Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Can you join the army if you are gay

i am wondering if you can

Yes you can. It would be a disgusting form of prejudice if you couldn't

I just looked it up further and since 2000 it had been made legal for LGBT people to join the British Armed Forces. The Armed Forces even have regular gay pride parades and are in the top 100 LGBT employers index; I have heard a lot of positive things in recent years about the growing acceptance of LGBT people in the Armed Forces, which is great. :smile:

I know there is this stereotype of "butch, macho" men being in the Armed Forces who are also stereotypically seen as homophobic and yes a little bit of homophobia still exists within the Armed Forces sadly but it is only a minority who are so prejudist.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 2

askew116

Back in 2004 I researched joining the armed forces, and they had a 'don't ask don't tell' policy. Not sure if that still exists though

Yes.

Original post by askew116

Back in 2004 I researched joining the armed forces, and they had a 'don't ask don't tell' policy. Not sure if that still exists though

Not in this country they didn't. You're thinking of the US (and the law was repealed this year).

Reply 5

askew116

Original post by Drewski

Not in this country they didn't. You're thinking of the US (and the law was repealed this year).

I remember for a fact that they did. This was the RAF, and I distinctly remember reading it under the FAQ section on their website.

Reply 6

mackemforever

Original post by trifleontoast

i am wondering if you can

Yes you can.

Reply 7

Drewski

Original post by askew116

I remember for a fact that they did. This was the RAF, and I distinctly remember reading it under the FAQ section on their website.

Sorry, but you're mistaken. The entire British armed forces has been open to openly homosexual (and other) people since 2000 and we've never had a don't ask don't tell policy in this country. I'm ex-RAF.

Reply 8

sb97

Original post by askew116

I remember for a fact that they did. This was the RAF, and I distinctly remember reading it under the FAQ section on their website.

I don't think they did, well they certainly did not after 2000.

I found an article on an RAF Chief from June 1998 who argued in favour of lifting the ban on LGBT people joining the British Armed Forces and he mentioned something about not following America's "don't ask, don't tell" policy: http://www.proud2serve.net/raf-news/466-jun-98-raf-chief-argues-for-gay-ban-to-be-lifted