'Don't ask, don't tell' impacts women

NEW YORK, June 23 (UPI) -- The Army and Air Force have discharged lesbians at higher rates than gay men under the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, statistics show.

"Don't ask don't tell" is a policy in place to ban openly gay individuals from serving in the armed forces.

While females account for 14 percent of Army members, 46 percent of people discharged by way of the rule last year were female, Pentagon information gathered by an advocacy group indicates.

While 20 percent of Air Force members are female, 49 percent of people discharged by way of the rule last year were female, The New York Times reported Monday.

A Freedom of Information Act request permitted the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network to collect the data, the report said.

"Women make up 15 percent of the armed forces, so to find they represent nearly 50 percent of Army and Air Force discharges under 'don't ask, don't tell' is shocking," said Aubrey Sarvis, the group's executive director.