Don't tempt fate. Regardless of what the rules say, I yhink you'll find the US Navy has always had more liberal tendencies:

http://www.stearns.org/fun/go_navy.JPG

Reading Air Marshal Andy Pulford's reaction to the news, and putting aside the quite logical position that it has to be the best man/woman/thingy for the job, regardless of preferred recreational pursuits and private life, if the man is honestly swollen with "pride" at this particular accolade, then just what was going on in his head when he joined up? Presumably at a time when it was a shooting offence to indulge!?:confused:

FB

In 2001, I spent 6 happy weeks afloat in the Gulf of Oman on one of HM's larger boats and in the close company of an erstwhile ACNS who entertained me over dinner one evening by telling me that he was a 'gay icon'! Seems when holding that post in MOD at the time when 'girls went to sea' he was media-quoted as having said that he would be happier if homosexuals went to sea rather than women! In an instant, he became an icon of those who bat for the other side!

Foldie:confused:

So what he was actually saying is he didn't class Homosexual Wren women, i.e Lesbians, as women....
On dodgy ground there and almost up sh*t creek without the proverbial paddle.


:p

Interesting choice of words No. 3...

http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ilies/evil.gif

I would like to think that the Royal Navy was way ahead of the game :sad:;)

Any volunteers to man or lady or crew := these boats?

Do still still put Bromide in their tea?? :}

Ministry of Defence | Defence News | Defence Policy and Business | Navy and RAF among top 100 employers of gay people

Looks like the R.A.F. now face stiff competition from the RN in this particular endeavour!:E

FB:)

Homosexuality.... It's all in the jeans.

Male Homosexuality .... It's a race to the bottom.

What I don't understand, is where do they get their Mates from?

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.

Jagmate,

Make of this what you will but believe me it is nowt more than a simple observation, the only folk in the military, in fact probably in the land who have no voice or official bandwagon to jump on are white heterosexual males.

The very fact you felt the need to post as you have only serves to confirm that fact, a few folk post in a comedic fashion and you have pigeon holed them as homophobic without a single clue as to who and what they are. :=

Jagmate, I have absolutely nothing against gay people, a couple of my friends are actually gay, we were only having a bit of light hearted banter, something they also join in with, i am sorry if you didn't see it as that, or that I or any of the others may have offended you.

I for one think it is right that the Forces allow homosexual male and female staff to join, in my day they were persecuted with draconian laws that simply drove it underground, or lead to some false claims to enable early release. It also by the fact it was illegal, allowed the possibility of blackmail against those who were active in the Services.

What I have trouble with is the way in the UK as with all things is the over zealous politically correct brigade that cannot simply say Ok it is now legal, but then fall over themselves to go into overdrive to actively promote Gay rights, racial rights, or indeed any "minority" rights...
I could not care less if the person working besides me is pink, black, yellow, gay, bisexual, disabled, etc etc... Do i need to know that the person is gay? No, do i care?, No, and why should they need to come out and let folks know, they shouldn’t, just as much as the next guy should say, hey the missus likes to tie me to the bed and whip me. They don't, whatever their "choice", it is their own business..
But for some reason we must now be seen to be saying, hey look we let black people, we let gay people etc work with us and actively promote the fact.
The Metropolitan Police in response to the report into the lack of ethnic minorities in the service actively went about recruiting them, one then wonders how many other exemplary possible recruits were turned away in the Police's attempts to be seen as a PC employer.... One hopes none.
Don't get me wrong, I think it is good that we get a more cosmopolitan spread through the workplace were ever it may be, one just hopes one is not being pushed in front of the other in the race to being politically correct... After all when was the last time you saw an agency such as Stonewall actively pushing the rights of the hetrosexual white male and female people in the Armed Forces, Police etc?

I have probably put that over badly, but hope one understands what I am trying to say.

Positive discrimination is a concept that I can't wrap my brain around. Fair and equal treatment gets my vote.

I'll bet £10 of this months wages that there will never be a "Straight Pride" march featured on the RAF web site in the interests of balance. And don't even think about getting me started on other organisations such as the "Black Police Association". GRRRRRRRRR!!!


Nurse! - fetch the medication...

So is the gay pride march an all volunteer exercise made up from gay members of the forces ? or is it just another pain in the arse parade that everyone could do without ?

just curious..

Pride
 

How pleased I am that homosexuality was not tolerated during my time in the service. I get sick and tired of the liberationists in society trying to convince those of us whom are labelled homophobic that we need to move with the times. As far as I am concerned, do what you want but don't expect me to approve or even condone homosexuality.

Perhaps not the most appropriate choice of words given the current topic... ( :) joke, Joyce!)

It's only banter Jagmate! Allowing gays (and women) into all job areas is one of the most laudable things the Service has done - provided it is in pursuit of getting the best people in those jobs, and not Positive Discrimination.

And I believe that not just because an old mate was thrown out for being gay (I had no idea). After a couple of years unemployed drifting - he topped himself.

Me homophobic? - I don't think so.

'JagMate' - maybe the real reason is in the user ID....!:E:}

I was always of the opinion that Jag Mates were a bit gay!

Foldie:)