Here’s an interesting article from the New York Times presenting several perspectives on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” A few highlights:

The military has very strict guidelines that monitor heterosexual relationships under official codes of conduct to prevent fraternization in the ranks, specifically in regards to public affection in uniform and dating among officers and enlisted personnel. Those guidelines would simply be adjusted to include same-sex relationships as well.

(Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets.org)

Senior officers in the U.K. would tell you that they faced a thousand greater challenges in their military careers than the challenge of integrating gay men and women.

(Craig Jones, British Royal Navy)

Uniformed leadership from the four-star service chiefs on down must therefore: 1.) clearly and firmly state a policy of absolute respect for all service members regardless of sexual orientation, 2.) incorporate an honest give and take in seminars and presentations designed to address myths and stereotypes and highlight the military service of gay Americans, and 3.) use existing systems of discipline, enforcement and medical care to insure discrimination against sexual minorities is dealt with expeditiously and justly.

(Edith A. Disler, U.S. Air Force)

Several people also present arguments in support of sustaining “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” It seems to me they all boil down to the locker room argument, as presented by Brian E. A. Maue, a professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy:

[A]n openly gay military would be the heterosexual equivalent to forcing women to constantly share bathrooms, locker rooms and bedrooms with men. Combining sexual preferences (i.e., lesbians with heterosexual women) would challenge American military commanders with privacy violations and dignity infractions that would reduce unit effectiveness.

And he has a point, I guess, but the thing is that lesbians already share bathrooms, locker rooms, and bedrooms with straight women. It happens in the military just as much as everywhere else in the world. The only difference “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” makes is that none of the women in military locker rooms are allowed to openly acknowledge their orientation. It doesn’t change the fact that they’re there.

In case you haven’t already figured this out, dear straight people of the world, if you choose to be naked in a public locker room or in a home shared with roommates, there’s a good chance a gay person will see your private parts.

Get over it. We do.