I'm Sick of the "Clintons are Homophobes Because of Don't Ask Don't Tell" Trope
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/03/12/1500148/-Im-Sick-of-the-Clintons-are-Homophobes-Because-of-Dont-Ask-Dont-Tell-TropeBy MargaretPOA
One of my old homes away from home with a "dirty" deck.
(Full disclosure: I am a Sanders supporter who voted for him in the Texas primary and a transwoman. This diary does not advocate for either candidate, it is just a response to some ignorance on display here)
In the past few weeks, I have seen no end of diaries and comments telling me that the Clintons, Hillary and Bill are homophobes because of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy that was adopted by the services when the Department of Defense Directive 1304.26 that was issued on December 21, 1993 took effect on February 28, 1994. This policy RELAXED the rules about serving while gay or lesbian.
The policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while barring openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual persons from military service
(my bolding)
As abominable as that policy was, it was forced upon President Clinton, who actually campaigned on the promise to allow open service regardless of orientation, by the Republicans and by certain conservadems in Congress. Even Barney Frank ultimately, (though reluctantly) voted for the language that included the ban on open service by gays and lesbians, (we trans folks were excluded). But for some context, let me give you an example of what came before DADT:
Before DADT, the services pretty much left punishment for being openly LGB or T up to the unit commanders so the consequences of admitting to being LGBT ranged from none to sanctions like losing rank, pay, privileges, earned benefits and in some cases, even brig, (jail) time. It largely depended on whether your C.O. was a raging homophobe or not.
I was outed by my room mate who was attempting to distract from his own second DUI in two years and my world changed. I went from being a 4.0 sailor to a pariah instantly but not immediately. You see, my C.O. at the time knew me and knew my work and most pilots like to make it back to the ground and he knew that my work and I helped them do that. I was told that nothing was going to happen over that. Things seemed to have worked out.
(More in link)
= new reply since forum marked as read
I already have a tab up at Youtube for the "Village People", my resolve is weak. Thanks ALLOT! 
is that I remember all these things and the context in which they happened. When people talk about some of the things that happened years ago, they take them out of their time period in which they made sense and put them in today's world which really corrupts what actually happened.
I remember very well the flack Bill Clinton took when he tried to allow gays in the military. Even some Dems were furious.
It's difficult for me to not jump in on some of these debates saying "Wait a minute, that's not how it was" but I'm not that confrontational and I really don't have that kind of time. It would be a full time job here at DU.
Links to additional background on Bill Clinton, gays in the military and DADT:
https://library.cqpress.com/cqalmanac/document.php?id=cqal93-1106232
http://millercenter.org/president/clinton/speeches/speech-4561
Every hour of everyday you'd have to repeat the argument with every repetitive post!
I figure if they actually believe what they are posting, they were never going to vote for H anyway - so who needs 'em?
Doesn't hurt reminding us, though! (and our truth-seeking lurkers) 
I'm so grateful for that. This is a great group.
