
CONTACTAbout UsCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2025 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
"
>
"
data-page-title="
Pentagon guidelines that classified homosexuality as a mental disorder now place it among a list of conditions, circumstances, or "defects" that range from bed-wetting to fear of flying.
The new rules are related to the military's retirement practices. The change does not affect the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which prohibits officials from inquiring about the sex lives of service members and requires discharges of those who acknowledge being gay.
The revision came in response to criticism this year when it was discovered that the guidelines listed homosexuality alongside mental retardation and personality disorders.
Mental health professionals said Thursday they were not satisfied by the change.
"We appreciate your good-faith effort to address our concern that the document was not medically accurate," James H. Scully, head of the American Psychiatric Association, wrote David Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. "But we remain concerned because we believe that the revised document lacks the clarity necessary to resolve the issue."
The guidelines outline retirement or other discharge policies for service members with physical disabilities. The rules include sections that describe other specific conditions, circumstances, and defects that also could lead to retirement but are not physical disabilities. Among the conditions are stammering or stuttering, dyslexia, sleepwalking, motion sickness, obesity, insect venom allergies, and homosexuality.
"More than 30 years after the mental health community declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder, it is disappointing that the Pentagon still continues to mischaracterize it as a 'defect,'" said Democrat Marty Meehan, a congressman from Massachusetts and member of the House Armed Services Committee.
Pentagon spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said, "Homosexuality should not have been characterized as a mental disorder. A clarification has been issued."
The psychiatric association declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder in 1973. Questions about the Pentagon's guidelines were raised in June by a research institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
There were 726 military members discharged under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy during the budget year that ended September 30. (AP)
Pentagon
reclassifies homosexuality as "defect"
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
31 Period Films of Lesbians and Bi Women in Love That Will Take You Back
December 09 2024 1:00 PM
18 of the most batsh*t things N.C. Republican governor candidate Mark Robinson has said
October 30 2024 11:06 AM
True
After 20 years, and after tonight, Obama will no longer be the Democrats' top star
August 20 2024 12:28 PM
Trump ally Laura Loomer goes after Lindsey Graham: ‘We all know you’re gay’
September 13 2024 2:28 PM
Melania Trump cashed six-figure check to speak to gay Republicans at Mar-a-Lago
August 16 2024 5:57 PM
These 13 major companies caved to the far right and stopped DEI programs
January 24 2025 1:11 PM
True
Latest Stories
Democratic congressmen: Federal personnel office can't discriminate against trans Americans
February 05 2025 8:19 PM
Trump moves to ban international transgender athletes from 2028 Olympic Games
February 05 2025 5:21 PM
Donald Trump bans transgender athletes from playing sports
February 05 2025 4:15 PM
West Point military academy eliminates cadet clubs amid Trump’s diversity crackdown
February 05 2025 2:42 PM
15 Democratic state AGs stand by gender-affirming care
February 05 2025 2:39 PM
American satisfaction with state of LGBTQ+ rights reaches lowest point in over a decade
February 05 2025 2:05 PM
LGBTQ+ non-U.S. citizens at risk under Trump’s immigration crackdown: study
February 05 2025 12:56 PM
Lesbian cop wins $750k in sexual harassment lawsuit against former chief
February 05 2025 11:53 AM
If Trump can rename the Gulf, why can't we rename ourselves?
February 05 2025 7:00 AM
What can trans people do about Trump’s executive orders? Be plaintiffs, says Lambda Legal
February 05 2025 6:00 AM