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
...]
Dec 06
diva magazine - at your service ma'am Lt Cdr Helen Flint,
who’s been in the Navy for 13 years, points
out how far the Service has come: ‘In March this year,
one of the keynote speakers at the Stonewall Workplace conference
was Vice-Admiral A J Johns, Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief
Naval Home Command. It’s incredible that such a senior
officer is so behind all of the changes. Helen’s life
as a gay serving member has improved vastly. ‘Before
2000, and to some extent, for a while after, I had to be
invisible. That’s pretty much how I felt – I’d
switch my cloaking device on at work. It takes so much energy
to keep
that working – it’s diverted away from more important
things. That energy’s not needed any more; I can be me
in my work place. My partner and I had
our Civil Partnership on December 21st last year. As soon as
that happened, my naval category changed: I was equivalent
to a married person.’ This entitles the couple to all
benefits offered to married service personnel, including pensions
and housing. [more ...]
1 Jul 06
ROYAL NAVY marches in Uniform at EuroPride; other personnel
march in Proud2Serve polo shirts.
Read a summary of online press reports covering the Royal Navy presence at
EuroPride, with links to the complete original articles included throughout.
[more ...]
31 Mar 06
ROYAL NAVY conference for lesbian and gay personnel,
27-28 Jan 06
The first Royal Navy Conference for Gay and Lesbian Personnel was held at
Amport House on 27th and 28th Jan 06. The event was attended by 40 personnel
and supported by key 2SL Staff Officers, the Executive Director of Stonewall
and the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme Manager. The Conference was
Community led event and the agreements reached over the course of the Conference
represent the aspirations of those who attended. [more
...]
17 Mar 06
New attitude to gay sailors has cut 'unhealthy secrecy'
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.
It was all in the name of operational effectiveness, and getting the best
out of the force. "A substantial majority [of personnel] have simply
taken this in their stride." [more
...]
16 Mar 06
Second Sea Lord delivers keynote address at Stonewall
conference
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command Vice Admiral
Adrian Johns has today, Thursday 16 March 06, delivered a keynote address
to delegates at the Stonewall Conference in London setting out what he believes
is the progress that has been made in the Royal Navy across a wide range
of diversity issues. [more ...]
27 Aug 05
British Army in first Gay Pride parade, RN did not intend
"
The Royal Navy said its decision not to attend was not intended
as a snub, but was due to large numbers of servicemen and women
being on leave and Manchester not being near a naval port." [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...]
Jun 05
Lt Cdr Craig Jones interviewed by Focus
Magazine
The sound of feet being dragged was loud when the Forces’ ban on
homosexuals was lifted. But five years on, the Senior Service is actively
engaging the gay community. Campaigning gay naval officer Lieutenant
Commander Craig Jones told Lorraine McBride that this is more than welcome.[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...]
23 Feb 05
Royal Navy right
to promote gay rights?
A spokesman said the Royal Navy's existing no-sex policy will remain
in place on ships and at naval bases. Stonewall's chief exec said he
was optimistic that the Army and the RAF would follow suit; forces staff
had become so sophisticated and highly-trained that they could no longer
afford to lose them due to prejudice. Read comments left on this
artilce[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...]
21 Feb 05
Royal Navy Goes
After Gay Market
The Royal Navy has decided to actively target the gay market by placing
recruitment adverts in gay magazines and by joining Stonewall’s
Diversity Champions Programme, which promotes good working conditions
for all existing and potential employees and ensures equal treatment
for those who are lesbian, gay and bisexual. The Navy’s most senior openly gay officer Lieutenant Commander
Craig Jones said: "I'm delighted by this move. It will be particularly
welcomed by serving gay men and women and their partners, providing reassurance
that their contribution will be valued and their sexual orientation respected
in a positive working environment. [more..]
21 Feb 05
Royal Navy to
champion gay rights The Royal Navy has become the first of Britain's armed
forces to specifically target gay recruits.
This morning, it announced that it was signing up to gay-rights charity
Stonewall's diversity programme [click
here] to promote good working conditions and ensure equal treatment
for lesbian, gay and bisexual staff. [more...]
13 Feb 04
Out Sailors Recount
Iraq War Experiences Alongside US Troops
Two gay British sailors spoke in Washington this week to buttress claims
made in a new study that openly gay soldiers who served in multinational
units with American forces in Iraq did not harm unit cohesion. Lt. Rolf
Kurth and Lt. Cmdr. Craig A. Jones, both of the British Royal Navy, served
alongside American troops in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and shared their
experiences in the British armed services and what military life is like
where they were allowed to be open about their sexual orientation. [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
..]
Naval
Service Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Information Resource on
RNReference, sponsored by Directorate of Naval Life Management, has
been taken down. For the time being it is replaced with a "Dilemmas
of Sexuality" page which is the title for a page providing
a handful of links only.
- Guidance for all Naval Personnel on Sexual Orientation
- " Something Completely Different" by Lt Cdr C JONES RN
- " My Story" by POPT Mark PROBEE, HMS ALBION
Can't find the information you are looking for? Search the entire
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