Lgbt Veterans Memorial

[naomi24]

//The UK's first memorial for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender armed-forces personnel is to be built at the National Memorial Arboretum.

The government has put £350,000 towards the project, which was one of 49 recommendations of an independent review, external into the historical treatment of people who were sacked or forced out of the military for being gay.

It was illegal to be gay in the British military until 2000.//

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck7l3kmnnmjo

 

A worthy idea or not?  It was certainly a sorry reason to be kicked out of the forces.  

[ToraToraTora]

As I say at work when the LGBTQ etc propaganda comes around. I don't see the relevance of what people's private preferences are in the context of their job. Same here why do they need a memorial for this grouping? There are many military memorials and they are for all of them regardless of sexual preference. Why do they need a special one? What next a special memorial for short *** under 5ft 4 in the military?

[Untitled]

it's an excellent idea as these people were so often forgotten. 

[naomi24]

//I don't see the relevance of what people's private preferences are in the context of their job. //

 

But it was relevant.  They were kicked out because of their private preferences.

[mjwman]

Leave well alone. It was times past and lots of attitudes have change over the years.

There could be a never ending list of apologies for past attitudes and events.

It has absolutely no relevence..

[ToraToraTora]

It's unclear is the memorial is to recognise their contribution to the military?

[naomi24]

//The National Memorial Arboretum is the UK's year-round place to remember.......Full of symbolism, the memorials and gardens are there to tell the stories of those remembered. On visiting you will be fascinated by the wide range of memorials on site: some military, some for specific campaigns, some for the emergency services, along with tributes for civilians.//

 

https://www.thenma.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are

[barry1010]

If there were to be a memorial for me I wouldn't want it to focus on my sexuality or gender identity unless I had spent my life campaigning for those issues.

Everyone is much more than that.

[retrocop]

IMV it's a waste of money. I have never seen a War memorial saying 'To the Greater Glory of those Men Who Laid Down Their Lives' ( Except Homosexuals). The names are inclusive and, in any case,as it was illegal to announce your homosexuality in the armed forces at the time, how would any one know what names to inscribe on the memorial. Just leave things as they are and accept that there were brave LGBT personnel among the thousands of others.

[naomi24]

//I have never seen a War memorial saying 'To the Greater Glory of those Men Who Laid Down Their Lives' ( Except Homosexuals).//

 

I've been pondering the rights and wrongs of this and dithering but that's a very good point, Retro.  Additionally, those people must have been aware of the rules when they enlisted so can hardly complain that they were kicked out for breaking the rules.

[Ken4155]

I wonder if any were discovered to be gay during the two World Wars. And, if so, were they also kicked out? I very much doubt they were given the need for cannon-fodder.

And let's not forget, many of the officers of those days were products of boarding schools. Just saying😉

[jackthehat]

As she was someone who was 'asked to leave' the Army, I'll ask Mrs JtH what she thinks about this when she gets in from work.

Many such soldiers, sailors and air-people were turned in by spiteful colleagues, or were caught in a net designed to catch someone else, or made the mistake of confiding in untrustworthy friends, or were caught with 'dodgy' literature, or were spotted in a suspicious area.

There was a real culture of paranoia both in the 'brass' (to root it out) and in the ranks (to stay under the radar).

Treatment was dreadful and lives were ruined. 

Thank goodness things have changed.

[Old_Geezer]

Waste of resources. It's unfortunate homosexuality was so stigmatised at the time but that's in the past and no memorial to it is needed. Are they all too good to be included in existing memorials ? Or is it, as it seems, more woke nonsense ?

[youngmafbog]

Times have moved on, as they always do.

But things like this just sow the seeds of division.  We are all one and IMHO no group should be singled out for anything - good or bad.

So no, I dont agree with it.

[fender62]

statue memorial whatever will get vandalised sadly, not everyone agrees with homosexuality, some more extreme from certain quarters in the uk? better to just add names to existing memorials..

[sandyRoe]

If there are memorials for different regiments in the army, different sections of the RN, and the RAF, why not for LGBT people?

They all bled the same colour of blood.

[douglas9401]

Idly musing if Cooks Spears will now appear in the geezer mockney rhyming slang dictionary.

[naomi24]

sandyRoe, those people were and are part of those regiments and sections. 

[Peter Pedant]

'To the Greater Glory of those Men Who Laid Down Their Lives' ( Except Homosexuals).

um, you dont get your name on a memorial if you have been dismissed for whatever charge - - and so the sign DOES mean ...'To the Greater Glory of those Men Who Laid Down Their Lives' ( Except the ones who have been dismissed for theft, spying etc ).

My own view is that the armed forces are there to kill the enemy... not kiss them

[davebro3]

As long as there is a memorial dedicated to "straight" service personnel alongside!

[jno]

that's what the current memorials are, davebro, since the non-straights were kicked out (if discovered). So the working assumption was that those who died were straight.

An acknowledgment that gays and others fought and died for the country too will do no harm.