Veterans and gay rights campaigners blast £8 Poppy Appeal badge with Pride flag attached
VETERANS and gay rights campaigners blasted the Royal British Legion yesterday — after it released an £8 Poppy Appeal badge with a controversial “Progress Pride” flag attached.
Furious groups accused the Legion of making a “woke” gesture by coupling the world-famous red poppy with the multi-coloured symbol.
The flag, which references binary, intersex and trans communities and “marginalised groups”, was chosen instead of the traditional rainbow flag, a symbol for homosexual people for decades.
But one critic blasted: “It has nothing to do with Remembrance Day. The poppy badge was already inclusive.”
Another said: “The poppy represents everyone who has made the ultimate sacrifice and doesn’t need tampering with.”
Former Royal Marine sergeant major and Falklands veteran Jeff Williams, 67, from Birmingham, added: “Wearing the poppy is about remembering all those who fought irrespective of gender, race and sexuality — it is not a political gesture.
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“This is just another pointless and deeply offensive exercise in wokeism.”
Kate Barker, of gay rights group LGB Alliance, insisted: “The Progress Pride flag represents gays and lesbians being pushed out of their own movement by proponents of gender identity ideology.”
Caroline Paige, of Fighting with Pride, added: “This is not disrespecting or replacing the poppy. This is about LGBTQ veterans being seen and acknowledged.”
A Royal British Legion spokesman said: “We consulted LGBTQIA+ members of the Armed Forces community, our LGBTQIA+ staff network and membership branch, and external partners before adopting the Intersex Inclusive flag for the badge.
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“It’s widely recognised as the most inclusive symbol for sexual orientation and gender identity.”