line at the ATM or whatever, I’m thinking about sex. I’m still able to function normally and do a good job at whatever I’m doing, so I’m pretty sure I could shoot and think about sex at the same time. So I don’t think that ‘they’ will be thinking about sex is a valid argument. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/15 "2010-03-22T14:07:32Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Dunno if you’ve read _Sniper One_, but there’s a hot American soldier on camp and her tits and ass are all that occupy their minds when they think about her. I’m not sure where I stand on this argument, but I don’t think that soldiers have a switch flipped in their heads that makes them non-sexual beings. There is a switch. As a radio intercept & jammer my team’s battlefield location was well-forward of the combat area (in the bad-guy’s yard). We had boys and girls on our teams, some hot, some merely life-support systems for tits & ass. After 2 days in the field, all most of us dicks could think about was keeping our weaponry and equipment (not a euphamism for genitalia) clean and operational, keeping track of where our infantry guys were so we could tell them not to shoot at us, and keeping an eye out for bad guys. Sex is always important to a dude, and consentual field sex does happen, but when the shit hits the fan it becomes significantly less important than not getting killed. And let’s face it, pair bonding behavior is actually more likely to contribute to teamwork and success. The Spartans knew that. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/16 "2010-03-22T14:44:02Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > Quartering of soldiers isn’t the point here - I’m pretty certain when soldiers are on duty or in combat they’re not thinking about getting sex so it really should be irrelevant. Bwwaaaahahahaha. Dude, I spent the ENTIRE TIME thinking about sex. When there are hardly any women around, all you think about it how you can possible get one of those 3 available women to lay you. So basically, I’m testifying to the exact opposite of what **Inigo** said. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/17 "2010-03-22T15:51:32Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > And let’s face it, pair bonding behavior is actually more likely to contribute to teamwork and success. The Spartans knew that. You’re probably thinking of the [Thebians](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Band_of_Thebes). I think the Spartans had “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policies. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-argument-for-not-having-gays-in-the-military/533131/18 "2010-03-22T21:17:18Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > You’re probably thinking of the [Thebians](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Band_of_Thebes). > > I think the Spartans had “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policies. I don’t know… have you [seen them](http://stores.homestead.com/unitedindependentmedia/catalog/300%20DVD.jpg)? haha