Theodore Sarbin
dies at 94

Theodore Sarbin, a social psychologist whose 1988 study for the Department of Defense called for the repeal of the military's gay ban, died on August 31. He was 94. His death was reported in Wednesday's New York Times. Sarbin examined the role of lesbians, gays, and bisexuals in the Armed Forces with Kenneth Karols in the 1988 report "Nonconforming Sexual Orientations and Military Suitability" for the Defense Personnel Security Research and Education Center. The report concluded that lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members were as capable of military service as their heterosexual counterparts, and it called on the Pentagon to reconsider its gay ban. Sarbin and Karols wrote, "Studies of homosexual veterans make clear that having a same-gender or an opposite-gender orientation is unrelated to job performance in the same way as being left- or right-handed." The Pentagon report, one of a handful on the issue of gays in the military, was kept secret until Gerry Studds, then a Democratic representative from Massachusetts, and other members of Congress forced its release. It was subsequently made public in the 1990 book Gays in Uniform: The Pentagon's Secret Reports, edited by Kate Dyer. "Our nation has lost an important scholar whose work honored the service of lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members and defended the opportunity for all Americans to serve, regardless of sexual orientation," stated C. Dixon Osburn, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. "Dr. Sarbin's service to our country and his landmark work in revealing the discriminatory nature of the military's gay ban made him an irreplaceable ally for our community. He will be deeply missed." Sarbin is survived by his companion, Karin Sobeck, a sister, three sons, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, the former Genevieve Donahue Allen. (Advocate.com)