FACT SHEET THE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE MOST OF AMERICA'S MILITARY AND POLITICAL ALLIES HAVE NO BAR AGAINST GAY MEN, LESBIAN OR BISEXUAL MILITARY SERVICE America's military and political allies, many of whom participated in Operation Desert Storm, do no exclude, segregate or discriminate against gays, lesbians or bisexuals in their militaries. Military allies which have no ban and do not discriminate or segregate include: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain. Neutral countries, but allies of America, which also have non-discrimination as a policy include: Austria, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland. None of these countries have reported any problems with regard to the equal integration of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals within their militaries. CANADA AND AUSTRALIA RECENTLY REPEALED BANS ON GAY PEOPLE IN THEIR ARMED FORCES AND HAVE EXPERIENCED FEW, IF ANY, PROBLEMS On October 27, 1992, Canada formally repealed its ban on gay men, lesbians and bisexuals from its military. After careful study and review of all of the pertinent data and information, the Canadian Government and Defence Forces determined that there was no rational basis on which to continue the policy of exclusion. No legitimate information could be found to suggest that lifting the ban would lead to increased problems in unit cohesion and morale. Since the ban's repeal, no reports of morale problems or unit cohesion failures have occurred. No resignations have been tendered nor have there been any reports of violence against gay men, lesbians or bisexuals. All personnel now have the same strict regulations regarding sexual conduct applied to them on a "sexual orientation-neutral" standard. Similarly, on November 23, 1992, Australia repealed its ban on gay people in the military. Australia's ban was originally based on concerns related to (1) morale and unit cohesion; (2) national security and the threat of blackmail; (3) health concerns regarding the transmission of HIV/AIDS; and (4) protection against the corruption of minors. An official review by the Defence Forces proved that the arguments of national security, health concerns and corruption of minors had no basis in fact. After further and substantial review, no evidence was found to support the ban based on unit cohesion and morale grounds. The ban was repealed and accompanied by strict sexual conduct regulations which are applied on a "sexual orientation- neutral" standard. No sexual conduct was permitted between an officer and a subordinate, nor between persons while on base or ship or while on duty. No morale problems, privacy complaints, resignations or violence against gay men, lesbians or bisexuals have occurred following the lifting of the ban. FEW OF AMERICA'S ALLIES HAVE ANY BAN Among America's military allies only four have official military bans excluding gay men, lesbians and bisexuals. New Zealand's Defence Ministry reports serious consideration and plans for a repeal of its ban. Other countries which have official bans are those in which Constitutional rights and liberties are not often respected. They include: Libya, South Africa, Iran, and Serbia. ISRAEL, WITH ONE OF THE MOST TESTED, COMBAT- READY MILITARIES IN THE WORLD HAS A NON- DISCRIMINATION POLICY REGARDING GAY SOLDIERS AND REPORTS NO MORALE OR UNIT COHESION PROBLEMS OR PRIVACY COMPLAINTS Israel has not barred gay men, lesbians or bisexuals from its military since 1974. Gay people were afforded equal status within the military in 1988, with the exception that all gay people are psychologically tested to determine fitness with regard to the ability to withstand combat and high-security stress. The present Government is considering changing this policy of psychologically testing all gay soldiers and insists that its policy does not discriminate against gay people. No per se limitation exists based on sexual orientation regarding assignment or security clearance. Gay, lesbian and bisexual soldiers share housing and assignments both while on active duty and while serving in the reserves. SEXUAL CONDUCT REGULATIONS ARE STRICT, BUT APPLIED EQUALLY AND FAIRLY, IN NON-BAN NATIONS AND LEAD TO A REDUCTION OF PRIVACY VIOLATIONS AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT PROBLEMS In all of the non-ban countries, sexual conduct within the military is strictly regulated regardless of sexual orientation. Sexual contacts are barred while on base or ship, while on duty, between officers and subordinates. Sexual harassment, straight or gay, is prohibited. These countries report few problems relating to sexual conduct and where such problems have occurred, a majority of those problems are heterosexual in nature. Strict conduct regulations hold that any privacy violation be treated as sexual harassment and punished accordingly. THE UNITED STATES MILITARY HAS PARTICIPATED IN JOINT COMBAT AND FIELD EXERCISES WITH NO-BAN MILITARIES WITHOUT MORALE OR UNIT COHESION PROBLEMS AND WITHOUT PRIVACY COMPLAINTS Militaries with known gay, lesbian and bisexual soldiers, sailors and airmen have long participated in NATO field exercises with common military intermingling of troops without problem. Similarly, troops from non-ban countries actively and successfully served alongside U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf War without any privacy complaints, morale problems, resignations, violence against gay, lesbian and bisexual servicemembers and without any deleterious effects on combat success and unit cohesion. * * * * Prepared by the Legal/Policy Department of the Campaign for Military Service. 2707 Massachussetts Ave, NW Washington, DC 20009. (202) 265-6666.