Championing Equality: Duncan Lustig-Prean's Naval Reform Journey - From Royal Navy Dismissal to Campaigning for LGBT Equality

Tipped as a future Second Sea Lord, Commodore Duncan Lustig-Prean, the holder of three Commendations for Leadership, was dismissed from the Royal Navy in 1995 because of his sexuality. He went on to lead the campaign to lift the ban of gays in the military and challenged the UK in the European Court of Human Rights. In 2000 the ban was abolished with new rules and support mechanisms prepared by Duncan in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence. A tireless campaigner he successfully campaigned to change anti-gay legislation on two further occasions. He was also heavily involved in other areas of equalities including improving recruitment from the global majority, women in the front line and latterly, opening up the performing arts to groups often excluded from them.In more recent years, together with the charity Fighting With Pride, Duncan campaigned for an Inquiry into the treatment of LGBT people. He was an informal adviser to the judge leading the Inquiry. As a result of this restitution is being made to the victims of the LGBT ban on gays in the military.Duncan’s varied career includes Commodore of a Merchant Shipping Line specialising in firefighting and salvage, CEO of a large firm of solicitors, Deputy Director General of the ASA, and a number of years as senior instructor with easyJet. He is now Chair of Brighton Fringe, the second largest Fringe in the world and chair of a new charity OUTstanding which provides mentoring and residential courses to help with the trauma LGBT veterans still experience because of the cruelty and abuse experienced during their dismissals.Duncan has been given a number of awards for his work in equality including the Prix de Nantes, Stonewall Equality Award and the Mike Rhodes Award. He was nominated for a BAFTA for a feature length documentary he advised and appeared in and also an Iris award for another short film.Support for restitution applications is available from Fighting with Pride at Fighting With Pride: The Armed Forces LGBTQ+ Charity Support with trained mentors and access to residential courses and social events is available from the new charity OUTstanding which cares for LGBT veterans who lost their careers. They can be contacted at: [email protected] you have been affected by anything you have heard in this episode, please do reach out to one of the following helplines:The Samaritans, available on 116 123 (24 hours 7 days)Hopeline247 – 0800 068 41 41 - www.papyrus-uk.org Hub of Hope - www.hubofhope.co.uk  Fighting with Pride - 0203 981 3810Send us Fan MailIf you have a story that you think would be good for the podcast, please do get in touch by emailing [email protected].