It's clearly been a while since some people on this forum did their D&I training...
Seeking to engage with people who are not white and not male to promote employment in the RAF is not discrimination; it is positive action, which is legal under the Equality Act 2010. From Bristol University: (
Linky)
The legislation encourages employers to take positive action to ensure they can recruit and retain people from under-represented groups as long as this does not mean less favourable treatment for other people. For instance:
- Including statements encouraging applications from under-represented groups.
- Targeting advertising to reach under-represented groups.
For a discrimination case to succeed, you would have to demonstrate (as a white, male pilot) that your inability to apply for this temporary activity resulted in a harm or disadvantage to yourself. Judging by some of the comments about the banter suffered following such 'fame', I think that it might be difficult to prove!!!