“When it came to the question and answer session, I asked Dr Lewis why he voted against the rights of gays to adopt children, and why he voted against the lowering of the age of consent for homosexuals from 18 to 16.
“I found his answer bizarre. He said that for gay people to be allowed to adopt it would have to be proven that civil partnerships work.
“He then said that he voted against the lowering of the age of consent for the same reason that he is opposed to children as young as 16 or 17 being allowed to join the army. He said that just like joining the army puts your life at risk, gay sex can put your life at risk.
(Nothing against Socialist Worker but I do wish they wouldn’t write all their articles in that supposedly professional, blandised press release style.)
One evening, Harold fell down the front steps of their home and was taken to the hospital. Based on their medical directives alone, Clay should have been consulted in Harold’s care from the first moment. Tragically, county and health care workers instead refused to allow Clay to see Harold in the hospital. The county then ultimately went one step further by isolating the couple from each other, placing the men in separate nursing homes. Ignoring Clay’s significant role in Harold’s life, the county continued to treat Harold like he had no family and went to court seeking the power to make financial decisions on his behalf. Outrageously, the county represented to the judge that Clay was merely Harold’s “roommate.â€
And remember, it’s not just teh gays who can and are treated this way by uncaring or greedy officials; any “onorthodox” couple living together but not legally married this could happen to. Even though these poor guys had everything in order, when push came to shove this was not enough. The state officials who caused this misery thought they could indulge their prejudices and greed without fear for punishment. They need to be hammered down hard or others will be hurt this way. Both businesses and (state) governments need to learn that if they pull shit like this they will pay for it.
What with Tory prominents like Chris Grayling making noises about understanding wanting to keep the poofters out of good Christian homes again, is there a better time to launch a site devoted to the first political gay pop song? As the site puts it
Glad To Be Gay is unusual for being a precise and prominent song about an issue that simply had no precedent. Apart from a few gay activists nobody had heard a gay song before, let alone one as militant and furious. Tom Robinson put one in the top 20 and into the mind of the straight public.
It had been written a year earlier, to be performed as a one-off at London’s 1976 Gay Pride rally. It was a bitter, snarling assault on the attitude of gay people who’d turn up to gay events wearing the ‘glad to be gay’ badges then in circulation, yet take them off in public, try to pass for straight at home and in the workplace. It accused them of tacitly accepting repression rife in the media, and out on the streets from thugs and the police.
Once it was played to a wider audience with punk pioneers the Tom Robinson Band, it became an anthem of combative pride. Audiences largely composed of straights would sing along in solidarity with gusto.
[…]
It’s hoped that this will balance the scales a little – a songwriter as socially aware and politically forthright as Robinson deserves to be remembered for more than 2-4-6-8 Motorway.
Beyond that, it’s not just about musical history and insight into the creative process. It’s social and political history too.
Glad To Be Gay was written in a world where people were routinely referred to as ‘self-confessed homosexuals’, the same way you’d talk about murderers and rapists.
The Tories were embroiled in a furious row over lesbian and gay rightson Saturday after the shadow home secretary, Chris Grayling, was secretly taped suggesting that people who ran bed and breakfasts in their homes should “have the right” to turn away homosexual couples.
[..]
“I think we need to allow people to have their own consciences,” he said. “I personally always took the view that, if you look at the case of should a Christian hotel owner have the right to exclude a gay couple from a hotel, I took the view that if it’s a question of somebody who’s doing a B&B in their own home, that individual should have the right to decide who does and who doesn’t come into their own home.”
Remember what the Tories did last time they were in power. Cuddly Dave may want to have his party metrosexual and gay friendly, but too many in the party are still bigoted.
Today is officially the happiest day of the year – really, it’s scientific, so it must be true so just ignore those negative vibes they’re not real – and in keeping with the theme, here is the happiest picture I can find.
Congratulations to all who are now able to marry the love of their life. Just don’t read the comments or that happy glow will vanish in a puff of bitter cynicism.
