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Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell During the 1992 presidential campaign, presidential candidate Bill Clinton stated that, if elected, he would change the defense department’s policy prohibiting gay men and lesbians from serving in the armed forces. Shortly after President Clinton took office in January of 1993, an amendment was offered in the Senate to prevent the President from making any change of policy in this area. Defeated, the president announced, on July 19, a compromise with military and congressional leaders who opposed allowing homosexuals in the service. Clinton called it the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Pursue” policy. By October, the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell, Don’t Pursue” compromise had been diluted even more. The “Don’t Pursue” clause was erased, which meant homosexuals and heterosexuals would not receive evenhanded punishment. The current policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was signed into law on November 30, 1993. Recruiters may no longer ask individuals about their sexuality, but lesbian and gay soldiers are still prohibited from disclosing it, and homosexual conduct, in or out of uniform, remains forbidden. The “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” compromise is homophobia translate