[JURIST] The Royal Navy [official website] has become the first branch of the British Armed Forces to actively promote the protection of the civil rights of its homosexual and bisexual members. Navy officials signed the Diversity Champions Programme [PDF text] from the alternative lifestyle equal rights group Stonewall [advocacy website] on Monday. Homosexuals have been permitted in the UK Armed Forces since 2000, but the Royal Navy is the first to actively promote the rights of homosexual members. The Royal Navy also announced that homosexual couples will be able to apply for accommodation in married quarters by this coming autumn, as long as they have previously registered a civil partnership. BBC News has more.