HEADS_KF25THAPRIL2024

The UK government is funding the construction of the country's first memorial for LGBTQ armed forces personnel at the National Arboretum. This comes as a response to an independent review that highlighted the mistreatment of LGBTQ individuals in the military. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss has admitted that she only claimed to be an LGBTQ ally to oppose gender self-identification and maintain support from LGBTQ advocates. Truss has recently made controversial statements, including supporting the exclusion of trans women from women's spaces. Bi Pride has announced plans for this year's event, aiming to make it the largest bi-inclusive celebration in the world. The event will take place at the University of West London's Ealing campus, and it coincides with Bi Visibility Month, which focuses on the challenges faced by the bisexual community. The UK's first memorial for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender armed forces personnel is to be built at the National Aboretum. The government has put £350,000 towards the project, which was one of 49 recommendations of an independent review, into the historical treatment of people who were sacked or forced out of the military for being gay. It was illegal to be gay in the British military until 2000. Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss has claimed that she shouldn't have previously described herself as an LGBTQ plus ally. Speaking in an interview with GB News, Truss explained that she had described herself as an LGBTQ plus ally in 2021, however she had only done so in order to vocally oppose gender self-identification and to keep LGBTQ plus supporters on side. In recent months, the former Prime Minister has supported banning trans women from women's spaces, proposed a law banning changing gender for under 18s and branded supporters of LGBTQ plus people as left-wing extremists. And Bi Pride has announced details of this year's celebrations, promising that it will be the largest bi-inclusive event in the world. Last year's event broke records by attracting more than 1,300 people, and organisers have announced that the base for 2024 will be the University of West London's Ealing campus on Saturday 31st August. The event will take place the day before the start of Bi Visibility Month, which aims to shine a light on the specific issues facing the bisexual community. There's more news online at gado.co.uk