Uruguay Lifts Ban On Gays In The Military

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Uruguay has lifted a ban on homosexuals joining the armed forces.

The decree signed by President Tabare Vazquez and Defense Minister Jose Bayardi lifts the ban imposed by the 1973-85 military dictatorship.

The decree was published Friday on the presidential Web site and states that sexual orientation will no longer be considered a reason to prevent people from entering the military.

Vazquez said the "state does not discriminate against citizens for their political view or for their sexual choice" during a visit Thursday to the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion.

The law had included homosexuality among the "mental illnesses and disorders" that make a person unsuitable to join the armed forces.

Comments

[MNTom]

11:10 AM on 05/18/2009

Is sad when a country like Uraguay can beat the US with allowing Gays in the military. SAD!!!

[wilray]

12:54 AM on 05/18/2009

Open service should be allowed period. The conservatives like to give that line of bull, about what works in so many other countries might not work in America. I call them on their BS. Perry Watkins was a career soldier. When he was drafted he honestly answered their questions, and he told them he was gay. At the time, during the height of the Viet-Nam war, many straight men would say they were gay. If they had any doubts regarding his homosexuality when they drafted him, they would know the truth soon after. Perry served his country honorably, and each always reenlisted. However one time the army kept him from reenlisting citing the fact that he was gay. This would have blocked him from a military retirement and from a military pension. I met Perry in the middle of his case against the U. S. Army. When Perry won his case, he was allowed to reenlist. So I ask, why does sexual orientation matter at all?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_Watkins

http://www.apa.org/psyclaw/watkins.html

[klmebane]

11:19 PM on 05/17/2009

ok seriously. uruguay beats us to it?? thats embarrassing.

[Phenlandia]

04:00 PM on 05/17/2009

We're now more backwards than Uruguay. (Sings) "That's America to me!"

[PresidentRobertBooth]

12:13 PM on 05/17/2009

Good for Uraguay.

[LMPE]

02:28 AM on 05/17/2009

I'd like to one day see an all-gay military.

[Solaris123]

11:18 AM on 05/17/2009

Just imagine the uniforms!!!
I suggest Hungarian hussar uniform with touch of a Roman gladiator and a hint of Wild West debonair desperado.

[Solaris123]

11:22 AM on 05/17/2009

Imagine the uniforms!!!

[Richrdh]

12:12 AM on 05/17/2009

A policy instituted by a military dictatorship, is changed with the stroke of a pen. In a sense we are a military dictatorship. Congress is going to vote a change in law down, a President who has an agenda that is too broad to include gays and lesbians. And the military who will get what they want from Congress will push this to the back burner. I bet the policy will be unchanged come next election. Our choice will be Obama or some conservative who wants don't ask, don't tell to become a cultural norm. As each day goes by we are being marginalized. And this country is weaker for it.

[PlaceboStudman]

02:53 PM on 05/16/2009

The way I see it, if a group of physically and mentally disabled people can march on The White House and get arrested for chaining themself against a fence during a protest to support the Community Choice Act (as told by a story right here on HufffingtonPost 3 weeks ago)

http://www.adapt.org/cca.php

Then why the hell aren't more of us in the LGBT community marching on Washington to protest the proposterous DADT and DOMA laws???

I would be there myself if I wasn't bedridden and terminally ill, but come on folks, calling and writing the White House obviously isn't doing any good, we need to be seen AND heard!!

[Khirad]

01:26 PM on 05/16/2009

I loved the Maddow bit on this, with the dictionary voice repeating "u'ru'gwi" over and over, it was hilarious!

[KarateKid]

08:56 AM on 05/16/2009

I'm all for gays in the military. After all, if someone want to become a government issue (that's what GI stands for) and become fodder for doddering old politicians who send them off to die in a useless war, by all means, knock yourselves out. Reinstituting the draft would make DADT a non issue. Then, some of you would know what it's like to be drafted and sent off to war against your will.

[mouselion]

04:06 PM on 05/16/2009

How would reinstating the draft my DADT a non-issue?
I think it makes it even more of an issue because gay would then have no choice but to be subjected to the policy.

[totalliberal]

07:06 PM on 05/16/2009

GI meant "galvanized iron", a term used by WW1 soldiers to describe their army issued metal implements, like spades, garbage cans and such. It was usually the press that referred to the soldiers themselves as GI's. And still is.

[zenwhenicanbe2]

08:55 AM on 05/16/2009

You're a gay... get it?

I'm all for equality especially among those who defend their country.....I just couldn't resist the pun

[mouselion]

04:03 PM on 05/16/2009

Ugh.

[BeFairNow]

07:05 AM on 05/16/2009

I can't believe Uruguay beat us to this! Good for them! :-)

[ChelseaC]

03:00 AM on 05/16/2009

Now the USA should follow. It's about time.

[llisa]

12:38 AM on 05/16/2009

Everybody's making us look bad.

Oh, wait. We do that to ourselves.

[bubbuh]

11:56 PM on 05/15/2009

How nice! Dubya can join the Uruguayan military when he moves to the new ranch.