from Political News

Pentagon Under Fire For Document
Stigmatizing Same-Sex Attraction

June 28, 2006 - The Pentagon has been criticized by the Center for the Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military at UC Santa Barbara, for a decade-old document that lists homosexuality under "Certain Mental Disorders." The document listed homosexuality along with mental retardation, personality disorders and alcoholism.

The November 14, 1996 document issues instructions on evaluating physical disabilities and determining whether an ailment should lead to a discharge.

According to a Pentagon statement on the document, "Homosexuality should not have been characterized as a mental disorder in an appendix of a procedural instruction. Notwithstanding its inclusion, we find no practical impact since that appendix simply listed factors that do NOT constitute a physical disability, and homosexuality of course does not."

The Center's primary objective is to overturn the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy about homosexuals openly serving in the military. The Center is also working to fight gender discrimination in the military as well.

Additional Reading: Normality or Disorder: Answering the Question; The Trojan Couch.