The need for a charity providing peer to peer and clinical support

For the majority of victims of the ‘ban on gays’ there has been no closure. For some the non-financial reparations, made following Lord Etherton’s historic report into the LGBT military ban, have proved helpful but full closure has not been achieved even for this group. For many the process of making applications for financial restitution has been very painful and triggering as they relive their histories on paper. No service charity is offering peer to peer support for this community. No service charity is providing clinical help led by those with lived experience of discharge and dismissal. They simply signpost to other service charities.

For many LGBT veterans, service charities are regarded with great suspicion. They remember the hostility and homophobia which has one relatively recently changed. For many the betrayal by the military is so traumatic that anything with a ‘service’ label is not trusted. There are some who are unhappy with charities yet still cry out for the support they are not getting. We hope that these service charities will refer clients to us for the help and support we can provide which they cannot. 

The significant cohort of LGBT veterans needing help deserve a charity to support their recoveries. That is why OUTstanding has been founded.