This article critically examines elements of the professional, legal, and military institutions that have contributed to the discriminatory policy against homosexuals in the military. Utilizing Abbott's concept of professionalism, this paper demonstrates how the budding field of psychiatry helped create the anti-gay policy to legitimize the profession. The essay then illustrates how attributes of the legal institution (precedence, deference, and legal interpretation) support this discrimination and, finally, how the military's administrative proceedings and institutional power strengthen its position.
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