Sexual orientation and the military of the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom's policy is to allow lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) personnel to serve openly, and discrimination on a sexual orientation basis is forbidden.

They asked Stonewall to arrange legal representation, leading to a long battle through the courts with Graeme Grady and John Beckett also joining the case.

[2][3]) The judgment of the Court was a vindication of the rights of lesbians and gay men and the Labour government of the time immediately announced that they would lift the ban.

[4] All three services openly recruit at gay pride events, recognise civil partnerships as equal to marriage[5] and enjoy support for homosexual personnel at the very highest levels.

In a speech to the conference in 2008, the first of its kind by any Army chief, General Sir Richard said that respect for gays, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual officers and soldiers was now "a command responsibility" and was vital for "operational effectiveness".

[13][14] In 2016 the UK Government agreed to amend the Armed Forces Bill 2015-2016[15] to make provision to repeal words in two sections of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 that made provision for a "homosexual act" to constitute a ground for discharging a member of His Majesty's armed forces from the service.

[19] Since December 2021, the UK Military allows HIV-positive individuals to be retained and/or join if needed be - provided that they are “on a PREP undetectable viral load medication system”.