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Quiz about Dont Ask
Quiz about Dont Ask

Don't Ask Trivia Quiz


"Don't ask, don't tell" summarizes the US military's official attitude to gay soldiers. It hasn't always been that way in armed forces!

A multiple-choice quiz by looney_tunes. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
looney_tunes
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
322,383
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
967
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 184 (3/10), Guest 86 (0/10), Guest 86 (5/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Same-sex relationships were common in Ancient Greece. What elite military unit was formed of couples, chosen to fight side-by-side in combat, during the fourth century BCE? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. How many men were in the elite homosexual group of soldiers formed by Gorgidas in 378 BCE? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Which general was responsible for the decision, in the 4th century BCE, to establish a single gay fighting unit, rather than having gay couples spread throughout the army to act as an inspiration along the battle front? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. In 375 BCE, a battle was waged in which an elite gay army unit decisively defeated a force estimated to outnumber them by a factor of more than 3 to 1. Where did this battle take place? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Against which city-state was the battle of Leuctra fought, in which an elite gay army unit was considered to have played a decisive role? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. An elite gay army unit is known to have functioned as a special unit from 378 to 338 BCE. Why did the group cease to exist in 338? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. The city of Thebes erected a monument at the mass grave of an elite gay army unit as a mark of appreciation for the warriors. What form did the monument take? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. In 1967, male homosexuality was partially decriminalized in Great Britain. Did this decriminalization include members of the military?


Question 9 of 10
9. Between 1916 and 1947, a US soldier discovered to be homosexual would be given a discharge that was neither honorable nor dishonorable. What was the colourful nickname for this type of discharge? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. In the 20th century, which of the following NATO countries allowed openly-professed homosexuals to enlist in their armed forces? Hint



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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Same-sex relationships were common in Ancient Greece. What elite military unit was formed of couples, chosen to fight side-by-side in combat, during the fourth century BCE?

Answer: Sacred Band of Thebes

The Sacred Band of Thebes was organized in 378 BCE by the Theban commander Gorgidas. According to the historian Plutarch, the reasoning was that lovers would be more committed to fighting for each other than would have been the case for strangers. The couples were originally spread out along the front lines to provide inspiration for the rest of the troops.
2. How many men were in the elite homosexual group of soldiers formed by Gorgidas in 378 BCE?

Answer: 300

The Sacred Band of Thebes was composed of 150 age-structured couples, with a total of 300 men. The older member of each couple was a charioteer, and the younger was referred to as his companion. According to Plutarch's "Life of Pelopidas", the inspiration for the Band's formation came from Plato's "Symposium".
3. Which general was responsible for the decision, in the 4th century BCE, to establish a single gay fighting unit, rather than having gay couples spread throughout the army to act as an inspiration along the battle front?

Answer: Pelopidas

When Pelopidas assumed command of the Sacred Band of Thebes, he determined that they would fight as a unit, rather than being dispersed, and that remained the practice for the duration of their existence. This coincided with the period of Theban supremacy in Greece, and the Band received much credit for the military successes of the time.
4. In 375 BCE, a battle was waged in which an elite gay army unit decisively defeated a force estimated to outnumber them by a factor of more than 3 to 1. Where did this battle take place?

Answer: Tegyra

Pelopidas led the Sacred Band of Thebes and a small cavalry force to try and capture the city of Locris, which was temporarily undefended, but the Spartans returned in force before he arrived. Battle was waged near Tegyra. The Theban forces included about 300 foot-soldiers (hoplites), while the Spartans had between 1,000 and 1,800.

The battle had little military significance, but was psychologically important, representing as it did the first time that Thebes had defeated Sparta in a direct battle, and the first time that Sparta had been defeated by a smaller army.
5. Against which city-state was the battle of Leuctra fought, in which an elite gay army unit was considered to have played a decisive role?

Answer: Sparta

In 371 BCE, Spartan forces invaded Theban territory. The battle on the plain near Leuctra opened with a Spartan javelin/spear attack, followed by a cavalry engagement. It was during this phase of the battle that the Sacred Band of Thebes, led by Pelopidas, sent the Spartans into disarray, leaving the battle to be finished by foot-soldiers.

This battle permanently weakened Sparta's influence over the rest of the Greek peninsula in the post-Peloponnesian War political stage.
6. An elite gay army unit is known to have functioned as a special unit from 378 to 338 BCE. Why did the group cease to exist in 338?

Answer: They were annihilated in battle

In 338 BCE, at the Battle of Chaeronea, Philip II of Macedon, along with his son Alexander (later to be 'the Great') defeated the Theban army decisively, including the annihilation of most, if not all, members of the Sacred Band, who were buried together in a mass grave. While Plutarch says that all 300 were killed, excavation of the mass grave only yielded 254 skeletons.
7. The city of Thebes erected a monument at the mass grave of an elite gay army unit as a mark of appreciation for the warriors. What form did the monument take?

Answer: stone lion

The stone lion marking the site where the members of the Sacred Band of Thebes were buried was erected around 300 BCE, then restored in the 20th century, and is a popular tourist attraction.
8. In 1967, male homosexuality was partially decriminalized in Great Britain. Did this decriminalization include members of the military?

Answer: No

Not only did homosexuality remain illegal for members of the armed forces, it was not until the 1990s that homosexual service personnel stopped facing court martial (and jail) for consensual sexual acts. They are still dismissed if discovered.
9. Between 1916 and 1947, a US soldier discovered to be homosexual would be given a discharge that was neither honorable nor dishonorable. What was the colourful nickname for this type of discharge?

Answer: blue discharge

Starting in 1916, a blue discharge, also referred to as a 'blue ticket', was issued by commanders seeking to remove soldiers who were perceived as undesirable, without needing to provide evidence to support a dishonorable discharge. They were issued primarily to gay and African American soldiers.

The range of discharges changed again in 1947, with blue discharges being replaced by general discharges (under honorable conditions, but not meriting an honorable discharge) and undesirable discharges (not under honorable conditions, but not dishonorable).

At the same time, the regulations were amended so that homosexual soldiers did not qualify for a general discharge. Active homosexual activity led to a dishonorable discharge; discovery of homosexual status without evidence of sexual activity led to an undesirable discharge.
10. In the 20th century, which of the following NATO countries allowed openly-professed homosexuals to enlist in their armed forces?

Answer: Spain

Ironically, Greece is one of the few NATO countries that do NOT allow openly gay soldiers to join their armed forces, along with Belarus and Azerbaijan. In Turkey, they are exempt and tagged 'mentally ill'. The United States adopted a policy of "Don't Ask; Don't Tell; Don't Harass" in 1993, allowing gay soldiers to be part of the armed forces as long as nobody knows (or tries to know).

This represented a step forward from a total ban, but homosexuality remains grounds for dishonorable discharge if it becomes public knowledge.
Source: Author looney_tunes

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
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