A brave community of veterans denied the respect they deserve and unfairly shamed for too long.
The Campaign
Despite the ban on their service being lifted in January 2000, LGBT+ members of the Armed Forces continued to face immense challenges. They remained a community shamed by criminal convictions, prison sentences and ‘Dismissal in Disgrace’. In the years since the ban was lifted, nothing had been done to recognise their service, restore their honour and make reparation for the shameful treatment they received.
Fighting With Pride (FWP), a lived experience LGBT+ charity formed on the 20th anniversary of the ban and told truth to power. They showed that LGBT+ veterans still lived their lives in the shadow of the ‘ban’, beyond the protections of the Armed Forces Covenant, and outside the friendship and support of the wider Armed Forces family.
FWP championed those veterans, who through their service in the Armed Forces protected peace and freedoms but were punished for simply being themselves.
FWP wreath
FWP brought this hidden history to a wider awareness and is thrilled to be shortlisted for this award, which comes at a time of hope that our LGBT+ veterans will be honoured for their service and reparations made.
Our work as champions of LGBT+ veterans will not be over until full reparations are made and the unique challenges LGBT+ veterans faced, in their service lives and beyond, are recognised.“
Craig Jones MBE
FWP wreath
FWP brought this hidden history to a wider awareness and is thrilled to be shortlisted for this award, which comes at a time of hope that our LGBT+ veterans will be honoured for their service and reparations made.
Our work as champions of LGBT+ veterans will not be over until full reparations are made and the unique challenges LGBT+ veterans faced, in their service lives and beyond, are recognised.”
Craig Jones MBE
The Change
In April 2000, the Government announced a new policy for the return of operational service medals to those who had them ripped from uniforms at Court Martial.
In June 2021, FWP Joint Chief Executives Caroline Paige and Craig Jones MBE gave evidence to the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill and, as a direct consequence, the Government announced the LGBT+ Veterans Independent Review in January this year. This announcement was preceded by a new policy enabling Royal Pardons and Disregards for sexual offences which have since been expunged from UK law.
In November, FWP veterans marched with all other veterans in the National Service of Remembrance, reflecting as they marched past the Cenotaph upon those we have lost. This was a moment of immense pride for those marching.
Today, there is hope for a community of veterans for whom service in the armed forces brought shame, difficulty and hardship. FWP is networking, befriending and reconnecting 500 plus LGBT+ veterans to the regiments, squadrons and associations they were removed from, where they will be welcomed and supported.
The Future
In July 2022, FWP will launch Pride in Veterans Standard for existing support organisations to demonstrate their welcome for LGBT+ veterans.
FWP is working cross-party and with the LGBT+ Veterans Independent Review to gain commitment to resourcing change. FWP will bring veterans together to celebrate their service careers and their lives beyond the armed forces.
In partnership with Northumbria Universities Northern Hub Veterans and Families Research, they will conduct research to establish the health and wellbeing impact. The findings will be used to shape existing support services to meet the needs of LGBT + veterans and inform new services.
Who else was involved?
FWP won early support from the Armed Forces charity SSAFA, the Royal British Legion, Stonewall and NHS England and was strongly supported by its Patron, Lieutenant General Sir Andrew Gregory, KBE, CB DL, the CEO of Armed Forces charity SSAFA.
It worked cross-party and with the Government, giving evidence to the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill in June 2021, winning crucial amendments that led to the announcement of the Independent Review. They were supported by Dan Carden MP (Labour), Johnny Mercer MP (Conservatives), and Carol Monaghan (SNP).
Legal Work was led by Emma Norton, CEO of the Centre for Military Justice, who was instrumental in work to enable the return of medals.
