Out British Serviceman is Armed Forces Cover Star

[matriarch]

Out British serviceman is armed forces cover star.

A British serviceman named James Wharton has become the first openly gay person to appear on the cover of official Armed Forces magazine, Soldier.
James Tabber, 6 August 2009

A British serviceman named James Wharton has become the first openly gay person to appear on the cover of official Armed Forces magazine, Soldier.

The handsome trooper for the Household Calvary Regiment appeared on the cover of a recent edition of the magazine - in uniform - alongside the title ‘Pride’, in a bid to celebrate diversity within the forces.

The 22-year-old, who has been in the Army for six years and has served in Iraq, claims he doesn’t consider being gay a problem in his job. “I came out to the Army before I told my parents, so that says a lot for the Armed Forces,” quotes the Mail Online.

“Considering some people have general problems every week I'm not complaining. I haven't got any personal problems. My problems are like every other soldier's – bombs and bullets,” he added.

Wharton claims that his colleagues have no problems with his sexuality – although they do occasionally taunt him for attending Pink and Britney concerts.

However, Wharton acknowledged that there are still some individuals unhappy with the idea of gay people joining the Armed Forces.

A lot of people express their worries about being gay at recruitment,” he added. “Some awful things have been said to them, like ‘you're not allowed to be gay in Army time’ or ‘you shouldn't be gay,’” he explained.

Before a two-year legal battle was won in 2000, openly gay men and women were not permitted to serve in the Armed Forces. Before then, around 200 servicemen and women a year were dismissed for being queer, although some have since won compensation.

But Wharton’s magazine appearance suggests that nine years after the change in legislation, the Armed Forces is making great progress in making its gay members visible, while actively recruiting members of the queer community to join.

It has become common for gay members of the forces to march in Pride marches up and down the country, while it is also notable that the Royal Navy, the RAF and the Army have all joined Stonewall’s diversity champions programme in the last five years.


The Pink Paper

At last. Sense prevails.

 

[Safe_Bet]

Wow! Just, WOW!

We, in the "Colonies," are far behind Britain in so many ways.

Be proud of your country, Mat. She did good!

 

[rgraham666]

Well done, trooper!

 

[sadangel]

It is about time. Now if the US would just figure it out too. *sigh* One can hope it will happen.

 

[Tarakin]

It'll come in slow steps. Germany has its own gay gouverneur in Berlin, but in the military and in soccer it's still unthinkable. But the progress is unstoppable, and one day it won't matter at all if you are gay or straight or bi or can only enjoy it in groups of high-heel wearing purpleskinned swedes.

One day...

 

[Zeb_Carter]

When I was serving I can tell you I never worried if the guy next to me in the fox hole was gay or straight, just that he could shoot and would cover my back as well as I covered his.

Don't know what all the homophobia is about in the service, just don't know.

 

[Liar]

Good that it happens. Sad that it's newsworthy.

 

[BrazenFellow]

Liar: Most "news" isn't newsworthy. I distinctly recall news outlets putting things on the frontpage during Summer 2008 that had nothing to do with Russia shit-kicking Georgia. Nevermind that the Georgians started a motherfucking war and were a prospective member of NATO. No, screw that: We need to hear about "Brangelina" or some bullshit like that.

Don't know what all the homophobia is about in the service, just don't know.

In the States it's because the American Army seemed to induct a lot of guys in the 1950s who were puritans and the upper echelons of command and administrative personnel all seem to be religious psychopaths.

In the UK it's because Englishmen have a hard time being secure enough in their masculinity to crack gay jokes. Scotsmen and Irishmen in HM Forces have the same sort of dry, wry humour that many Canadian servicemen do. "I guess I wasn't enough fun; I forgot to push back."

In Canada it's not really an issue. Most of our gays are still covert about it.