I had to make up girlfriends while in the Navy
Summary
A former Royal Navy Commander, Roly Woods, shared his experiences of hiding his sexuality during a time when the military banned openly gay service members. A new memorial called "An Opened Letter" was unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in the UK to honor LGBT+ military personnel affected by the ban. The charity Fighting With Pride, which supports LGBT+ veterans, played a key role in this initiative.Key Facts
- Roly Woods served in the Royal Navy for 46 years and had to hide his sexuality until the ban on homosexuality in the Armed Forces ended in January 2000.
- The ban on openly gay and bisexual people in the military led to severe consequences like interrogations and dismissal.
- A bronze sculpture named "An Opened Letter" was unveiled by King Charles III to honor LGBT+ service members.
- Fighting With Pride is a charity set up in 2020 by LGBT+ veterans to support affected individuals.
- Commander Woods retired in December 2022 and has been actively involved in raising awareness for LGBT+ veterans.
- The removal of the ban led to fundamental changes in the military's approach to LGBT+ service members over the years.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.