This week Fighting With Pride and Stonewall held an event at the House of Lords to shed light on the experiences of LGBTQ+ veterans pre the ban.
Hosted by Stonewall founder and veteran of the campaign to lift the ban, Lord Cashman CBE, attendees included some of those LGBT+ veterans who served during the ban and Lord Etherton who is chair of the independent review into the impact the historic ban on LGBT military personnel.
There were speeches from Lord Cashman, Duncan Lustig-Prean who was dismissed from the Royal Navy in 1995 because he was gay. Craig Jones MBE, Executive Chair and Caroline Paige, Chief Executive of Fighting With Pride also spoke and Stonewall Trustee Catherine Dixon who served in the Army.
Politicians from both houses and across the political spectrum also attended including: Dr Andrew Murrison, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence, Luke Pollard MP, Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces and Baroness Featherstone.
Craig Jones MBE, Executive Chair and Caroline Paige, Chief Executive of Fighting With Pride said:
“As the LGBT Veterans’ Independent Review draws nearer to its conclusion, this is an extremely important event for our two organisations. It was wonderful that key influencers from both Houses attended, demonstrating the resounding cross party support for recognition and proper recompense for all those LGBT+ Veterans who suffered because of their service in the Armed Forces.”
