
Walking With The Wounded supports Fighting With Pride
This month marks Pride and this week we will celebrating Armed Forces Day. In this blog, Jacquie shares her story of serving in the Armed Forces and her experience of being in the LGBTQ+ community.
Founded
in January 2020, Fighting with Pride (FWP) is a lived-experience charity
supporting the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ Veterans, service personnel and
their families. In particular, FWP is supporting those most impacted by the ban
on LGBT+ personnel serving in the Armed Forces, prior to January 2000 when it
was lifted, following a European Court ruling.
Even
though the ban was ended 21 years ago, LGBT+ Veterans remain separated from the
military family and wary of military charities that historically turned them
away. FWP is working with the Government to agree on reparations and with NHS MHTs
and Veteran support organisations, such as WWTW, to raise awareness of the
traumatic consequences of the ban on Veterans mental health and wellbeing and
help them deliver visibly inclusive welcomes with the best possible support.
FWP has also begun a research programme partnered with Northumbria University
that will help shape future support services.
Without
any sense of this community’s
hurt, it is hard to recognise, understand and support the health and wellbeing
impacts still endured today. Jacqui told FWP:
“I joined the Royal Navy in 1989, aged
18. I had a great time and enjoyed Navy life, winning prizes in training,
promotion, and being recommended for officer training. I didn’t know I was gay
when I joined up, it was a gradual coming to terms with myself, and it was a
struggle because the military ban meant I couldn’t talk to anyone about it, for
if I did, I would lose my career. Not just my career, but my home, friends,
Navy family, pension…everything. And that’s exactly what happened.
Between 1990 and 1992, I was
repeatedly investigated for hours on end. I had my belongings searched and was
asked explicit questions about my sex life, but I had no representation and
wasn’t even told my rights. I had to learn to live a lie at a very young age
when you are still forming your identity.
I was dumped outside the main gate
with a rail warrant, homeless, jobless, and forced to come out to my parents. I
didn’t get anything other leavers got, like housing or financial advice,
resettlement, or educational grants. I was not referred to any military
charities, nor did I feel I could go to them, I have never been invited to a
Remembrance Day event. I was basically told by my country and my service, that
I wasn’t good enough, for something I couldn’t change, like having blue eyes or
dark hair.
That was just the start of what for me
and thousands of others, has been a lifetime of distress. I still haven’t found
a suitable career, I’ve been homeless, jobless, have had ongoing mental health
concerns, I have been in tears in the job centre, I have gaps on my c.v. and I
have to relive the trauma on every single job application form. I just feel I
am erased from military history.”
Craig
Jones MBE, Joint CEO FWP says:
“I
came out on the day the ban was lifted and against the thinking of the time led
changes which have transformed the Armed Forces approach to EDI for LGBT+
serving personnel. Despite the
remarkable achievements of our serving LGBT+ members of the armed forces, in
the 21 years since the ban was lifted nothing has been done to support our
LGBT+ veterans. These veterans were
singled out for shameful treatment and until they are welcome back to the Armed
Forces family, recognised for their service and recompensed for their
experiences this matter will remain a national disgrace.”
Caroline
Paige, Joint CEO FWP says:
“I
served 35 years in the RAF, but I was fortunate that after transitioning gender,
in February 1999, I got to serve 16 of those years openly, as my true self.
Jacqui’s story is not unique amongst LGBT+ Veterans who served pre-ban, many of
whom were shamefully treated and have struggled to find their feet again. FWP
is proud to see WWTW helping raise awareness, as it is essential that service
charities demonstrate a visibly welcoming support to this long-isolated community.”
Find out more about Fighting With Pride, here.