The Effects Of Including Gay And Lesbian Soldiers In The British Armed Forces

November 1, 2000

The Palm Center devoted considerable effort to researching whether the inclusion of gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members in foreign militaries compromised readiness, and generating media coverage of our research. In 2000, we published a 70-page study concluding that Britain’s decision to lift its ban had not harmed readiness. The study was based on a review of 101 articles, book chapters, and documents as well as interviews with 25 academic experts, military officials, service members, and journalists. In 2001, we worked closely with a New York Times reporter on a front-page story titled “Gays in the British Military: Ask, Tell, and Then Move On.” In 2001, we published a study of inclusive policy in the Israel Defense Forces in a leading military studies journal.