British policymakers had been wrestling for years with whether to scrap a long-standing ban on gays in the military -- but the pivotal decision was made abroad, by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France. The court ruled in 1999 that Britain had violated the rights of four former service members who were dismissed from the military for being gay and lesbian. King's College professor Christopher Dandeker said there had been significant opposition to the change among military officers. There were predictions -- not borne out -- that unit cohesion would suffer and that large numbers of personnel would leave the military if gays could serve. Once the ban was lifted, Dandeker said, the opposition dwindled, and the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair embraced the chance to be seen as a beacon of tolerance. Lord Alan West, former head of the Royal Navy and now Britain's terrorism minister, served before and after the ban was lifted.
British policymakers had been wrestling for years with whether to scrap a long-standing ban on gays in the military -- but the pivotal decision was made abroad, by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.
The court ruled in 1999 that Britain had violated the rights of four former service members who were dismissed from the military for being gay and lesbian.
King's College professor Christopher Dandeker said there had been significant opposition to the change among military officers. There were predictions -- not borne out -- that unit cohesion would suffer and that large numbers of personnel would leave the military if gays could serve.
Once the ban was lifted, Dandeker said, the opposition dwindled, and the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair embraced the chance to be seen as a beacon of tolerance.
Lord Alan West, former head of the Royal Navy and now Britain's terrorism minister, served before and after the ban was lifted.
the pivotal decision was made abroad, by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France
Britain was a prime mover and founding signatory of the 1949 Treaty of London that created the Council of Europe, of which the ECHR is the main judicial arm. Since Britain has, for decades of treaty obligation, been part of the ECHR's judicial space, in what sense was this decision made "abroad"?
Fran:
large numbers of personnel would leave the military if gays could serve
Gays have always served in the military. The question was whether the fact was to be officially admitted (rather than sniggerd about in Guardsman jokes).
I remember a few retired military type harrumphing and probably the odd story in the Mail, but by and large there were so many stories from serving soldiers from the Front line of the "yes we have a lot of gay guys serving, and it's no problem .." that the politicians just looked like they were being slow in allowing it.
But you have to remember that this was the time of Section 28, the filth scum tory homophobic law that made life difficult for gay people and fuelled establishment hysteria everywhere. keep to the Fen Causeway
