IN THE WORKPLACE FREEDOM in the workplace
“Who’d have thought thirteen years ago, when it was still illegal to be gay in the military, that the RAF would become the 56th most inclusive employer for gay and bisexual personnel in the UK?”
Cpl Tony Butchart-Kelly, Deputy Chair of the LGBT Forum, reports: T
he RAF Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Forum has grown and developed since its
formation six years ago and now also has the role as a subject matter expert on LGBT issues, working with the RAF Equality and Diversity staff at HQ Air Command.
It also takes some
credit for helping the RAF climb the ranks of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index where we now sit as the 56th most inclusive employer for LGB personnel in the UK.
The LGBT Forum’s newest venture is to launch an online peer support network called FREEDOM. The aim is to involve the wider RAF community and keep them informed on initiatives and policies that may affect them. Whilst much of the information is already available, we aim to place all RAF LGBT information in one location.
Through the FREEDOM network we are helping the RAF to offer LGBT-specific mentoring to those who require it, especially those facing difficulty ‘coming out’ in the
workplace and those new into the Service. The FREEDOM network will also act as a conduit through which it is hoped there will become a greater appreciation of life as a LGBT person in the RAF and use this information to judge whether existing policies are fit for purpose.
The FREEDOM network expands on the existing
Proud2Serve.net infrastructure and also provides a discreet area for RAF personnel that can only be viewed by personnel in the RAF who have signed up as this will allow greater privacy for RAF LGBT personnel.
The FREEDOM Network is divided into 10 ‘Pillars’ of RAF LGBT Life. They are: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Events, Community Engagement and Partnership, Mentoring and Career Development, Technology, Events, Media and Communications.
Members will be able to select those pillars they wish to subscribe to and will then only receive updates on those subject areas. This allows RAF personnel to be as active or
www.raf-ff.org.uk
inactive as they choose within the network. It is hoped that as the network grows members will become more confident and active and consider attending the annual Pride in London, perhaps organising and running RAF fund raising events for LGBT charities or even entering RAF teams to LGBT sporting events!
The RAF FREEDOM network hopes to give a voice to all RAF LGBT personnel who may feel the need to hide in the closet. And our mission is to ensure all LGBT personnel are able to live and work in the RAF free from prejudice or fear that their sexual orientation will in any way affect their career path.
Air Marshal Andy Pulford, Air Member for Personnel, said:
“The RAF is delighted to be nominated in the annual g3 Readers’ Awards as ‘Recruiter of the Year’; we believe this nomination demonstrates our continued commitment to diversity and in particular to our LGBT community.”
For more information go to:
www.proud2serve.net/freedom
Envoy Spring 2012 33
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