British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologized on Wednesday on behalf of his government for the “appalling” treatment of LGBT+ people in the military before they were officially allowed to serve in 2000, AFP and Agerpres reported.

Rishi Sunak with British soldiersPhoto: Rory Arnold / Avalon / Profimedia Images

“The ban on LGBT people serving in our armed forces until 2000 was a terrible failure of the British state,” said the Conservative leader in parliament. “During that time, many have suffered the most horrific sexual assault and abuse, homophobic harassment while bravely serving this country,” he continued.

“Today I am apologizing on behalf of the British state,” said Rishi Sunak.

Until the law was changed in 2000, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender women were not allowed to serve in the British Army. The Prime Minister apologized on the day of the publication of a government-commissioned report into the experiences of LGBT+ ex-combatants who served in the armed forces between 1967 and 2000.

In his conclusions, the author of this report, Lord Atherton, asked the head of government to apologize. The report also recommends providing “adequate financial compensation” to veterans affected by the pre-2000 ban on LGBT people serving in the armed forces.

LGBT people in the British army were at risk of being excluded from military service

At the beginning of 2021, the Ministry of Defense announced that servicemen dismissed from the army due to sexual orientation or gender identity will be able to return their lost medals.

Before the 2000 amendment, LGBT+ people were kicked out of the military and lost their medals upon demobilization if their sexual orientation was revealed.

However, changes to the medals only came after legal action by ex-Falkland (Malvinas) War veteran Joe Usalis, who in 2020 won back a medal confiscated when he was forced to leave the Royal Navy because of his orientation. its sexy

The 70-year-old Southampton resident, a former radio operator who also served in the Middle East and Northern Ireland during his 18-year career, was stripped of his long service and good conduct medals after being court-martialed in 1993 for bisexuality .