29 Jan 07
|
Armed Forces Lesbian and Gay Conference - RAF break-out
session.
RAF E&D staff and serving LGB personnel participated in a single-Service
discussion on Saturday morning, which covered: taking things forward
- RAF working group; support from RAF E&D; the next Forces'
Conference on LGBT matters; communication with the front line;
lesbian participation;
sexual
orientation monitoring; and RAF participation at Pride events [more
...] |
22 Jan 07
|
22 Jan 07 meeting at CHQ to discuss LGB matters.
Matters of interest to the LGB community within the RAF were discussed. These
included: the proposed establishment of a Sexual Orientation Working Group
(SOWG); areas of concern for the LGB community; RAF participation in Pride
events; RAF membership of Stonewall; and the Tri-Service LGB Conference to
be held on 26/27 Jan 07. Most of the topics were updates of those discussed
on 6 Oct 06 [read more ...] |
19 Jan 07
|
RAF News - RAF joins Diversity Champions
THE RAF is joining forces with a leading gay campaign group to help ensure
that the Service's policies mark it out as an equal opportunity employer.
After lead-in disussions, the RAF formally applied to join the Stonewall
'Diversity Champions' programme last month. We still know relatively little
about how our personnel policies, and underpinning culture, are directly
or indirectly affecting lesbian, gay and bisexual members. [more
...] |
5 Jan 07
|
ARMED FORCES CONFERENCE FOR GAY AND LESBIAN PERSONNEL
- 26/27 Jan 07.
The purpose of the 2-day event is to update personnel on developments in
the RN diversity programme, to participate in presentations and workshops,
and to provide an enjoyable social networking opportunity for personnel and
their partners. The conference will convene during the afternoon of Fri 26
Jan and disperse around midday on Sat 27 Jan. Attendance from Junior members
of each of the Services is particularly encouraged. [more
...] |
2 Jan 07
|
RAF sign up with Stonewall.
The Royal Air Force has become the second of the Armed Forces to join the
Stonewall Diversity Programme. The Royal Navy is already a member of the
scheme, which is designed to help organisations and businesses recruit and
retain LGBT staff and promote equality in the workplace. Stonewall chief
executive Ben Summerskill described the decision as "courageous." [more
...] |
2 Jan 07
|
RAF welcomes gay recruits.
The Royal Air Force is using the gay pressure group, Stonewall to solve its
recruitment crisis. The Service will seek advice on how to appear more appealing
to gays and lesbians. The collaboration with Stonewall will be complimented
by a campaign in the gay media. Stonewall will offer RAF personnel the chance
to attend its intensive two-day professional development training exercise
for "rising- lesbian and gay professionals in the workplace. Senior
RAF officers will also receive a training package "designed to educate
employers and their staff about the benefits of building an inclusive workplace
environment for lesbian and gay staff. [more
...] |
Dec 06
 |
diva magazine - at your service ma'am
"Life has vastly improved for lesbians serving in the British Military since
the ban on homosexuality was lifted in 2000, but there's still room for improvement." Caroline
Chase, Chief Technician at the RAF Defence College of Aeronautical
Engineering near
Wolverhampton, says the cultural change has been remarkable. ‘I can
now be openly myself. My desk regularly has copies of DIVA, Pink Paper and
DykeLife
on it, and I have a sticker that says, “Being gay is not a crime; hate
crime is”. That couldn’t have happened six years ago.’ [more
...] |
6 Oct 06
|
6 Oct 06 meeting at HQ PTC to discuss LGB matters
Matters of interest to the LGB community within
the RAF were discussed at a meeting at HQ PTC. These included: the proposed
establishment of a Sexual Orientation Working Group (SOWG); RAF participation
in Pride events; methods for monitoring or gauging the size of the LGB population
in the Service; RAF membership of Stonewall; and the RN-sponsored LGB Conference
to be held in Jan 07 [read more ...]
|
29 Aug 05
|
An account of the RAF involvement in Manchester Pride
2005
An annual event in Manchester to celebrate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
Life, it is hailed as the biggest event of its type in Europe. This was the
second year that the RAF had participated in both the Lifestyle Expo and
Parade events: [more
...] |
27 Aug 05
|
RAF participates in Manchester Pride 2005
The Army have joined a gay pride parade for the first time, as soldiers
marched with lesbians and gay men at Manchester's Pride Festival. About
10 uniformed soldiers paraded and manned a recruitment stall. Some 20
RAF colleagues manned a float featuring a plane cockpit - the RAF was
the first armed service to join a gay pride festival at last year's event.
[more
...] |
24 Aug 05
|
proud2serve Press Release
proud2serve.net, launched earlier this year, is a new website for lesbian
and gay service personnel in the British Military. Aimed primarily at
Royal Navy/Royal Marines, British Army and Royal Air Force personnel
its audience also extends to the Reserve Forces and partners of the serving.
[more...] |
Aug 05
|
Fg Off Andey
Wasley interviewed by Attitude Magazine
.[more...] |
May 05
|
Canadian Air Force Hosts First Gay Wedding
Two RCAF SNCOs were married at an airbase in Nova Scotia in May. Canadian
Ministry of Defence introduced regulations in 2003 permitting lesbian
and gay service personnel to marry. The happy couple are a sergeant and
a warrant officer and the marriage was presided over by a United Church
minister. [more...] |
Apr 05
|
Rt Hon Tony Blair MP interviewed by attitude
"The treatment of gay men in the armed services was one of the most important
changes because it sent a strong signal about the stereotypes about gay men,
and it showed that they aren't true. I think it's important in relationship
to things like sport as well, so that people really do not think it either strange
of difficult that people of a different sexuality are moving into those areas,
or being open about it." [more...] |
22 Feb 05
|
Gay Personnel
Can Live Together
Gay servicemen and women in the Armed Forces are to be allowed to live
in family quarters as long as their relationships is registered under
the new Civil Partnership Act, which comes into force later this year.
An MoD spokesman said that the new policy would come into effect for
all Army, Royal Navy and RAF staff from the autumn. [more...] |
7 Sep 04
|
RAF broadens
appeal with diversity drive
The Gay Pride festival over the August Bank Holiday heralded a new era
for the RAF, as it specifically targeted homosexual recruits for the
first time in its history. Eight officers staffed a float at the event
in Manchester as part of a recruitment drive to show that the Armed Forces
welcome people from different backgrounds.
A spokeswoman for the RAF said: "We have recruitment policies that
recognise that people from different backgrounds can make positive contributions.
An individual's sexual orientation is none of the RAF's business." [more...] |
28 Aug 04
|
RAF
joins Manchester Gay Pride for the first time since ban lifted
The
RAF took part in Manchester's Gay Pride parade on Saturday in
the
hope
it would
persuade more homosexuals to sign up. Eight officers were among
more than 60 floats in the parade, which is part of the UK's
biggest gay festival. It is the first time one of the armed forces
has taken part in a pride event since the ban on gays and lesbians
in the armed forces was lifted. [more...]
[photos] |
26 Aug 04
|
RAF recruiting
drive at Manchester Pride
Eight RAF officers are to become the first members of the armed forces to
take part in a gay pride rally with official permission. The officers will
staff a special float at Manchester Pride this weekend, as part of an RAF
recruitment drive. [more...]
[photos] |
10 Feb 01
|
RAF recruiting drive at gay march
Eight RAF officers are to become the first members of the armed
forces to take part in a gay pride rally with official permission.
The officers will staff a special float at Manchester Pride this
weekend, as part of an RAF recruitment drive. "An individual's
sexual orientation is none of the RAF's business." [more...] |
10 Feb 01
|
Gays in the British
Military: Ask, Tell and Then Move On
Even in the newly relaxed climate, it seems that relatively
few gays have publicly come out so far. Others have come out
only to select groups
of friends. " My private life has never been embroiled in my working
life," said an openly gay seaman. "If I'm asked, I'll answer,
but I don't walk around with a big flag saying, 'I'm gay.' " Since
Britain lifted the ban, its military says, there have been no reported
incidents of harassment. [more...] |
22 Nov 00
 |
"UK Military:
Gays don't harm morale"
Ten months after the ban on gays in the British military was
lifted, the first assessment of the consequences has found
no effect on morale.
A confidential MOD review says the introduction of gays has had no
adverse effects on the operational forces. The conclusion will
embarrass service
chiefs, who fought to retain the ban, and the Conservative Pary, which
has pledged to consider its reintroduction. "There is widespread
acceptance of the new policy. It has not been an issue of great debate.
In fact, there has been a marked lack of reaction. Generally there has
been a mature, pragmatic approach, which allowed the policy to succeed.
The change in policy has been hailed as a solid achievement." [more
..] |
