Turning
the Tides
Image courtesy of Commodore Duncan Lustig-Prean
Starting his career in the Navy, Duncan worked his way up quickly through the ranks ending up as a Senior Officer serving in destroyers and frigates in the early 90's. Sadly, due to the law being unkind to LGBTQ+ people at the time, when it was discovered that he was gay he was discharged. He discusses the unfairness and inequality for gays and lesbians working in the Armed Forces and talks about how his involvement in legislative change, by going all the way to the European Court of Human Rights, has set the standards across the world for today's LGTBQ+ people serving in the military.
Commodore Duncan Lustig-Prean
(he/him)
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Duncan began his studies as an opera singer, but soon began his career in the the Armed Forces where he worked his way up to Commodore of the Royal Navy and Merchant Marines. He was instrumental in changing acts of Parliament on three occasions, in 2000 lifting of ban on lesbians and gays in the military, in 2016 the removal of legislation which discriminated against the lesbian and gay community in the Criminal Justice Act, and in 2017 removal of legislation discriminating against lesbians and gay people in the Merchant Navy acts. He advised the campaign in Trinidad and Tobago to repeal anti LGBTQ laws and assisted the campaigns for both LGB military personnel and transgendered personnel in the US military. He advised the original successful campaign in 2019 to restore medals removed from LGBTQ+ personnel who had been dismissed. Duncan is now a founding Director of the new Ledward Centre which supports Brighton and Hove’s LGBTQ+ community. He regularly speaks to companies and groups about LGBTQ+ matters and diversity and inclusion in the UK and abroad.
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