Soldier from U.K’s Household Cavalry weds boyfriend

April 02, 2010

As posted by Kilian Melloy on EdgeBoston.com:

"While anti-gay brass in the United States’ armed forces fret about where and how to bunk openly gay troops in the event that America’s military drops its requirement that GLBT servicemembers hide their sexual orientation, other nations have long since discarded such bans. Among the countries that allow service by openly gay soldiers is the U.K.; and in a ceremony that followed on the heels of a prominent, openly gay U.K. politician marrying his life partner in Parliament, a member of the Household Cavalry has wed his boyfriend.

"The Household Cavalry is the U.K.’s most elite branch of service. Its members provide security for visiting heads of state, as well as for top-ranking national officials. 23-year-old Lance Corporal James Wharton made military history when he became the first member of the Household Cavalry to marry his same-sex life partner.

"Wharton and 21-year-old Thom McCaffrey were married with members of Wharton’s regiment in attendance to show their support, U.K. newspaper the Daily Post reported on March 29.

"'When I went to ask the Squadron Leader, Major Nana Twumasi-Ankrah, for permission to get married, he just said: ’This is fantastic, congratulations,’ ' Wharton told the press, adding that the other men in his regiment were enthusiastically supportive. 'The lads joked it was the gay event of the year,' Wharton said. 'Everyone was excited. It was the talk of the barracks.' "

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