Source Record
Historic ruling ends ban on gay people serving in the armed forces
Why this source is used
Institutional case-impact summary explaining how ECHR judgments led the UK to lift the armed-forces ban.
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Source Status
- Publisher
- Council of Europe
- Type
- organisation
- Reliability
- high
- Cited by
- 5 pages
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Used by Timeline Events
Ban on LGBTQ+ Personnel in British Armed Forces
Despite the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales in 1967, the UK armed forces maintained an explicit ban on lesbian, gay, and bisexual personnel serving. The ban persisted in all branches—including Scotland and Northern Ireland—well into the 1990s.
European Court Rules Armed Forces Ban Unlawful
The European Court of Human Rights ruled that the UK’s ban on lesbian and gay people serving in the armed forces was a violation of human rights, following landmark cases brought by dismissed service personnel.
Ban on LGBTQ+ Service Lifted in UK Armed Forces
The UK government lifted the ban on lesbian, gay, and bisexual people serving in the British armed forces, allowing open service across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
