Britain’s RAF floats new idea

Britain’s Royal Air Force began actively recruiting gays and lesbians by entering a float in the recent annual Manchester Gay Pride parade, the largest such event in Great Britain.

The British Broadcasting Corp. reported that eight officers were on hand with the float to try to sign up recruits in what RAF officials said was an attempt to draw people from different backgrounds into the ranks so the military is more representative of society.

“It doesn’t matter what religion, color, gender or sexual orientation you are — we are looking for the best person for the job,” RAF officials said.

Since early 2003, military service by homosexuals has been legal throughout Europe after a Court of Human Rights ruled a ban based on sexual orientation was an improper invasion of a person’s private life.

In the United States, the law still holds that homosexuality is incompatible with military service, although the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy allows gay and lesbian service members to serve in the ranks as long as they do not announce their sexual orientation or engage in homosexual conduct.





Royal Air Force to Officially Participate in Manchester Gay Pride Parade

Parades are not the sort of activity that is relished in the military.  But for gay and lesbian personnel in the Royal Air Force a parade in Manchester this weekend must be eagerly anticipated.

Organisers of the Key 103 Manchester Pride Parade confirmed today (August 25) that the RAF would be taking part in the parade – and that personnel would be in uniform.

It will be the first time that the British military has taken part in a Pride event.

Last year, police officers took part in various Pride events in uniform, capturing the imagination of the gay and lesbian communities.

And Manchester organisers expect that there will be a terrific reception for the RAF in Manchester.

Simon Langley, the press spokesperson of the Armed Forces Lesbian and Gay Association (AFLaGA), said he was absolutely delighted.  “It shows the progress that has been made since the ban was lifted four years ago,” he said.

One former RAF sergeant, Eddie Jenkins, told UK Gay News of his “absolute joy” that the RAF was publicly showing that it was inclusive.

“When I served, being gay was illegal in the Services, but I got away with it,” he said.  “Now, the ban is thankfully lifted.  But to see RAF gays in a Pride parade will be a great joy for me – and I’ll feel really proud of those taking part.  It will show young gays and lesbians that a service career could be an option as a person’s sexuality is of no concern.”

A spokesperson for the RAF emphasised the Service’s inclusive approach.  “We are attending the Key 103 Manchester Pride Parade to represent the Royal Air Force.  It doesn’t matter what religion, colour, gender or sexual orientation you are, we are looking for the best person for the job,” he said.

Also taking part in the parade will be employees of the National Health Service.  Organisers say that the Manchester NHS Public Development Service will be the largest-ever “walking entry”.

These two “public services” will be joined by more than 60 entries – some walking and some floats – in the Parade which starts at 2 pm from Red Bank in Corporation Street.  From Corporation Street, the parade goes into Cross Street, Princes Street, and into Whitworth Street.

A new initiative has also offered free workshops to help develop quality parade entries, with artists working with those creating costumes and floats.

Project Manager for the Key 103 Pride Parade workshops, Jez Dowlan, became so enthused by the energy and ideas of those taking part that he couldn’t resists putting in an entry featuring a trio in fabulously fancy frocks.

Jez exclaims: “The workshops have ensured that some of the entries are bigger, better and more glamorous than ever. Working with our team of artists, people have learned new skills and ways of making their costumes more glittering and gorgeous than before.

“Organisations such as Village Spartans, Northern Wave and D’Arcey Lainey Foundation have been sewing, stapling, gluing and painting to put on a real show for the spectacular event.

“Also look out for our own team of artists who will be parading with fabulous costumes through the streets of Manchester this Saturday. Think Southern Belle can- can dancer Rainbow style!”

Bridget Hughes, NHS Public Health Development Service Manager commented: “Manchester’s local NHS services are thrilled to be involved, for the first time ever, in this year’s Key 103 Pride Parade. We were overwhelmed and delighted with people who wanted to show their support from all sectors of the NHS: nursing and medical, physiotherapy, health protection and public health. This is a unique opportunity to publicly show our support and celebrate the diversity of this vibrant city.”

The Parade will start promptly at 2.00pm and, once again, the accompanying stewards will be collecting donations for Operation Fundraiser. Last year more than £2000 was raised during the parade, which went towards funding lesbian, gay, transsexual and transgender organisations. This year, with an estimated 250,000 lining the streets, it is hoped that more will be raised.

Councillor Mary Murphy, Manchester City Council's lead councillor for Lesbians' issues says:

“The Pride parade always brings wonderful colour and vibrancy to the city centre,” said Mary Murphy, Manchester City council’s lead councillor for lesbian issues.

“I was delighted, last year, to see such broad based community involvement and I am sure this will continue. It's excellent to see so many different community groups participating in the celebration.”

http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/2004aug/2502.htm

So? The French have been welcoming gays into their military for many years...

This isnt news, Ive often thought some of those guys in the RAF Ive deployed with were a little on the fruitty side. Shit look at any military guys from Iraq, Kuwait or Saudi, theyre all ass stabbers.

It annoys me when people refer to England and the UK as "Great Britain".  There hasn't been anything great about them since the Empire folded. And that was a long time ago.  

Oooh get her! Whoops!
I've got your number ducky.
You couldn't afford me, dear. Two three.
I'd scratch your eyes out.

Don't come the brigadier bit with us, dear,
We all know where you've been, you military fairy!

Whoops, don't look now girls,
The major's just minced in
With that dolly colour sergeant,
Two, three, ooh-ho!

The Royal Navy has always regarded the RAF as a bunch of village people ass bandits…  just check out the gay moustaches they all wear!



Moustaches are FORBIDDEN in the Royal Navy… way too gay.

Andy

Quoted: It annoys me when people refer to England and the UK as "Great Britain".  There hasn't been anything great about them since the Empire folded. And that was a long time ago.

'Great' Britain as in 'Greater Britain' refers to the various Kingdoms of England Scotland Ireland and Wales… not anything 'Great' just the same as in 'Greater' Manhattan.

As long as they can do the job its all good with me.  Besides, it could be handy to have a PMSing bull dyke around, in case you really need to get medievel on someone.

Entering a float? How gay!

I can see it now...

"Vector two tttheven five, altitute thhree thhhhousand, sweetie. Thhhend a thhidewinder right up hith ass for me."


Maybe the Royal Marines should field a regiment of man-hating bull-dyke lesbians too.

Quoted: I can see it now... "Vector two tttheven five, altitute thhree thhhhousand, sweetie. Thhhend a thhidewinder right up hith ass for me." Maybe the Royal Marines should field a regiment of man-hating bull-dyke lesbians too.

No women in the Royal Marines… ALL MEN!

…Women (who are also rear element stretcher bearers) are only allowed in the Royal Marine Band…

ANdy

At what point did the UK/Great Britain become a joke?  For centuries, a great nation and then in the 20th century........what happened?

Quoted: At what point did the UK/Great Britain become a joke?  For centuries, a great nation and then in the 20th century........what happened?

Easy… in 1945 the Labour (Socialist) Party came to power and Nationalized most industries and brought in nationalized Healthcare, Sociial Security and Education…  the rest is history.

Andy

Someone has to decorate the barracks...

Those WWII pilots are probably turning over in their graves right now.

Quoted: Someone has to decorate the barracks...

LOL

Why not, put them in their own platoon. Call them the pink brigade, they can be the first people to set foot on every battlefield

Quoted: I can see it now... "Vector two tttheven five, altitute thhree thhhhousand, sweetie. Thhhend a thhidewinder right up hith ass for me." Maybe the Royal Marines should field a regiment of man-hating bull-dyke lesbians too.

Quoted: Quoted: Someone has to decorate the barracks... LOL

LOL.

Maybe the British Army should follow suit and field an elite gay regiment, they could call it Her Majesty's Royal Rump Rangers.

Quoted: www.militaryfairy.co.uk/camping-it-up.jpg Oooh get her! Whoops! I've got your number ducky. You couldn't afford me, dear. Two three. I'd scratch your eyes out. Don't come the brigadier bit with us, dear, We all know where you've been, you military fairy! Whoops, don't look now girls, The major's just minced in With that dolly colour sergeant, Two, three, ooh-ho!

Ah, a classic, anyone for a nice chorus of "In the navy" ?

Eh Andy?



/PHil

Homosexuals have been in the British military for a looooong time. Most just kept it in the closet and their COs looked away, as long as the officer in question did his job and didn't make a spectacle of himself.

One very blatant exception to this was Neil "Bunny" Roger, an officer of the Rifle Brigade, later known as the Royal Green Jackets, who was a decorated officer serving on the continent in WW2, after the D-Day invasion. Apparently of a delicate constitution (his mother nicknamed him "Bunny" and insisted on dressing him in pink girl's clothes as a child ), his men, mostly composed of London Cockneys, were very protective of him, esp. in light of his proclivity of leading from the front in his infantry unit, often getting caught up in vicious firefights with the Germans in Belgium in 1944-1945, while many of his fellow officers were , ummm....advancing to the rear....

"Bunny" was especially famous -or notorious- for two things:

-he wore women's clothing under his uniform, makeup on his face, topped off with a pink designer scarf as an ascot or neckcloth (British officers have a lot of....leeway in their uniforming...) in combat,

-and his motto regarding combat, and how to approach it, was: "When in doubt, powder heavily!"

For all his efforts, he was well decorated (with medals!), and stayed in the Rifle Brigade for many years, after the war while working as a fashion model and clothes designer. He died on his estate in 1997. His contemporaries, whatever their political views, regarded him as an eccentric, but a brave eccentric.

(No, I am not making this stuff up- where do you think Monty Python got their material from??)

www.canoe.ca/NewsArchiveJan98/worlddigest_jan27.html LONDON -- The legend holds that during the Second World War, Neil (Bunny) Roger's sergeant told him the Germans were advancing and asked what should be done. A conspicuously rouged Roger didn't hesitate. "When in doubt," he advised, "powder heavily." This week, in a sale almost as extraordinary as the late designer himself, Sotheby's is holding a three-day auction of the ornate furnishings, art and outlandish wardrobe of someone described as a "remarkable pansy." Entire galleries at the auction house have been transformed into lavish recreations of the London and Scottish homes of Roger and his bachelor brothers Alan and Sandy. The auction, which begins today, is expected to bring in more than $2.5 million US. Many of the 1,600 lots in the Sotheby's auction come from Roger's exquisitely cut wardrobe, much of it in his favored pale shades of cerulean blue, lilac and shell pink. Also included in the sale are the tartan kilts kept specially for guests at the Rogers' 13,000-hectare, 18th-century Dundonnell estate in Scotland and a set of Gothic chairs that were once in Windsor Castle and are expected to fetch up to $116,000 US alone.

Whatever.....[shrug]

This is a very bad idea.  Once they turn one of the services into a "queer haven" regular men won't want to join up.

GunLvr

HEADLINES IN LONDON PAPER,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

1942  "Hero pilot shot down in flames"

2004  "Flamer pilot proclaimed Hero"

I hate to be the first to say it, but who packs who's chute and who ejects first in case of emergency??

I'm sure they will be very "disiplined."