I don't often contribute, but feel that I must say something in this case.
Many of the posts have a thinly disguised sentiment of homophobia that I thought we'd long seen the last of in our Service.
I only hope that these are the views of the 'old and bold' who were products of a different time. They are (and I don’t intend to patronise) quite probably some of the people we all looked up to as those who embodied the very ethos of what we tried to emulate in maintaining the fine traditions of the RAF. However, I remember back to the 70’s when even prime-time television gave a ‘nod and a wink’ to this sort of innuendo and it’s difficult, if this was your formative social background, not to be influenced.
I’m still serving and (without wanting to sound like the guy that’s been brainwashed by the annual E&D training) I value the contribution from all that I work with, irrespective of any social delineation (race / sexuality). What’s important is that an individual is good at their job, pulls their weight and wants to contribute.
Some of the people I’ve had the good fortune to meet in these last xx years that have impressed me the most are those with the courage to stand up and declare their difference. In a time when prejudice is still a barrier to recruiting the best people, I applaud the Pride.