Military medics express regret over UK’s past treatment of LGBT+ armed forces personnel

Defence Medical Services (DMS) has expressed regret over the past treatment of LGBT+ armed service staff by members of the military medical community.The apology comes after a review of the experiences of LGBT+ veterans who served in the UK armed forces from 1967 to 2000 found that service people had been subjected to “disgraceful medical examinations” that often left them severely traumatised.The review, conducted by Terence Etherton, examined an official policy that effectively banned from the armed forces anyone who was gay, lesbian, transgender, transitioning because of gender dysphoria, or perceived to be such.1 During the period of the ban, from 1967 to 2000, medics were under an obligation to report any evidence of homosexuality to command.Any staff perceived to be homosexual were subjected to medical procedures such as internal body examinations and other “degrading tests” and were often required to see a psychiatrist, Etherton found. Conversion therapy, comprising electroconvulsive…
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