Military Surplus

Ken, Kevin and Martin are armed forces veterans. They were discharged from the military; their comrades never discovering why.

This Remembrance Sunday, for the first time, they’ve been invited to march past the Cenotaph. 

It’s a story of double lives, court payouts and military secrets - and what happened when three men told the truth.

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Until 12th January, 2000, it was illegal for gay, lesbian and bisexual people to serve in the British Army, Royal Navy and RAF.

If they were outed, they could lose their medals, their pensions and their jobs, and sometimes serve a prison sentence. The British Government finally apologised for the policy in 2020.

Thanks to Fighting With Pride, the LGBT+ military charity, for putting us in touch.

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This episode is sponsored by Beer52, the world’s number one craft beer club. For an exclusive FREE trial case of 10 beers, a magazine and a snack, visit beer52.com/modern

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Meanwhile, in the Zeitgeist, expectant father Ollie Peart - fresh from packing off his precious snood to the wilds of Colorado - has been investigating the trend for baby showers.

Have ‘gender reveal’ events taken over from ‘traditional’ showers?

Does anyone REALLY make nappy cakes and go nipple bobbing?

And is there a quieter, more British equivalent, please?

The Zeitgeist is sponsored by Manscaped, the only men’s brand dedicated to below the waist grooming. Get 20% Off + Free Shipping, with the code ‘Mann’ at Manscaped.com

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Elsewhere, in the Foxhole, Alix Fox takes time off from plugging ‘Sex Education’ to ask: should self-pleasure ever be a guitly pleasure?

Listener ‘Worried Wanker in West Watford’ has begun secretly tossing one out in the shower each morning to satisfy his urges - while his partner’s sex drive has decreased due to anti-depression meds.

But the couple have a ‘no wanking in the house’ rule.

Is this sustainable?

The Foxhole is sponsored by Handy - a WiFi-enabled sex toy for men, designed and developed in Norway. For free express shipping, use our code ‘Foxhole' at TheHandy.com.

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Finally, our record of the month is ‘Moody’ from the fabulous Self Esteem, whose new album drops on 22nd October. Finally, a song about mental health you can dance to!

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This show is free to download, but it isn’t free to produce. If you can afford to, please buy us a beer once per month - or as often as you like - using our secure, customisable form on our website: MODERNMANN.CO.UK

… and click on the Feedback form to send us a suggestion for a guest, a challenge for Ollie, a question for Alix. 

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This episode is sponsored by NordVPN - get 73% off your 2-year plan PLUS 4 bonus months for free with the code TMM

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We’ll see you again on November 10th!

Host: Olly Mann. Producer: Matt Hill. Contributors: Ken Wright, Kevin Bazeley, Martin Diver, Ollie Peart, Alix Fox, Self Esteem. Theme Music: Django Django. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. © Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2021.

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