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New attitude to gay sailors has cut 'unhealthy secrecy' This article by Stephanie Condron originally appeared in the Daily Telegraph. The chief of Royal Navy personnel said yesterday that it was "unhealthy" that until recently gay sailors had been forced to keep their sexuality secret. Vice-Admiral Adrian Johns revealed the Navy's new attitude towards homosexuals before giving a speech entitled "Reaping the rewards of a gay-friendly workplace." At a conference in London organised by Stonewall, the homosexual rights campaign group, the Second Sea Lord said the Navy was now accommodating gays and lesbians. It has held its own gay and lesbian conference, allows same-sex sailors to "tie the knot" on board ship and is considering allowing personnel to march in uniform at London's Gay Pride festival. It was all in the name of operational effectiveness, and getting the best out of the force. "Those individuals need nurturing, so that they give of their best and are, in turn, rewarded for their effort," he said of the Navy's gays and lesbians. "Nurture includes the freedom to be themselves. Our mission is to break down barriers of discrimination, prejudice, fear and misunderstanding." Until January 2000 it was not permitted to be openly gay in the Armed Forces. But the Navy never knew how to treat those who were, and in 2004 sought advice from Stonewall. " Since then, policy has shifted towards creating an environment where gays and lesbians can now feel free to 'come out' if they wish, without fear of being harassed or bullied," Adml Johns told the conference. "A substantial majority [of personnel] have simply taken this in their stride." Adml Johns, 54 and a father of four, has been married to his wife Suzie for 30 years and is responsible for the Navy's 39,000 personnel. He said that barring homosexuals from the Navy had not in the past prevented gays and lesbians from joining - they just "led a secret life". "That's an unhealthy way to be, to try and keep a secret life in the armed services." Lt Cdr Craig Jones, 37, described how he had kept his relationship with his boyfriend a secret for years, despite being a principal warfare officer, meaning that he either commands or is second-in-command of a ship. He has been with his 30-year-old boyfriend for 12 years, but it was not until the law changed that he told his shipmates he was gay. He said he is now the target of good-natured jokes about his sexuality which he plays along with. page: news :: 20060317-NewAttitudesCutUnhealthySecrecy.htm |
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