As the final touches are made to the LGBT+ Armed Forces Community Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum, Fighting With Pride is inviting members of the Armed Forces and veteran community to share what the memorial means to them ahead of its official dedication this October.
Set to be unveiled during a high-profile ceremony at the Arboretum in Staffordshire, the memorial will be the first permanent UK tribute dedicated to LGBT+ members of the military community – honouring their service and sacrifice, and marking decades of injustice and exclusion.
Fighting With Pride, the charity behind the initiative, is now collecting reflections from veterans, serving personnel, families and allies. Submissions can take the form of short written statements (up to 500 words), audio, or video, and may be featured as part of the charity’s social media campaign and the memorial’s website.
The memorial is seen as a landmark moment in the recognition of LGBT+ contributions within the Armed Forces, particularly in light of the long-standing ban on LGBT+ service – lifted only in 2000 – and the discrimination many veterans faced both during and after their service.
The upcoming dedication ceremony will be an opportunity for remembrance, reconciliation and celebration. Fighting With Pride hopes that community reflections will help bring to life the personal and collective significance of the memorial, and provide a space for shared experience.
Those wishing to contribute can do so by submitting their response directly to Fighting With Pride ahead of the event.
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