New support for LGBTQ+ veterans in Scotland

Age Scotland is proud to coordinate

Unforgotten Forces, a partnership of 18 leading charities dedicated to boosting the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s exservice community aged 60 and older.

Our partner, Fighting With Pride, champions ex-service personnel who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, many of whom were treated harshly and unfairly prior to the ending of the Armed Forces ban on homosexuality in 2000.

But the legacy of hurt remains, so we’re delighted that Fighting With Pride now has a new community worker in Scotland, Dougie Morgan. Dougie, a 38-year Army veteran, went for the job because of his lived experience of LGBTQ+, mental health, and helping others. “In service

I witnessed others who were mistreated, disowned, disgraced and eventually thrown out for being themselves.” Dougie’s role is to support these veterans, many of whom are struggling mentally and physically, because of what happened to them. “Sadly, some of them are no longer here with us, having taken their own life”, he says.

“My longer-term aim is to set up drop-in centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen and Dundee for LGBTQ+ veterans, or family members, or serving military personnel,” he says.

Dougie would like LGBTQ+ veterans to know that they now have “a contact they can speak to regarding anything to do with their service, whether it was one or 70 years ago. I can offer friendship, empathy, a listening ear, and emotional support. Where required I can direct people to specialist treatment, or for financial support.”

New guides published

Age Scotland has published new editions of its free guides for older people who have served in the Armed Forces.

We’ve published revised 2023 editions of our Veterans Guide to Later Life and Support for Older LGBTQ+ Veterans in Scotland, in partnership with the charity Fighting With Pride. Scottish Veterans Commissioner, Susie Hamilton, said: “I find it hard to imagine that during my career in the Armed Forces, service personnel were forced to resign or were dishonourably discharged, solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. I very much hope this excellent publication helps those older LGBTQ+ veterans, who have had to endure so much discrimination, reconnect with Armed Forces support services.”

Get in touch!

Get in touch with Dougie at dougie.morgan@fightingwithpride.org.uk

To order your free guide, call the Age Scotland helpline on 0800 12 44 222 or read online at www.age.scot/veteransguide. If you have a previous edition, these should be replaced as for some topics advice has changed significantly.