Publication Date

2011

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

Gay military personnel-United States, Gay military personnel-Government policy-United States, Veterans-United States-Attitudes, Veteran, LGBT, DADT, Don't ask don't tell

Abstract

This study was undertaken to explore what U.S. military veterans that have served under the Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT) policy since 1993 think the potential impact might be regarding the repeal of DADT on LGBT veterans' willingness to disclose their sexual orientation. An online survey was designed and administrated on the website SurveyMonkey.com asking questions about the following issues: 1) Do Veterans think that Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals (LGB) Veterans are willing to disclose their sexual orientation under DADT and after the repeal? 2) Do Veterans think that a LGB Veterans military branch and occupation will have an impact on their willingness to disclose their sexual orientation? The findings in this study found a significant difference in the willingness of service members to disclose their sexual orientation to their other service members and their chain of command between those serving under the DADT policy and since the repeal of DADT. There was no significant difference between those serving in all male units and mixed gender units acceptance of LBG service members and LGB veterans willingness to disclose their sexual orientation. Additionally, LGB service members need to be accepted and supported by the military and military family support groups. These two major findings supported two of the hypotheses in this study.

Language

English

Comments

iii, 45 p. : col. ill. Thesis (M.S.W.)-Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2011. Includes bibliographical references (p. 31-34)

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