Military Ban upheld through Bigotry

Following much speculation the Ministry of Defence announced on the 4th March 1996 that it would be maintaining the ban on homosexuals serving in the British armed forces. The announcement followed a much criticised survey of armed forces personnel which concluded that there was sufficient resistance "in the ranks" to justify the current ban.

The Commons Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill has been looking into the arguments for and against the ban. Asking questions of, amongst others, Stonewall’s Angela Mason and former lieutenant-commander Ducan Lustig-Prean of the support group Rank Outsiders.

The MoD’s argument against lifting the ban seems to be based around what is becoming known as the "shower scene"! It seems that heterosexual services personnel will find it upsetting to have to shower with homosexual colleagues and that this is enough to seriously disrupt the operational abilities of the British Armed Services. Angela Mason described fears of sexual advances made by gays and lesbians towards straight personnel as "not justified".

Duncan Lustig-Prean told how 112 soldiers had found themselves under investigation in the last year and that a further 118 had contacted Rank Outsiders. This surely demonstrates the reality which is that there are a considerable number of homosexual men and women serving in our Forces without it causing a problem and that the only real problem is in the minds of others.

The commons is due to debate the Armed Forces Bill in the near future and the Select Committee is still to issue it’s report. The Labour Party have called for a free vote on Gays in the Military, thereby allowing all members of all parties to vote as their conscience dictates with minimal interference from the party whips. The governements position remains (predictably) against the lifting of the ban and the Liberal Democrats (the most pro-gay of all the three main parties) are likely to vote for equality.

The MoD has been asked to comment on this article, as yet they have declined to do so.

Click Here for MoD contact details.

The Select Committee is made up of..

Peter Viggers (Chair), Conservative (Gosport - 30.51% majority).  Voted for AOC of 21.
John Evans, Labour (St. Helens North - 29.47% majority).  Voted for AOC of 18.
Bruce George, Labour (Walsall South - 6.35% majority).  Abstained from AOC vote.
Nick Hawkins, Conservative (Blackpool South - 3.79% majority).  Voted for AOC of 21.
Robert Key, Conservative (Salisbury - 14.79% majority).  Voted for AOC of 16.
Keith Mans, Conservative (Wyre - 21.63% majority).  Voted for AOC of 21.
Dr. John Reid, Labour (Motherwell North - 43.03% majority).  Voted for AOC of 16. (Shadow Defence Team)
Peter Snape, Labour (West Bromwich East - 6.56% majority).  Abstained from the AOC vote.
Nicholas Soames, Conservative (Crawley - 12.53% majority).  Voted for AOC of 16.  (Minister of State for the Armed Forces)
Richard Spring, Conservative (Bury St Edmunds - 29.97% majority).  Voted for AOC of 18.
Dennis Turner, Labour (Wolverhampton Southeast - 25.02% majority).  Voted for AOC of 16.