During Pride Month 2024 and Armed Forces Week, Nexus continued its inspiring “Breaking the Mould” event series, featuring special guest Caroline Paige MBE and hosted by Cheryl Seal, Nexus’ Chief Experience Officer.
At the event, Caroline recounted her inspirational journey and provided insights into advancing inclusivity within today’s Armed Forces. Commenting on the institution when she joined, she explained: “The Armed Forces of today are brilliant, but it had to go on a very long journey to get to the point we are at today.”
Having grown up in the Armed Forces, Caroline spent her first 13 years abroad, in both Germany and Malaysia. It was in Malaysia that Caroline first saw helicopters in action as a young child, sparking her lifelong love for these military machines.
“It was during this time that I also first became aware of my gender identity, as opposed to everyone else’s expectations of who I was. The response I received at home to trying to live as a female was not positive; sadly, this left me with the feeling that I was somehow ‘broken.’
Subsequently, Caroline concealed her emotions as she grew into adulthood. She enrolled in the boys-only Air Training Corps, where she could blend in while pursuing her passion for aviation and obtaining her pilot’s licence. Caroline joined the Royal Air Force in January 1980, after
initially considering a career in civil aviation, and served for 35 years as a navigator on fast jets and battlefield helicopters.
She explained: “In those days, LGBT+ was not a term that was publicly used in the Armed Forces, and everyone was lumped under the term ‘gay.’ You were even asked outright, upon joining, if you were gay, yet many young people joining at this time were not aware of their
sexuality at the start of their careers.”
For years, Caroline lived a double life, concealing her true identity from family and colleagues, out of fear of losing their friendship and her cherished role in the RAF. Eventually, she chose not to leave but to stay and fight, and instead confided in her unit’s medical officer, who became her first ally and allowed her to remain in her role.
In February 1999, she became the first openly serving transgender officer in the British Armed Forces. Recognised for her lifetime contribution to LGBT+ inclusion, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire. Caroline completed her transition and gained recognition as a highly esteemed tactics specialist. Her exceptional service in Iraq and Afghanistan earned her several commendations, including a CinC-Air Commendation in the Queen’s 2012 New Year’s Honours List.
After completing a distinguished military career, Caroline established the charity, Fighting With Pride. As Chief Executive, she has dedicated her efforts to supporting the health and well-being of LGBT+ veterans, service personnel, and their families. A highlight of her work to date was the launch of an Independent Review of what happened to LGBT+ Veterans, which called on the government to take several actions, including issuing a full, genuine apology on behalf of the nation and investing in the LGBT+ veteran community and much-needed support services.
Caroline explained: “When we set the charity up, we found that the ban instilled fear in people, and heterosexual individuals were told to report anyone whom they saw or suspected of being LGBT+. If anyone was outed, they would be arrested, their property would be searched, and they
would undergo intense and invasive interrogations.”
Shockingly, anyone reported as LGBT+ was also subjected to medical examinations and even marched to the front of the base and told, ‘We don’t want your kind here,’ before being thrown out overnight, effectively losing everything. It wasn’t until 2000 that the UK lifted its prohibition on gay and bisexual individuals serving in the military, with this policy only being extended to transgender members in 2014. Caroline and her
charity are continuing to work with the government to ensure that LGBT+ veterans have a robust support network.
Caroline concluded: “The secret of our success lies in engaging with many different associations on numerous levels – within and outside of the defence community – to raise awareness and gain support. A significant part of our work is finding veterans, providing them with the support they need, and welcoming them into our community.
“When we find these veterans, we encourage them to talk about their experiences and to begin discussing how they fought with pride to regain back the respect they deserve for their service to their country. To me, this is what it is all about.”
Find out more about Fighting with Pride and its work at: Fighting With Pride: The LGBT+ Military Charity
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