介绍:
The UK military has introduced a new rule stipulating that when joining the British armed forces, servicemen should specify their sexual orientation. This measure is not mandatory, however, and applicants will have the option to 'prefer not to say'. As well as this, the information is to be kept confidential and will not be visible on personal records or to chain of command or managers.
The new measure, which was introduced in November last year, aims to promote tolerance and equality within the armed forces.
Openly gay men have been allowed to serve since 2000.
(JA) keith from pinknews.co.uk comments
The army do not need to know what you do between the sheets and homosexuals do not need to be represented any more than red heads, midgets or the left handed people.
If nobody answered these questions, fairness would prevail since homosexuals would be on an equal footing, as everyone else due to anonymity. Then, proportionately the odds are that they would be represented in their correct proportion to society, around 1%. Not that it makes for a better or worse army. It makes no difference and is an exercise in futility.
(QD) Zack11 from the dailymail.co.uk comments
So knowing the number of gay people will help them decide how inclusive they will make the armed forces? That's ridiculous. So if they're less than expected they won't do as much? It should make absolutely no difference and people shouldn't need to have to say they're gay because everyone should be getting treated the same anyway,
(FA) Rose50 from dailymail.co.uk comments
Soldiers, as in all walks of life, will be bullied for wearing glasses, having ginger hair, speaking posh etc etc, the list goes on. To create something for gays is discriminating against every other perceived weakness or difference. It is now common for many official forms to ask about sexual preference. I always cross right through the question and write in capitals 'irrelevant'.
Notes:
The information will not be visible on individual personal records
Recruits will have the option of not declaring their sexual preferences
MoD says the information will help create a 'more inclusive organisation'
However last year, Stonewall, the lesbian, gay and bisexual rights charity, named the MoD in the top 100 employers on its workplace equality index.
It was only 15 years ago, in 2000, that the MoD allowed gay men, lesbians and transgender personnel to serve openly for the first time. In the previous year, nearly 300 people were discharged from the Army alone on the grounds of sexual orientation.
An Army spokesman said: 'Any allegation of bullying is treated extremely seriously.
The information will be held on personal records for the first time in British military history, reports the Press Association.
This new move was introduced last November.
The MoD proudly encourages diversity at all levels. Service personnel are now encouraged to declare their sexual orientation
Although this is not mandatory, collecting this data will give us a better understanding of the composition of our armed forces and help ensure our policies and practices fully support our personnel.'
Openly gay soliders have only been allowed to serve since the year 2000.
James Wharton, an openly gay former soldier, published a bestselling memoir about being gay in the army called Out in the Army.
He has been honored with the Freedom of the City of London in February 2014 and campaigns to end homophobic bullying in schools.
(JA) Donald Perry from the gaystarnews.com comments
All recruits are asked their sexual orientation and that includes heterosexuals. If the purported purpose is to promote tolerance and equality within the Armed Forces,, that is a worthy goal.
However, there is a need to know how the data will be used and what procedures and safeguards are provided to ensure that individuals are protected against reprisal and further discrimination. Will the information be protected to ensure that it is not attached to documents which can be used to identify the individual?. Will the information be placed in any type of personnel folder and provided to any outside organization?
(QD) Liam from pinknews.co.uk comments
It's political correctness gone mad!! No, actually most major employers ask questions like this and you are perfectly entitled to not answer them. All they are doing is measuring to see if any particular groups are less represented, as people being put off means they will miss out on potential useful talent.
(FA) David Brough from the gaystarnews.com comments
I can't really see a problem here. They are collecting data that will add to their statistics. What's wrong with this? Sure, it is a new question to be asking but, let's face it, we are being acknowledged as human beings at last.
