A historical review of polling on the former “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy and public support for LGBTQ+ people serving openly in the United States armed forces.
Archived data.The figures below preserve the historical record. They describe opinion at the time of each survey, not a current national estimate.
The U.S. military’s “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy was adopted in 1993. It restricted open service by gay, lesbian and bisexual personnel and was later repealed in 2010, with implementation following in 2011.
This essay focuses on polling conducted before and around repeal. The language used in historical survey questions is retained only in summary form; terminology has been updated where needed for clarity and respect.
Longitudinal polling asks comparable questions over time. That makes it easier to see changes in public opinion, while still requiring care about sampling, wording, dates and margins of error.
Percentages should not be treated as proof that every community or political group held the same view.
The reported figures show a broad increase in support for open service between the early 1990s and 2010.
These surveys asked whether people who were openly gay or homosexual should be allowed to serve in the armed forces.
Support rose substantially when respondents were asked about service members being open about their sexual orientation.
Support was higher when the question concerned service members who did not publicly disclose their orientation.
The contrast between the two Washington Post questions illustrates how survey wording can shape results. It also reflects the distinction, central to the policy, between private identity and open service.
One February 2010 Washington Post/ABC survey interviewed 1,004 U.S. adults and reported a margin of error of approximately ±3.2 percentage points.
The source page was written during the 2010 policy debate. References to pending votes, political strategy or expected reactions belong to that period and are not presented here as current events.
Polling suggests that support for open service grew over the period covered by these surveys, while political institutions debated how quickly policy should change.
Congress established “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” placing limits on open service by gay, lesbian and bisexual personnel.
Washington Post polling recorded a rise in support for allowing openly gay people to serve, from 61% in 2001 to 75% in 2008.
Congressional votes and public discussion focused on ending the policy. The polling summarized here showed majority support for open service.
The policy ended after the required certification and implementation process. This page remains an archive of the earlier public-opinion debate.
No. The newest figures discussed here are from 2010. They are preserved as historical evidence about the debate surrounding repeal.
Historical survey wording can use terminology that is no longer preferred. The figures are summarized in contemporary, respectful language while keeping their original context.
No. A national sample describes the responses collected under a particular survey design. It cannot erase differences among age groups, regions, political affiliations or communities.
It is an estimate of the uncertainty created by surveying a sample rather than the entire population. See the margin of error explanation for a general introduction.
Continue to the LGBTQ+ military service overview or explore related public questions through sexual orientation and society.
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