WE SEE ALL THE LGBT+ SERVING MEMBERS AND VETERANS OF THE ARMED FORCES, AND WE SALUTE YOU. 🌈 . - KING CHARLES. (PHOTO).

 

We see all the LGBT+ serving members and veterans of the Armed Forces, and we salute you. 🌈 

This afternoon at the National Memorial Arboretum, The King attended the Dedication Ceremony of a new memorial in recognition of all LGBT+ people who have served and continue to serve in the

military.

FURTHER EXPLANATION

Throughout the 20th century, gay men, lesbians, and bisexual people were banned from serving in the UK Armed Forces.

The newly unveiled memorial features a free-standing opened letter, incorporating words drawn from the testimonies of former service personnel affected by the ban, alongside contributions from current serving members and veterans.

Memorial for British LGBTQIA+ service members unveiled with King Charles in attendance

King Charles III unveiled a memorial on Monday honoring LGBTQIA+ members of the British military, marking 25 years since the government ended its decades-long ban on service by the community. The bronze sculpture, titled An Opened Letter, was installed at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, where the king laid flowers during his first official event supporting LGBTQIA+ service members.

The memorial’s name references personal letters written by LGBTQIA+ personnel that were once used as evidence against them, and the sculpture is designed to resemble a crumpled piece of paper covered in words from those letters. Created by the artist collective Abraxas Academy, the memorial was championed by LGBTQIA+ veterans organization Fighting With Pride and recognizes those who faced emotional and physical persecution under the ban, which was in effect from 1967 until 2000. Veterans attending the unveiling shared their experiences of being discharged or harassed, while Fighting With Pride emphasized the memorial’s role in encouraging affected service members to apply for reparations. The ban’s formal apology came in 2023 from then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, following a government report documenting the abuse and discrimination endured by LGBTQIA+ service members.