LGBT Veterans and moral injury: Addressing the legacy of the UK’s military ‘gay ban’ policy

Abstract:Introduction: This commentary aimed to contextualize and analyze the harm experienced by LGBT + veterans who served under the UK military ‘gay ban’ policy to address the potential implication of exposure to morally injurious events and moral injury. Methods: We provided a comprehensive overview of the ‘gay ban’ policy and its harmful effects through examination of data collected during 2021–2022 from related empirical research, and the findings of the 2022–2023 national independent inquiry into LGBT+ veterans’ experiences. This was followed by an exploration of moral injury in the context of making amends for the destruction caused. Results: The experience of serving under the ‘gay ban’ policy represented a morally injurious event for LGBT+ veterans, who described significant emotional distress resulting from the constant fear of their LGBT+ identity being exposed. This policy not only violated their basic human rights but also inflicted enduring harm at the individual, organizational, social, and political levels. Conclusions: The complex moral harm imposed on LGBT+ veterans by the ‘gay ban’ policy requires amends to be made, which directly address the multiple enduring losses that they sustained at an individual, organizational, social, and political levels in order to facilitate repair and recovery. Policy Implications: The multifaceted, long-term moral harm demonstrated by LGBT+ veterans over 20 years after the repeal of the ‘gay ban’ policy highlighted the need for a comprehensive amends-making process to address these diverse and sustained losses. Recommendations for appropriate reparative policies and support mechanisms for LGBT+ veterans were discussed.

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