Luke Pollard MP on the LGBT+ Armed Forces memorial: ‘As a gay man, I know what inequality feels like’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Opinion: Pollard, MP and minister of state for defence readiness and industry, writes for Attitude about his personal connection to the LGBT+ Armed Forces memorial
Every November the nation gathers to remember all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice serving in the Armed Forces – whether in the World Wars, in Bosnia or the Falkland Islands, or more recently in Afghanistan and Iraq.
This year there is a brand new monument at which we can reflect upon generations of service and sacrifice.
His Majesty The King has dedicated a new memorial to the Armed Forces LGBT+ community at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
“I’m proud to be an out MP and one of the few out defence ministers in our nation’s history”
It marks 25 years since the ban on gay, lesbian and bisexual people in the Armed Forces was lifted.
I’m proud to be an out MP and one of the few out defence ministers in our nation’s history.
LGBT equality matters to me. As a gay man, I know what inequality feels like.
And our armed forces will be stronger if we value our personnel regardless of background, sex, gender or sexuality.
Lieutenant Colonel David Kemmis-Betty, who knows better than most how destructive the prejudices of the last century could be.
He served in the Army for 13 years during the ban, including on operations in Germany, Hong Kong, and Northern Ireland.
Even after the ban was lifted David felt unable to come out.
“Most of us can only imagine the mental strain and anguish that must come from putting your life on the line for your country while having to hide your true self”
He served his country in Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Pakistan, all while feeling forced to hide his relationships.
Now finally able to be himself, he serves as an expert in how the armed forces workwith civilian authorities in conflict zones to keep innocent people safe.
Most of us can only imagine the mental strain and anguish that must come from putting your life on the line for your country while having to hide your true self.
David’s attendance at the memorial dedication in Staffordshire last week shows that our Armed Forces is leaving that dark chapter behind, for good.
The memorial – funded by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs and designed and constructed under the guidance of Fighting With Pride, the Armed Forces LGBT+ charity – commemorates the service and the sacrifice of LGBT+ personnel.
Titled ‘An Opened Letter’, it features words used by generations of LGBT+ service personnel and veterans to describe their experiences.
This testimony is at once harrowing and hopeful – veterans spoke of shame, fear and pain as well as solidarity and respect.
“I want all British LGBT+ people to know that if they choose to serve their country, they will be welcomed, valued and supported”
The words are taken from responses to a review of the experiences of LGBT+ personnel and veterans carried out by Lord Etherton – a hero to many LGBT+ members of the Armed Forces community.
Sadly Lord Etherton passed away before the memorial was completed, but he leaves an incredible legacy in the improvements he recommended.
Each of us has a part to play in defending our country and keeping it safe: British industry builds our world class military equipment. Reservists bring expertise and experience from their civilian career to specialist roles in the Armed Forces. And digital specialists are working to prevent and deter the cyberattacks which have targeted British businesses, airports and hospitals.
But if we want the whole of society to contribute to our peace and security, we must make sure no one is excluded.
So I want all British LGBT+ people to know that if they choose to serve their country, they will be welcomed, valued and supported.
We now have same-sex marriages in military chapels, comprehensive training for allies in the armed forces and closer engagement with organisations which represent LGBT+ personnel.
“It was the happiest day of my life last year when I married my husband Sydney at a ceremony in Cornwall”
We have also promised payments to those who lost out financially because of the ban and will restore the ranks and medals of those who were unfairly dismissed from the armed forces.
More widely, we’re determined to improve the experiences and quality of life of all those who choose to serve, with the biggest pay rise for the armed forces in 20 years, modern and comfortable homes for armed forces families, and a whole range of measures to support military veterans.
It was the happiest day of my life last year when I married my husband Sydney at a ceremony in Cornwall. Surrounded by joy and love that day, it would’ve been impossible to imagine that just ten years earlier my marriage would have been deemed illegal.
We must celebrate the great leaps made in improving the lives of LGBT+ people and valuing the contribution of LGBT+ military personnel while remembering the tragedies of the past.
This new memorial will help us do that for years to come.
Luke Pollard is a Plymouth-based Labour & Co‑operative MP and politician, serving as the member of parliament for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport since 2017.
A former political adviser and public affairs professional, Pollard has championed LGBTQ+, local industry, transport and environmental issues, and currently serves as minister of state for defence readiness and industry.