PINK POLITICS
Tina Wingfield | 10.06.2003 22:03
DURING THE LAST TWO DECADES the social and political power wielded by the Homosexual lobby and 'Pink Politics' has increased quite disproportionately
PINK POLITICS
Tina Wingfield
DURING THE LAST TWO DECADES the social and political power wielded by the Homosexual lobby and 'Pink Politics' has increased quite disproportionately in relation to its numbers. The 'victim status' days of homosexuality and homosexuals, so classically captured in the 1970's 'conscience-pricking' television drama portraying the life of Quentin Crisp, are long-gone. The gradual, and somewhat grudging, acknowledgement by the heterosexual public that consenting adults ought to be free to do as they like in private, effectively lifted the lid of a Homosexual 'Pandora's Box'.
For the homosexual lobby were not satisfied with society's mere acceptance that it is morally wrong to victimise individuals simply because of non-conformity to established social 'norms'; that the private domain of the individual really should be his castle. This small concession to compassion was not enough. The homosexual lobby sought to extend the reach of this newly-accredited 'freedom of preference' beyond the confines of the private domain...and they have succeeded. The new '90's homosexual does not confine him/herself to silence in the shadows, they are no longer quiet, tolerated, 'consenting adults in private' but loud, vociferous 'alternative' adult, very much revelling-in and demanding the public limelight. An old saying springs to mind: "Give them an inch and they'll take a mile".
If anyone doubts the growing power of 'pink politics' they need only to look at the composition of the New Labour Government - and the 'genre' of their social policies. Well placed within Blair's ministerial team are self-proclaimed homosexuals - Chris Smith, Minister for Heritage and Angela Eagle, Junior Environment Minister. Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter and Stephen Twigg, MP for En-field, Southgate are just two of the rumoured 40 homosexual Labour M.P's to have formally 'come out' of the closet. A rumour which seems to gain some weight in light of the recent launch of Labour MP's parliamentary campaign to force a vote on lowering the age of consent for homosexual sex; and to bring to the top of the political agenda the related issues of a relaxation of the ban on homosexuals serving in the military and the repeal of Section 28 of the Local Government Act which bans the promotion of homosexuality by public authorities.
During the campaign launch, Labour MP Stephen Twigg said that he was confident that there was "overwhelming" support in the new Parliament for lowering the age of consent from 18 to 16 and the repeal of Section 28. Confidence not misplaced if the results of a poll commissioned by BBC 2's television programme "Gaytime" is an accurate reflection of the dominant view among Labour MP's. Of the 140 MP's questioned, 93% were in favour of lowering the age of consent to 16 and 91% in favour of both lifting the ban on homosexuals in the armed forces and repealing Section 28.
It would seem, however, that the formal repeal of Section 28 is not an urgent priority for the Government which, informally, encourages teachers to ignore the law. Included amongst the literature and materials on display during the recent launch of a government initiative to "improve moral standards in schools" was a new sex education guide. The primary school sex education pack, entitled "A Whole Approach to Sex Education", produced by 'Healthwise' - an independent health education authority that receives funding from 17 local education authorities - recommends that "children should not be taught that homosexuality is wrong".
Referring to the 1988 Local Government Act (Section 28), which makes it an offence for a local authority to promote homosexuality, the pack advises that "the law does not apply to individual teachers or schools and does not limit teaching about the issue. It continues: "Teachers should remember that we all have a 'sexual career' and for many this will include homosexual experiences at some time in their lives".
In addition to suggesting ways in which teachers can discuss with children (as young as 4) homosexuality and anal sex, the pack urges teachers "not to try to promote any type of family or home life as the norm", and encourages the employment of images of 'different' kinds of families, such as a lesbian couple with children.
The Government's 'informal' flouting of laws and traditional practices designed to uphold the heterosexual imperative is not confined to the area of education. Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter, was recently awarded a House of Commons 'Spouse's Pass' for his 'partner', Neil Dalgleish. The Pass allows the MP's homosexual lover access to a range of Commons' facilities, including the gymnasium and Members' Family Room. The MP also hopes to gain 'travel rights' for Mr Dalgleish, which would entitle him to an annual allocation of 15 first-class return rail tickets between Westminster and the Constituency - currently worth around £1,845 (paid for out of public funds). In a letter to Ann Taylor, leader of the Commons, he called for a change in the current rules governing travel rights for MP's which limit the allowance to married couples only, linking his claim to a case currently being fought in the European Court by Cherie Blair QC on behalf of two Southampton lesbians. Referring to 'Cherie's' battle to extend cheap travel concessions for spouses of rail firm employees to lovers of the same sex on grounds of discrimination, the MP confided that "a lot of my younger colleagues have come up with the same problem for their partners who are having to foot the enormous bill for travelling back and forth to a constituency themselves".
In her crusade to stamp out discrimination on the grounds of sexual preference, Cherie Blair shares the support and enthusiasm of the Prime Minister. At the 26th Gay Pride Festival recently held in London, the Heritage Minister, Stephen Twigg, delivered a message reaffirming the PM's commitment to gay rights: "Tony wants you to know that he wants a Britain free from discrimination". A Festival spokesperson summed up the homosexual movement's opinion of the new Labour Government and 'Tony' thus: "those on the (Gay Pride) march cheered as they passed Downing Street".
Cause for concern given that the legitimate role of Government is to protect and nurture those social institutions which provide the building blocks of our society; the essential elements which give society its 'order'. The Labour Party won the support of the British people by claiming to champion the interests of 'The Family' and to uphold decent family values. Tony Blair reassured the electorate, time and again, of his commitment to 'traditional values' stating often that "the values of a decent society are in many ways the value of the family". Clearly however, Blair and his 'Party of the Family' do not intend to use the power invested in them by the trusting British public to protect and uphold such family values. The people must look elsewhere for a political representative with the courage to close the lid on this Homosexual 'Pandora's Box'.
Tina Wingfield
DURING THE LAST TWO DECADES the social and political power wielded by the Homosexual lobby and 'Pink Politics' has increased quite disproportionately in relation to its numbers. The 'victim status' days of homosexuality and homosexuals, so classically captured in the 1970's 'conscience-pricking' television drama portraying the life of Quentin Crisp, are long-gone. The gradual, and somewhat grudging, acknowledgement by the heterosexual public that consenting adults ought to be free to do as they like in private, effectively lifted the lid of a Homosexual 'Pandora's Box'.
For the homosexual lobby were not satisfied with society's mere acceptance that it is morally wrong to victimise individuals simply because of non-conformity to established social 'norms'; that the private domain of the individual really should be his castle. This small concession to compassion was not enough. The homosexual lobby sought to extend the reach of this newly-accredited 'freedom of preference' beyond the confines of the private domain...and they have succeeded. The new '90's homosexual does not confine him/herself to silence in the shadows, they are no longer quiet, tolerated, 'consenting adults in private' but loud, vociferous 'alternative' adult, very much revelling-in and demanding the public limelight. An old saying springs to mind: "Give them an inch and they'll take a mile".
If anyone doubts the growing power of 'pink politics' they need only to look at the composition of the New Labour Government - and the 'genre' of their social policies. Well placed within Blair's ministerial team are self-proclaimed homosexuals - Chris Smith, Minister for Heritage and Angela Eagle, Junior Environment Minister. Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter and Stephen Twigg, MP for En-field, Southgate are just two of the rumoured 40 homosexual Labour M.P's to have formally 'come out' of the closet. A rumour which seems to gain some weight in light of the recent launch of Labour MP's parliamentary campaign to force a vote on lowering the age of consent for homosexual sex; and to bring to the top of the political agenda the related issues of a relaxation of the ban on homosexuals serving in the military and the repeal of Section 28 of the Local Government Act which bans the promotion of homosexuality by public authorities.
During the campaign launch, Labour MP Stephen Twigg said that he was confident that there was "overwhelming" support in the new Parliament for lowering the age of consent from 18 to 16 and the repeal of Section 28. Confidence not misplaced if the results of a poll commissioned by BBC 2's television programme "Gaytime" is an accurate reflection of the dominant view among Labour MP's. Of the 140 MP's questioned, 93% were in favour of lowering the age of consent to 16 and 91% in favour of both lifting the ban on homosexuals in the armed forces and repealing Section 28.
It would seem, however, that the formal repeal of Section 28 is not an urgent priority for the Government which, informally, encourages teachers to ignore the law. Included amongst the literature and materials on display during the recent launch of a government initiative to "improve moral standards in schools" was a new sex education guide. The primary school sex education pack, entitled "A Whole Approach to Sex Education", produced by 'Healthwise' - an independent health education authority that receives funding from 17 local education authorities - recommends that "children should not be taught that homosexuality is wrong".
Referring to the 1988 Local Government Act (Section 28), which makes it an offence for a local authority to promote homosexuality, the pack advises that "the law does not apply to individual teachers or schools and does not limit teaching about the issue. It continues: "Teachers should remember that we all have a 'sexual career' and for many this will include homosexual experiences at some time in their lives".
In addition to suggesting ways in which teachers can discuss with children (as young as 4) homosexuality and anal sex, the pack urges teachers "not to try to promote any type of family or home life as the norm", and encourages the employment of images of 'different' kinds of families, such as a lesbian couple with children.
The Government's 'informal' flouting of laws and traditional practices designed to uphold the heterosexual imperative is not confined to the area of education. Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter, was recently awarded a House of Commons 'Spouse's Pass' for his 'partner', Neil Dalgleish. The Pass allows the MP's homosexual lover access to a range of Commons' facilities, including the gymnasium and Members' Family Room. The MP also hopes to gain 'travel rights' for Mr Dalgleish, which would entitle him to an annual allocation of 15 first-class return rail tickets between Westminster and the Constituency - currently worth around £1,845 (paid for out of public funds). In a letter to Ann Taylor, leader of the Commons, he called for a change in the current rules governing travel rights for MP's which limit the allowance to married couples only, linking his claim to a case currently being fought in the European Court by Cherie Blair QC on behalf of two Southampton lesbians. Referring to 'Cherie's' battle to extend cheap travel concessions for spouses of rail firm employees to lovers of the same sex on grounds of discrimination, the MP confided that "a lot of my younger colleagues have come up with the same problem for their partners who are having to foot the enormous bill for travelling back and forth to a constituency themselves".
In her crusade to stamp out discrimination on the grounds of sexual preference, Cherie Blair shares the support and enthusiasm of the Prime Minister. At the 26th Gay Pride Festival recently held in London, the Heritage Minister, Stephen Twigg, delivered a message reaffirming the PM's commitment to gay rights: "Tony wants you to know that he wants a Britain free from discrimination". A Festival spokesperson summed up the homosexual movement's opinion of the new Labour Government and 'Tony' thus: "those on the (Gay Pride) march cheered as they passed Downing Street".
Cause for concern given that the legitimate role of Government is to protect and nurture those social institutions which provide the building blocks of our society; the essential elements which give society its 'order'. The Labour Party won the support of the British people by claiming to champion the interests of 'The Family' and to uphold decent family values. Tony Blair reassured the electorate, time and again, of his commitment to 'traditional values' stating often that "the values of a decent society are in many ways the value of the family". Clearly however, Blair and his 'Party of the Family' do not intend to use the power invested in them by the trusting British public to protect and uphold such family values. The people must look elsewhere for a political representative with the courage to close the lid on this Homosexual 'Pandora's Box'.
Tina Wingfield