King Charles unveils the UK’s first LGBT armed forces memorial, honouring personnel affected by the historic ban on gay officers.
LONDON: King Charles unveiled the United Kingdom’s first memorial dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender military personnel on Monday.
This event marked his first official engagement in support of the LGBT community.
The government-funded “Open Letter” memorial honours currently serving personnel and commemorates affected veterans.
The British military’s ban on LGBT officers was lifted in 2000, thirty-three years after male homosexuality was partially decriminalised in England and Wales.
The bronze sculpture resembles a crumpled free-standing letter containing words from personal messages used as evidence to incriminate individuals.
Wearing a dark suit adorned with military medals and a ceremonial pendant, Charles laid flowers at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
Claire Phillips, a lesbian brigadier who joined the army in 1995 when being openly gay was still banned, said the memorial’s design resonated deeply with her.
She described it as “such an amazing way of representing people who are so incredibly damaged by the ban.”
“This design uses the words of our veterans and service personnel to describe how it felt to be subject to the ban… to begin that process of reconciliation,” she told Sky News.
“I’m just deeply, deeply honoured to be here today,” she added.
Alastair Smith, a gay sergeant who joined the army in 1998, told Sky News that while it took time for attitudes to change in the army he had not faced any prejudice there.
He stated he had faced prejudice in civilian life instead.
“There are people from the LGBT community who have that gusto, that determination and that drive to perform for their country despite whatever insurmountable odds they may face elsewhere,” he said.
The unveiling follows recommendations from an independent investigation commissioned by the British government.
That investigation reported systemic abuse, including sexual assault and dismissal of LGBT service members.
The government has offered financial redress of up to 70,000 pounds to those impacted.
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