At a time when so many people are ready to criticize the UK at the first opportunity, I just wanted to reflect on the many expressions of admiration I have received from French friends both gay and straight at the way in which our country has united in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall.
London has done itself proud with the Red Arrows flypast and more than 1.5 million people in the streets. Even Theresa May joined the party:
Having a strange mind, I wonder how having a 'Heterosexual Day would be regarded?
I have known several homosexual couples in my life, and most seemed to be unsupportive of the public displays. They just wanted to live like everyone else, with their sexuality their own private business, which seemed logical to me.
Takes all sorts to make a world eh?
and the bottom line is : “We want to get to a situation where no one cares what sexuality you are; where we accept the person and their right to love whoever they wish - male, female, both or neither.”
As a member of the LGBTQ+ world, I try to be as anonymous as possible. My husband and I do not attend many Pride events and have a very mixed group of friends. I came out at 30 (now 53) and it was a difficult time, telling parents etc and spending almost all my life telling people I have a husband when they ask if I am married Before I came out (what a weird phrase), I did go through the stigma/shame your friend suffers from. It was only someone I worked with approaching me and suggesting I meet some of his friends who worked on a LGBT support line that made me feel supported and able to deal with who I was and to accept myself before seeking acceptance from those I loved. Even in this seemingly open and accepting world, the younger members of society may be suffering the same stigma/shame via their particular religious group or situation - Pride hopefully will continue to give those people hope and comfort to realise they are not alone.
My friend is now in a loving, long-term relationship - even so, I fear he is too old to throw off his fears. He was a young man, struggling with his feelings, at a time when his homosexuality was illegal and abhorred.
I am sure the LGTB community would be grateful for the way you express your support Norman because to live like everyone else, with their sexuality their own private business and without the need for public displays is all they have ever asked for.
Unfortunately, the social exclusion and frequent physical aggression against gays by people less tolerant than yourself continues to this day and is in fact on the increase.
It does run both ways at times though Stella. One of the things I loathe is people (who I know are gay) say ‘as a gay man/woman’ when trying to get a point across in a discussion where a person’s sexuality is irrelevant.
I also have also experienced a situation when it was extremely inappropriate for a man to announce to his very young children that he was gay immediately after he had left the marital home, his happiness in finally ‘coming out’ clouded his judgement and this has badly affected the relationship with his children who he now rarely sees.
Hi Peter, I have to say I do find some aspects of Gay Pride celebrations pretty offensive. I refer to those in leather underwear simulating sex on the back of trucks. Quite how this is supposed to help ‘normalise’ acceptance has always escaped me. Plus the ‘painted tarts’ who might have some sort of entertainment value I suppose, but only seem to vulgarise the whole thing. Again to a man (and sorry I don’t know any homosexual women - as far as I am aware), my homosexual friends agree with me.
I know what you are saying, Tim. There are many mistakes/inappropriate happenings on all sides - sometimes with disastrous results.
What does surprise me though, is that my friends will make the same remark again (both directly to me or in my presence) and when I pick them up about it - again, profuse apologies.
Before long I shall start a conversation with “as a hetrosexual female”… blah blah blah… and see if that makes people realize how daft and unthinking they are…