Monday, March 02, 2009

Argentina Overturns Gay Military Ban

As many countries in the world accept modernity and medical/mental health knowledge concerning sexual orientation, the United States continues to allow its policies to be dictated by the prejudices of intolerant, anti-knowledge, superstitious Christianists. True, another bill to repeal Don't Ask, Don't tell Now, has being introduced in Congress (the Military Enhancement Readiness Act (MREA) filed by by Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher (D-CA) repeals the ban, replacing it with new provisions prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in the Armed Forces), but to date the Obama administration has equivocated on when it will push to abolish this discriminatory policy. Meanwhile, Argentina has moved ahead of the USA in its acceptance and equal treatment of its LGBT citizens. As Queerity has reported, Argentina has abolished its policy equivalent of DADT. Here are some story highlights:
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Between affordable high quality wine and this, Argentina is losing its reputation as the land of revolving dictatorships and is increasingly seen as a stable and progressive democracy in Latin America. Effective today, gays and lesbians will be able to serve openly in the Argentinian armed forces, . . .
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[S]tarting today, a new military justice system goes into effect which decriminalizes homosexuality among uniformed members, eliminates the death penalty, and moves crimes committed exclusively within the military to the public justice sphere [previously there had been a separate military court system]. Under the old system, gays were not permitted to have access to a military career, at the same time as this sexual orientation was penalized.
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[W]ith this new system, gay men or lesbian women who wish to train in the forces should encounter no impediment, nor any military retaliation areas."
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Blabbeando has some additional details here.

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