England is a very liberal nation in some ways, but there has recently been a worrying trend in hate crimes. Ours was the country that warmly embraced celebrities like Larry Grayson and John Inman, back in the days when many other countries were heading in the other direction.
DK (a publisher of science and nature books) confirms that many creatures in nature have same-sex relationships. Many raise families for years. And to really upset the status quo, the ‘science’ is that around 20% of swan couples are gay. They also mate for life, and often raise chicks, by taking on abandoned nests with their eggs.
What Does LGBTQ+ Mean?
The term ‘LGBTQ+ is often mentioned, but what does it mean? It basically stands for anyone is lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace (an umbrella term including asexuals who feel no sexual attraction to anyone).
The word ‘woke’ is to be aware of modern social and political issues.
Surprisingly, being lesbian has never been illegal (apparently Queen Victoria did not require a ban, because ‘ladies did not do such things’). But as you likely know, being a gay man was illegal until quite recently. Some men were even hanged for having relationships for other men.
James Pratt and John Smith were the last men to be hanged for having a same-sex relationship. Charles Dickens was visiting the prison at the same time, and wrote of their despair in in 1835. There were reports that the crowds ‘hissed at them’, as they walked to the gallows.
Why is it that as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns, than holding hands? Ernest J Gaines
What Was Section 28?
Section 28 (which has now been revoked) was a law that stopped teachers talking about same-sex relationships in schools. Supporters of the law imagined that gay teachers would be telling children all about their sex lives. In fact, nearly all teachers would never do that.
What it did, was created a society where if a child asked their favourite teacher who he or she lived with, the teacher would have had to deny (or lie) that the other partner was the same sex. Thus creating a society where children grow up, with a notion that same-sex marriages are wrong.
Why Are Anti-Gay People Obsessed with Sex?
What often irks people who don’t have an issue with other people’s relationship preferences, is that the ‘religious right’ seem to be obsessed with what others are going in their own bedrooms. Most of us have no interest (nor the time) to wonder about this, we are too busy doing other things, like trying to save hedgehogs! Who by the way, are God’s precious creatures too!
I was so excited by my work. I always felt rejected in gay bars. I couldn’t dance. I didn’t look cool. All I wanted was to sit and talk. Stephen Fry
The Law and Same-Sex Relationships
One Tree Cards (don’t send plantable cards to homes with pets, as many wildflowers are unsafe near animal friends).
Same-sex relationships are still illegal in 70 countries, with 11 countries still allowing the death penalty. Although being gay is not illegal in Rwanda, there are many laws to make it that gay people tend to keep their sexuality hidden. Yet this is the country that the former government was planning to send people to, if they arrived traumatised on boats.
25% of people worldwide, still believe that being gay or lesbian should be a crime.
Conversion therapy (where religious groups try to ‘convert’ people who are gay), is in fact still legal. Many say they are traumatised by the experience, decades on.
Jews and Roses Saved (thanks to two gay people)
Vita Sackville-West who helped save England’s heritage roses from becoming extinct after the Second World War, famously had scandalously lesbian affairs including with the authors Violet Trefusis and Virginia Woolf (who while suffering from depression, walked into a pond, with her pockets filled with stones).
Alan Turing was the codebreaker during World War II, who famously broke the codes that stopped World War II from going on. He indirectly saved millions of innocent people. Yet he was told to have conversion therapy for being gay. He died from eating a poisoned apple. As someone who worked with poisons, his death may have been accidental. But his cause of death was listed as suicide. It was only recently that he received an official pardon.
Modern Media? Get Over It
The media also tends to not feature gay characters, although recently the TV comedy series Outnumbered gave an update with the daughter being gay (as is the actress who plays her). Jodie Foster has been openly gay for years, and this is accepted.
Justin Fashanu was one of England’s best footballers, the first £1 million player for Norwich and England. Yet despite scoring ‘the goal of the season’ against Liverpool in 1980, he committed suicide, due to homophobia from some football fans and media pundits.
The incredibly funny actress Miriam Margolyes was publicly gay in 1966, when male homosexuality was still illegal. And has been with her partner for over 50 years. She says that ‘love could never be criminal’.
Clare Balding was scared that coming out would lead to her career nosediving. But the truth is that nobody cares. She seems a very nice person and is good at her job, loves animals and is kind to people on set. What’s the problem? Why are some obsessed with who she lives with?
The Church and Same-Sex Marriages
Bring Back Your People is a fantastic book by a young American, who has seen firsthand the terrifying direction that his country is heading. His book is a peaceful and positive action-plan to stop the ‘white Christian nationalists’ who have hijacked his own religion. His plan is to return the church he loves to one of peace, love and understanding.
The (hard to say) Episcopal Church has become a beacon, for Catholics who have ‘run away’ from the church they grew up in, due to some suggesting conversion therapy. This has Mass (and has all the good bits’ of being a Catholic). But none of the scary ‘you’ll go to hell if you’re gay’ stuff. It even runs ‘Gender Justice Gams!’
We have a legacy of inclusion. Ordination and the offices of bishop, priest and deacon are open to all, without discrimination. Leadership is a gift from God and can be expreseed by all people in our church. Regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. We believe that God loves us all – no exceptions. Episcopal Church
The Quakers are another bunch of ‘religious peeps’ who are absolutely fine with including gay and lesbian people into their ‘church’:
LGBTQ+ relationships are affirmed and celebrated. Quakers do not ask or restrict people from giving service, on the basis of gender or sexuality. Quakers also understand conversion therapy to be a form of inhuman and degrading treatment. Freedom of religion or belief, cannot be used to justify it. Quakers of Britain
