US Military’s gay survey seeks feelings about homosexual coworkers, neighbors, bathrooms and showers
”While it remains safe for gay and lesbian troops to participate in this survey, it is simply impossible to imagine a survey with such derogatory and insulting wording, assumptions, and insinuations going out about any other minority group in the military…. Flawed aspects of the survey include the unnecessary use of terms that are known to be inflamatory… such as the clinical term ‘homosexual;’ an overwhelming focus on the potential negative aspects of repeal and little or no inclusion of the potential positive aspects of repeal or the negative aspects of the current policy; the repeated and unusual suggestion that a co-worker or leader might need to ‘discuss’ appropriate behavior and conduct with gay and lesbian troops; and more.”
From a press release quoting Alexander Nicholson of Servicemember United, which is opposed to the language used by the Department of Defense to craft a survey about the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. (Servicemembers United)
Some of the many questions appearing on the ”2010 DoD Comprehensive Review Survey of Uniformed Active Duty and Reserved Service Members” which was obtained and posted by the gay rights group Servicemembers United:
- Do you currently serve with a male or female Service member you believe to be homosexual?
- Among all the factors that affect a unit’s performance, how much did the unit members’ belief that this coworker was gay or lesbian affect the unit’s performance?
- If Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed and you are working with a Service member in your immediate unit who has said he or
she is gay or lesbian, how, if at all, would it affect how often your immediate unit socializes together offduty? - If Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed, how, if at all, would the way your family feels about your military service be affected?
- Have you shared a room, berth or field tent with a Service member you believed to be homosexual?
- If a wartime situation made it necessary for you to share bathroom facilities with an open bay shower with someone you believe to be a gay or lesbian Service member, which are you most likely to do?
- If Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed and a gay or lesbian Service member attended a military social function with a samesex partner, which are you most likely to do?
- If Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed and you had onbase housing and a gay or lesbian Service member was living with a samesex partner onbase, what would you most likely do?
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