The Royal Navy is to allow gay and lesbian sailors to march in uniform for the first time at this year’s EuroPride event in London, in a bid to showcase what an inclusive employer it is.
Vice-admiral Adrian Johns said the decision was one of several initiatives designed to ensure the Royal Navy attracts a workforce that is as diverse as possible.
Speaking at a conference held by gay lobby group Stonewall, Johns said he was keen to “give a strong personal signal that the Royal Navy is an inclusive employer of choice that welcomes and actively champions diversity in its workforce”.
A ban on gay people in the Armed Forces was lifted in 1999.
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“We came to realise that sexual orientation was not something that could just be put to one side, because there is potentially a direct impact on operational efficiency,” Johns said.
“When people can’t give 100% to their job because they are being intimidated or they are scared or they are preoccupied with hiding their true identities rather than playing a full part in the team, operational efficiency is degraded.”
