NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN TASK FORCE POLICY INSTITUTE
1734 14th St., NW, Washington, DC, 20009
(202) 332-6483/FAX (202) 332-0207
TTY (202) 332-6219/ljy_ngltf@aol.com

PRESS RELEASE--FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Contact: David M. Smith (202) 332-6483 ext. 3309
pager (800) 757-7736 or
Robin Kane (202) 332-6483 ext. 3311

DoD ANNOUNCES REGULATIONS FOR NEW GAY BAN

NGLTF Vows to Continue the Fight To End Military Prejudice Against Gay People

Washington, D.C., (December 22, 1993) -- The regulations implementing the new
policy banning gay men, lesbians and bisexuals from military service were
released today at a press briefing conducted at the Pentagon by outgoing
Defense Secretary Les Aspin and Department of Defense General Counsel Jaimie
Gorelick.

Tanya Domi, Legislative Director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
(NGLTF), delivered the following statement at a press conference at the
National Press Club held to respond to the new policy:

My name is Tanya Domi. I'm a former Army Captain and am currently Legislative
Director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.  NGLTF regrets that the
new DOD regulations announced today by Sec. Aspin institutionalize and
accommodate prejudice against gay people in the military. The regulations are
simply a repackaging of the same prejudice and discrimination that existed
under the pre-Clinton policy. 

This reality remains: on Navy carrier decks, on Air Force flight lines and on
Army garrisons and field assignment throughout the world today, gay and
lesbian service members continue to live in fear of retribution and reprisal
at the hands of a fundamentally flawed policy. NGLTF believes these new
regulations do not provide adequate guidance to commanders for measures that
could be taken to prevent accelerated violence and harassment towards anyone
who ie these regulations, as an example, would not have prevented the murder
of Navy sailor Allen Schindler. 

NGLTF will continue to organize against this policy. We will begin again by
organizing on college campuses and work for the expulsion of ROTC programs as
long as this policy exists.

Today's announcement does not change or alter our commitment towards
achieving justice and dignity for gay and lesbian service members. We are not
going away. This issue is not going away. As long as injustice exists for our
community, we will continue to press our government for change whether in the
Congress, in the courts, or by exercising our First Amendment rights of
peaceful assembly and free speech. 

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