“Even If the Policy Changes, the Culture Remains the Same”: A Mixed Methods Analysis of LGBT Service Members’ Outness Patterns

• Author: Ian W. Holloway,Jeremy T. Goldbach,Kathleen A. McNamara,Carrie L. Lucas,Carl A. Castro
• DOI: 10.1177/0095327X20952136
• Date: 01 July 2021
• Published date: 01 July 2021
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

“Even If the Policy

Changes, the Culture

Remains the Same”:

A Mixed Methods

Analysis of LGBT Service

Members’ Outness Patterns

Kathleen A. McNamara

1

, Carrie L. Lucas

2

,

Jeremy T. Goldbach

3

, Carl A. Castro

3

,

and Ian W. Holloway

4

Abstract

Despite repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy in 2011 and the ban on open

transgender service from 2016 to 2019, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender

(LGBT) service members may be reluctant to disclose their identities to fellow

military personnel. This study used data collected through the Department of

Defense–funded mixed methods research study conducted from 2016 to 2018.

A sample of 248 active duty LGBT service members completed a survey, while a

sample of 42 LGBT active duty service members participated in an in-depth inter-

view. Regression analyses tested for differences in outness by demographic and

military traits; a thematic analysis of qualitative data contextualizes these findings.

Outness to fellow service members varied greatly by rank, military branch, educa-

tion level, sexual orientation, gender identity, and marital status. The lowest outness

1

United States Air Force, Nellis AFB, NV, USA

2

United States Air Force, Osan AB, ROK

3

Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

4

UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Corresponding Author:

Kathleen A. McNamara, United States Air Force, 4700 Las Vegas Blvd N, 99 MDOS, Nellis AFB,

NV 89191, USA.

Email: kathleen.a.mcnamara10.mil@mail.mil

Armed Forces & Society

2021, Vol. 47(3) 505-529

ªThe Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/0095327X20952136

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was to chaplains (38%), while the highest outness was to LGBT unit friends (93%).

Implications for military leadership and service providers are discussed.

Keywords

gender issues, military culture, minority issues, psychology

In interpersonal relationships, individuals make frequent disclosure decisions

regarding their thoughts, motivations, and traits. For people with traits that may

be stigmatized in their culture, decision making on sharing this stigmatized trait can

be fraught. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals often weigh

the benefits and costs of disclosing their sexual or gender minority identity in various

life domains (Helens-Hart, 2017; Jones & King, 2014; Sabat et al., 2014). In a

workplace environment, for example, LGBT workers assess coworkers for cues of

acceptance, rejection, and neutrality while choosing their level of openness (King

et al., 2017; Trau, 2015; Velez et al., 2013; Wessel, 2017). The U.S. military is one

example of a workplace in which a history of exclusio nary LGBT policies and

stigmatization may impact LGBT service members’ disclosure decision making to

colleagues. As of 2011, LGB service members have been permitted to serve openly,

and in 2016, the ban on transgender individuals serving was removed (“Repeal of

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell [DADT],” 2011; U.S. Department of Defense [DoD], 2016a).

Challenges to the transgender ban repeal occurred between 2017 and 2019, with a

policy largely barring open transgender service announced in 2019 (DTM-19-004,

2019; Trump, 2017; Trump v. Karnoski, 2019). Whether LGBT service members

choose to disclose their LGBT identity to military coworkers is largely unknown.

This mixed methods study used survey and interview data from currently serving

LGBT military service members to shed light on this topic.

Overview of LGBT Service in the U.S. Military

While there is evidence to suggest that LGBT individuals have served in the U.S.

military for two centuries, policies prohibiting open service have prevented collec-

tion of data regarding LGBT service (Berube, 1990; “DADT,” 1993; Shibusawa,

2012). In 1993, the DADT, Don’t Pursue policy was enacted, allowing sexual

minorities to serve; however, they were required to remain “closeted” (i.e., conceal

their sexual orientation from fellow service members; “DADT,” 1993). One study

found at least 13,000 service members were discharged for disclosing their LGB

identity or being perceived as LGB under the DADT policy (Gates, 2010).

DADT largely governed the “Outness” of LGB military members for 17 years

until the DADT Repeal Act of 2010 was passed by Congress and signed by President

Barack Obama (2010; “Repeal of DADT,” 2011). This act allowed LGB service

members to “come out” in the military workplace without fear of institutional

reprisal (Alford & Lee, 2016; “Repeal of DADT,” 2011). In 2016, the DoD

506 Armed Forces & Society 47(3)