Design of memorial dedicated to the service of LGBTQ+ people in the armed forces has been unveiled

The winning design for a memorial dedicated to the military service of LGBTQ+ people has been unveiled 25 years after the ban on gay people serving in the armed forces was lifted.

Overseen by Fighting with Pride, the LGBTQ+ veterans’ charity, the design of the monument, which will be called Opened Letter, shows a letter written by a service person about their hidden love and is set to be unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum this summer.

Alistair Carns, Minister for Veterans and People, said: “When I joined the Royal Marines in 1999, this abhorrent ban on homosexuality in the armed forces was still in place. A quarter of a century later, we turn a page on that shameful chapter in our national story.

“This government is committed to renewing the contract with those who serve and have served, and we will continue to drive this forward until every recommendation of Lord Etherton’s review is completed.

“I thank the LGBT+ community and the charities that supported it, particularly Fighting With Pride, for their courage and continued efforts to bring this to a resolution, and urge everyone affected to visit the LGBT veterans page on the gov.uk website for support.”

Created by Abraxas Academy, the construction is being funded by a £350,000 grant from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs in the MOD.