Veterans and campaigners accuse British Legion of going ‘woke’ by promoting £8 Poppy Appeal badge with new Pride flag hooked up
Campaigners have accused the Royal Britsh Legion of going ‘woke‘ after it released an £8 Poppy Appeal badge.
Outrage erupted after the Legion announced the new pin, that paired the iconic red poppy with the multicoloured Progress Pride flag.
The flag, which includes elements representing binary, intersex, trans, and other marginalised communities, was selected over the more traditional rainbow flag.
A spokesperson for the organisation said that the Pride flag is widely accepted as the most ‘inclusive symbol for sexual orientation and gender identity’, The Sun reports.
Veterans and campaigners have taken to social media to voice their anger over the badge.
The flag, which includes elements representing binary, intersex, trans, and other marginalised communities, was selected over the more traditional rainbow flag
A spokesperson for the organisation defended the decision saying the Pride flag is widely accepted as the most ‘inclusive symbol for sexual orientation and gender identity’
Jeff Williams, a 67-year-old former Royal Marine and Falklands veteran from Birmingham said: ‘Wearing the poppy is about remembering all those who fought irrespective, of gender, race, and sexuality—it’s not a political gesture.
‘This is just another pointless and deeply offensive exercise in wokeism’.
Another person added: ‘Your pin linking the poppy with the Pride flag is misconceived and is causing deep upset.
‘The poppy commemorates all, not just those from a particular community.’
Another said: ‘The poppy represents everyone who has made the ultimate sacrifice and doesn’t need tampering with.’
One person posted: ‘The Royal British Legion have Pride. Do you really think that this is what they died for?’
Caroline Paige from Fighting with Pride defended the Royal British Legion’s decision and said that the pin is about ‘LGBTQ veterans being seen and acknowledged.’
Kate Barker from the gay rights organisation LGB Alliance argued that the Progress Pride flag symbolises ‘gays and lesbians’ being sidelined from their own ‘movement by proponents of gender identity ideology.’
In a post on X, a Royal British Legion spokesperson 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.
‘It’s widely recognised as the most inclusive symbol for sexual orientation and gender identity.’
