A US appeals court has ordered the ban on allowing gay men and women to serve openly in the military to end immediately, as the Pentagon continues drafting new rules to bring the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' into force. President Barack Obama has repealed the ban, but it is still being enforced while the Pentagon makes changes to its regulations. A three-judge panel at the court in San Francisco says "don't ask, don't tell" must be lifted now, because the Obama administration concluded in December 2010 that it was unconstitutional to treat gay Americans differently under the law. "The circumstances and balance of hardships have changed, and [the government] can no longer satisfy the demanding standard for issuance of a stay," the panel said. Officials at the Pentagon says they will comply with the court order and inform commanders in the field.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 7th July 2011 - 12:19pm