-: I couldn't imagine being afraid for
someone's entire career for like 20 or 30 years
having to pretend to be something they're not.
-: A few friends of mine have told me about
their past experiences prior to the ban where
they would have to hide who they were.
-: I was investigated and almost thrown
out of the military for being gay.
-: I had two lifes running alongside each other
and it was starting to tear me apart.
-: People start looking at you and be like oh God,
they don't come and sit with us because
we might be associated with you.
People might think we are.
So, that was the damaging bit more than anything.
-: I was quite confused myself about who I was.
So, I was quite, as they say in the closet at that point.
I just kept that side of my life hidden away.
It wasn't the nicest feeling in the world.
-: So I was actually slightly terrified of coming out.
-: It was always my fear that I'd just sort of be alienated,
completely lose friends and all that.
-: Since the ban has been lifted,
it's been a massive, massive difference between
who they were then and who they are now
and they've managed to flourish since
they've been able to come out because
they don't have to hide anything anymore.
-: With coming out, at that point, it was fantastic,
the weight was off my shoulders, I could be who I was,
you know, love the person that I was,
didn't have to try to hide anything.
-: The way you feel about going to work
with a smile and a spring in your step,
it changes massively and your mental health
increased vastly, instead of using all that
capacity to worry about what
people are gonna think about me,
I already know what everyone thinks,
and that is that they just want me to go on with my job,
and anybody's whose got a negative feeling about it,
that's their problem it aint mine!
-: And I realize that it wasn't a problem
and that everyone was quite accepting.
-: It felt amazing.
-: I came out to my corporal,
again she was absolutely amazing, super supportive,
we sat down we had a chat, it was fantastic.
-: Part of role modeling and visibility is important.
You can't be what you can't see, I suppose.
-: I think being visible is very important.
-: I am completely out and open with all of my new recruits
when they turn up, from day one when they arrive,
I tell them about my sexuality.
-: It's just part of who I am,
doesn't effect how I do my job.
-: Why does it even matter?
You know, I know we have to do these things
because people have, you know, I would say I have been
damaged because people, I've nearly lost my job
and you've had to hide and not be your true self
so it mentally damages people, having to live like that.
So, I think this is important,
but at the time it was just, thank God,
I'm not gonna lose my job!