Army y VALUES
ONE OF STONEWALL’S TOP LGBT EMPLOYERS, THE ARMY IS DEDICATED TO ENSURING THAT ITS LGBT PERSONNEL FULFIL THEIR POTENTIAL IN A SUPPORTIVE AND ENCOURAGING ENVIRONMENT
In January 2015 the head of the Army, General Sir Nicholas Carter KCB CBE DSO ADC Gen, spoke about the need to secure the widest possible talent for the Army of the future by ensuring that the Army has a career structure in which everyone can fulfil their potential, and a culture where everyone can thrive, regardless of ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.
The Army has come a long way since 2000 when the ban on homosexual personnel serving was lifted and in 2015 the Army was recognised by Stonewall as a Top 50 employer of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Personnel.
The progress from total exclusion to recognised inclusion has been attributed to the leadership provided by the Army’s LGBT Champion, Lieutenant General James Everard, and the role of the Army’s LGBT forum. General Everard is a visible and vocal ally to the Army’s LGBT personnel and, as a senior leader, he ensures that they are supported and encouraged to thrive throughout the organisation.
The LGBT forum, under the leadership of Warrant Officer Class Two Karen Styles, is proactive in holding the Army to account for its policies and practices and, by championing inclusive leadership, improving the lived experience for all. LIEUTENANT GENERAL JAMES EVERARD CBE IS THE ARMY’S CURRENT COMMANDER LAND FORCES. HE IS A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE OF DIVERSITY AND HAS BEEN PATRON OF THE ARMY’S LGBT FORUM SINCE 2010 You joined the Army in 1983. What was the situation like for LGBT personnel back then and what was the justification given for the ban on openly gay personnel? When I joined the Army in 1983 lesbian and gay officers and soldiers lived in the shadows. Homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK in 1967, yet it remained an offence in the Armed Forces. Why? There was certainly a fear of the unknown. And no-one in authority was prepared to put their head above the parapet for the tricky causes of sexual orientation and inclusiveness. The organisation simply failed to challenge the view that homosexuality would reduce operational effectiveness and recruiting. And so these individuals lived in fear of exposure and humiliation, a recipe for unhappiness and an easy target for the bully. Not a good place to be. The ban was lifted in 2000. Were there any negative feelings, or fears that the change would have an adverse effect on morale in the armed forces? Thanks to the courage of a small band of determined men and women, and the excellent work of Stonewall, the ban was lifted in 2000.