Overview

• Landing Craft Foxtrot 8, used in the Falklands War, is the first British war vessel wrapped in Pride colours to honour LGBTQ+ personnel and inclusion in the military.
• The display coincides with the 25th anniversary of the 2000 repeal of the UK armed forces' ban on LGBTQ+ service members, who faced severe discrimination under the ban.
• The project, organised by Portsmouth Historic Quarter and the charity Fighting with Pride, is part of events leading up to UK Pride in Portsmouth on June 7, 2025.
• While many celebrate the display as a symbol of progress, some veterans and politicians criticize it as divisive and disrespectful to military history.
• The Ministry of Defence's LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme, launched in December 2024, continues to offer compensation of up to £50,000 to veterans affected by the ban.