After DADT's Demise, Will There Be Equal Rights for Gay Servicemembers?

With the demise of legalized discrimination against LGBT in the form of DADT, the Christianists next biggest fear is that - oh the horror - gay service members might come to have their relationships with their life partners recognized somehow, be it in the form of spousal benefits or other form. First and foremost in the Christianists agenda is to do everything possible to keep LGBT citizens - and service members - treated as second class citizens. Nothing helps them bootstrap their religious bigotry toward quasi-respectability more than to be able to point to laws and government policies that stigmatize and discriminate against LGBT citizens. With DADT now thankfully headed to the trash heap of history, the U. S. military has the opportunity to distinguish itself by how it treats gay service members henceforth. Will DOMA be used as an excuse for continued unequal treatment, or will better angels prevail? An op-ed in the Washington Post by a 20 year service member argues that the military should lead the nation by example. Here are some highlights:
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Despite all of the controversy, repealing "don't ask, don't tell" was the easy part. Politics aside, it takes no courage to simply right a wrong. The president and members of Congress have been congratulating themselves for doing the right thing. But minds should be turning to the difficult questions that remain. These are the same questions that vex our society when it comes to equal rights for homosexuals. They cross over into the "gray areas" where some start to feel uncomfortable and where the legal options are ambiguous.
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It is, for example, one thing to hand a gay junior sailor a paintbrush and point him toward a rusty bulkhead. But can that gay sailor, if he has a partner, collect the same housing allowance his married counterparts do? Can a lesbian sailor request to be stationed where her partner is? Will the military recognize a marriage between two service members that is legal in one state but not in another?
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I hope that my brothers and sisters in the armed forces can help the Defense Department set standards for the rights of gay men and lesbians that far outpace the conflicted sentiment and resulting legal tangle in our society. This is an opportunity to show all Americans that homosexuals deserve equal treatment under the law. This applies not just in some cases or with limitations but to the full rights all Americans should share when it comes to legal matters such as marriage, salary and tax benefits.
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[T]he repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" means that there may be quiet instances of a lesbian sailor telling a shipmate that she is gay, or a gay sailor saying that his plans for the weekend include going on a trip with his partner. Such statements are likely to be met with shrugs, and everyone will go back to getting the mission done. But just because these moments no longer risk automatic discharge does not mean that gay and lesbian service members have equality.
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The Pentagon must be clear about treating all members of the U.S. military equally, which means that it must recognize gay marriage as legal and a right of every soldier, sailor, airman and Marine. These rights almost must extend to their spouses, just as they do to the spouses of straight servicemen and women, to include health care, retirement benefits, GI Bill eligibility and commissary privileges.
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I fully agree with the column's author, Chris Patti. However, we can unfortunately be assured that the Christianists and self-enriching professional Christians will do everything possible to derail such equality. Once again, hate and bigotry will likely be the face of Christianity experienced by LGBT citizens.