Issue No 08 August 07

Queer West EXCLUSIVE

At first glance, Richard looks no When did you first realize you might Richard on
different to any other soldier. A be gay?
snapshot taken of him on a tour of About aged 14 when I started guard duty, at
duty in Iraq shows him on guard duty. secondary school. And I’ve never had
He is wearing his desert combats and a period of sexual confusion; I did try a Logistics
he is cooking in the hot desert sun. heterosexual sex a couple of times just
to see what the fuss was about but I Base
To say he was not an average guy is hated it.
something of an understatement. Last somewhere
October he started a 7 month tour of Were you bullied at school?
duty in Iraq and now he wants to tell Yes, because I didn’t act the same as near Basra.
his story to Queer West News. all of the other boys.
of the tedious life of the eat, sleep, so I thought it was a good time to go.
Richard is a 22 year old gay guy from Did you know you were gay before work-civilian world and wanted a bit It’s also a great way to save money!
a small market town just outside you signed up to the TA? more of an edge to my life and a
Bristol. His father works for BAE Yes, but I wasn’t totally out then. I challenge. Plus all the great pieces of When you found out you would be
Systems and his mother is a secretary came out half-way though my tour. It kit I work with and also the guys are a going, did you feel nervous?
working from home. When he is not a was a spur of the moment thing. great laugh. When I went to my commander and
soldier he is a skilled carpenter/joiner.
Everyone accepted it but I think it said I would like to be considered to
made them uncomfortable cause I was What made you volunteer to go to go out with 40 regiment on there tour
Richard joined the Royal Artillery TA the first gay person they had known Iraq? I was nervous. It’s a big commitment
in 2003 just after the second Iraq war and worked with, some accepted more When I joined I knew I would at some and a life-changing decision. After-
and most of his training consists of than others. There was some banter point go out. Why join and train if you wards I thought to myself, what have I
live firing coupled with driver and joking, but nothing I would take are never actually going to do the got myself into, but I made the
training, radio signalling, 21 gun offence to. Some people even wanted job? Others from my battery had gone decision to go and I was going to stick
salutes for the Royals, adventurer to know more about my lifestyle. out and written back about what they to it. When the call up papers arrived
training and nights out on the town had done and I felt it was time for me I was calm and ready.
with the lads, to name just a few When (and why) did you join the TA? to go out and do the job I had trained
things that keep him busy. I Joined in March 2003 I was bored for. Civilian work was going nowhere Continues on page 2

Homophobia victim snaps

A former student who left a classmate fighting for
his life after attacking him with a metal chair, was
given a 12 month youth referral order and told to
pay £45 costs when he appeared in court. The 13-
year-old pleaded guilty to unlawfully and
maliciously wounding another pupil at a Cornish
college on May 1 of this year.
The victim, also 13, suffered a fractured skull after
the assault and was rushed to a hospital in Bristol
and put on a life support machine.
Magistrates sitting at East Cornwall Youth Court in
Bodmin were told the assailant had now been
expelled from the college following the incident
during a science lesson.
Neither the victim nor his attacker can be named
for legal reasons.
Mr Fred Howell, prosecuting, said the two boys
began arguing during the science lesson after the
victim is alleged to have snapped the other
boy's pencil and called him gay.
The pupil smashed the other boy over the head with
the stool.
The victim began bleeding and a fight started which
was broken up by the teacher. The school did not
report the incident initially, as it was thought the
victim's wound was a minor one.
Story continues on page 5
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Richards Story
helping their country to the army has on
stabilise. We are harassment does work.
extremely accurate Those incidents were a
when taking out rarity and 99% of the
insurgents and causing people in the army are
I had known the day the Later on I did see desert them think of a prissy conversation it came up no extra damage is a now very accepting of
papers would arrive so foxes, lizards, eagles, girly-boy who wants and when one of the very high priority. Every who and what you are.
it wasn’t a big shock. and the dreaded camel everything done for lads asked I just said insurgent that I took out They have a duty to us
spider. The flies were them and doesn’t want yes, there was a look of was in the process or as we have with each
How did you feel as you the main annoyance to chip a fingernail and shock and some thought had just carried out an other. It just shows how
made preparations to especially coming into get dirty. Some do feel I was just having a attack upon us or one of much the world is
travel to Iraq? the summer but the threatened by you but laugh but they soon the other bases. I only changing.
It’s like shutting down amount of dragon flies over time they realise realised it was no joke. took life when there was
your whole life and was awesome. The other that you’re not going to no other way of Would you recommend
packing it away. Sort thing which got to us jump them or come on Do you think the others stopping these people, joining the TA to any of
out the job, sell the car was the dust. I can’t call to them. I keep work and suspected? and taking of life is your gay friends?
and find new homes for it sand as it was either gay life apart so no one I think most of they guys always the last option. Most definitely, there is
the pets. But I was gravel or very fine dust. can get the wrong idea. I know in the army had a tremendous sense of
excited and willing to Coupled with sweat a suspicion I was gay. Do you think military camaraderie between
give it up for a couple of from the heat it made Did you do the Pegasus I’m not stereotypical, life changes you as a us, and the other guys
months. life difficult. Company selection more of a ‘straight gay person? are like brothers to me.
Accommodation was course or any other acting gay man’ really. Although I have to There is shouting but it
How eventful was the comfortable and we Commando courses? admit the lifestyle does is never used to punish,
journey? made it our own and I have done the ‘beat When you eventually change you in some but so everyone can
Not really that eventful. with shops and cafes to up’ training for P did tell your colleagues ways it has not changed hear the orders and for
A civilian airliner took go to on time off it made Company, but due to my how was it? the way I act or think. encouragement. It is a
us to Al Udeid Air Force it a good place to live. injuries I never got to I wasn’t actually I’m still the same person very friendly environ-
Base Qatar, then a planning to tell them I was before I joined, ment to work in and
Hercules into Iraq. Only while I was out there, it just now I am more nowhere near like the
difference is everyone just came up in a organised, more TV shows you see of bad
was in desert combats conversation. When I confident and fitter. No lad’s army, which was
which kind of looked did tell the guys they matter what you do after all set in the
odd on a civilian were great, and later on nothing can change the 1960's, and is nothing
aircraft. it felt good to overcome way you think and the like the army of today.
my last hurdle in way you act, or who you From my point of view
When you got to Iraq coming out. are. shows like that put
what was it like? today’s army in a bad
The heat was the first How were you treated How many soldiers do light. IT IS NOTHING
thing. It was around the by the other soldiers you think are still in the LIKE THE TV SHOWS!!
mid 30 degrees when we when they found out closet?
arrived, as it was going Soldiers firing a 105 light gun (click the image, video clip) you were gay? I’m sure there are Do you think that young
into the autumn, At first some were others out there like me lesbians and gay men
dropping to about 10 Was it hard being in the the final selection shocked and some but not ready to come would have the support
degrees in the winter, closet while you were in course. It is extremely didn’t believe me, but out, they will tell others and encouragement to
but feeling a lot colder the TA? tough and needs a high over time everyone when they are ready. join the TA?
due to the wind chill, I wouldn’t say I was level of fitness. I did try accepted it and the Yes, sure they could, I
then rising to high 40's lonely or left out but it because it was there normal jokes started, Should lesbian and gay thought it was all going
by the time we left in because I had different and to see how far I with banter going both people thinking of to be marching, drilling,
May. Southern Iraq is tastes and wasn’t really could of pushed myself ways and no different to joining the TA be aware shouting and ironing.
extremely flat and bleak, into anything they liked and when I recover from anybody else. of anything? But I’ve been all over
you could see for a good it made conversations a a current injury I The army provides a the world sky diving,
30 miles with only bit hard. Also going out received in Iraq I will Was it difficult for you great atmosphere to mountaineering,
maybe a pylon getting in “on the lash” (getting be going for the to take up arms against work in and has kayaking and much
the way. Trying to speak drunk) was a problem, Commando course. enemy insurgents? changed dramatically more. People say “gay
the local language was a you can properly guess When I signed on the over the years, not only men are wimps” and it’s
laugh, though with why. How did you come out? dotted line I new it was allowing us to be completely untrue.
phrase books we did get At the start of the tour I a possibility and ourselves, as openly
along with the locals Did you understand why didn’t tell anyone just therefore it could lesbian and gay, but What's the reaction of
and people employed in gay men were thought because I didn’t know happen to me. I believe also putting measures in other gay men when
the bases. There was to undermine how the regular soldiers we had good reason to place to stop harass- they encounter you as a
some wildlife but due to effectiveness? would take it and I take lives, as at the time ment and bullying. I’ve soldier?
the time of year, but Most guys in the army didn’t want to be treated they were taking lives of seen this process work
most had disappeared. when you say gay to differently. In a people who were and the zero tolerance Continues on next page
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They are curious, tell them. into the rhythm of I would certainly go and skydiving, I have a information or you are
there's always going to carpentry during the out to Iraq again, as I duty to do, and it can be ready to join it’s easy.
be an element of What did you plan to do week and soldiering on had a great experience tough. You can go to the web-
curiosity. I just feel once you got home? weekends. and it’s not as tough as site or careers office.
like anyone else down I plan to carry on my everyone thinks. I also If anyone is interested
the pub. If anyone asks career in the Royal If you were told that you joined the army for the in joining the TA how
anything, it's usually Artillery as it’s had to go to Iraq again, long run and know this would they get
just out of general something I love to do. would you go or would life will not always be information? For more information
interest and so I will I’m also settling back you leave the TA? drinking with the lads If you just want more click the images below.

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