Northumbria
University and Fighting With Pride - The LGBT+ Armed Forces Charity – have
signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a shared mission of transforming
support for LGBT+ Veterans.
Dedicated to
championing the health and social wellbeing of LGBT+ Veterans, the partnership between
Northumbria’s Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research and Fighting
with Pride (FWP) is the first of its kind in the UK.
The
agreement marks the intention of the University and the charity to work
collaboratively on research and consultancy projects which will influence
national policy and service delivery of support for the LGBT+ Veteran
community.
FWP supports
the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ Veterans, service personnel, and their
families, particularly those who were affected by the ban on the open service
of LGBT+ personnel in the Armed Forces prior to the lifting of the ban on 12
January 2000.
The ‘gay
ban’
Before the ban was lifted, if found out, many LGBT+ military employees
were subjected to interrogation without counsel, arrest, degrading medical
examinations, court martial, imprisonment and dismissal in disgrace. Service Record Cards were marked in red pen
‘Dismissed in Disgrace’ or ’Services No Longer Required’.
Individuals were outed to family and friends and removed from the
military without any consideration of duty of care. They were denied education,
training or resettlement opportunities and were often turned away from Veterans’
charities. Many also received letters
forbidding them to wear their uniform on occasions of remembrance or to use
their military ranks.
It is not known exactly how many military personnel ended their careers
as a result of the ‘gay ban’, but it is understood that thousands were affected
by this policy.
In the 21
years since the ban was lifted, the Armed Forces has been listed as a Stonewall
Top 100 Employer: military colleagues march in uniform in Pride celebrations, they
are supported at every level of command, are welcomed in their units and they
are respected. In stark contrast, the
Armed Forces Covenant has failed LGBT+ Veterans, for whom time has stood
still.
The lives of
many LGBT+ Veterans have never recovered, scarred by the consequences of
blighted careers and living estranged from families. Many experience housing issues and are
impoverished by fractured careers and being denied pensions.
Fostering
long-term, targeted support
Now, Northumbria
University and FWP seek to raise awareness of a hidden history. This work will
be closely supported by SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity as both FWP and
Northumbria University have strong links with the 136-year old tri-service
charity. The shared objective of the MoU is to develop a research strategy
which serves to address the gaps in knowledge surrounding the support services LGBT+
Veterans need; whether
that’s health services, jobs or housing, for example.
Building on
the work of the ‘Map of Need’ project being led by the Northern Hub for
Veterans and Military Families Research, based at Northumbria University, Fighting
with Pride will be able to ascertain what type of support is needed and where
across the country it is required.
The Map of
Need project analyses data from across the NHS and charities within the Armed
Forces charity sector, which has provided government and the wider Veterans’ sector
with a health and social care overview of the Veterans and military families
community. Using this data, FWP can work
with the Government and the wider Veterans’ sector to improve existing services
and create new ones.
Dr Matt Kiernan is an Associate Professor of Mental
Health and Veteran Studies at Northumbria University and a former Lieutenant
Commander in the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service. He said: “With
hindsight it is quite astonishing to consider that in the last years of the 20th century we were still prosecuting and dishonourably discharging members of the
British Armed Forces for no other reason than who they chose to love, or who
they chose to be.
“The
work we are about to undertake is long overdue, as we must strive to understand
the long-term emotional, psychological and financial impact the actions of the
ban had on this hard to reach, hidden population of Veterans.”
Caroline
Paige and Craig Jones MBE, Joint Chief Executives of Fighting with Pride said:
“The treatment of our LGBT+ Veterans has been a national disgrace for which
there has been no remedy, or reparations. Many of these Veterans were left
unsupported and fell on hard times. Disassociated from the military they became
isolated and often discarded by family. For many individuals, the
circumstances, methods, and consequences of dismissal precipitated debilitating
mental health issues.
“As
the UK’s only LGBT+ Veterans charity, FWP is working with the government, NHS
and charitable organisations, to bring the LGBT+ Veterans community into the
protection of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome them back to the military
family.”
Lieutenant-General
Sir Andrew Richard Gregory, KBE, CB, DL, Patron of Fighting with Pride and
Chief Executive of SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity said: “A key milestone
occurred on 12 January 2000, when the ban on homosexuals being military
personnel was removed. We still do not know how many this impacted, but what we
do know that many have suffered hugely over the years as a result of their
experiences.
“The
partnership between Fighting with Pride and Northumbria University is an
important step towards addressing the wrongs of the past and will be closely
supported by SSAFA and the work we do within the Armed Forces Community.”
Kate
Davies CBE - Director of Health and Justice, Armed Forces and Sexual Assault
Services Commissioning NHS England and NHS Improvement, said: “The partnership
between Fighting with Pride and Northumbria University marks a significant
milestone in making sure that our LGBT+ Armed Forces Veterans community can get
dedicated support. We are proud to be
working closely with and supporting the work Fighting with Pride are doing with
our LGBT+ serving personnel, Veterans, and their families.”
