I'm not sure the point of this. To the best of my knowledge there is no widespread homophobia in Canterbury or any other part of Kent for that matter. Those of us who are gay and live here do it without prejudice or problems.

It seems you are trying to infer there is a problem that does not exist. The majority of the gay and lesbien world here find these type of events somewhat passe.

It gives the middle classes something to do with their hands for a few hours. Honest!

Does that include the 100 who made reports to the East Kent Homophobic Incident Reporting Line?

The homophobic reporting line in East Kent is similar to others in that it can be counter productive. The 100 calls listed by a previous contributor include such things as a group of lads shouting "You big poof" as somebody. Well as they probably shout this at sraight as well as gay men I think we can safely assume this is not homophobia !

As a Gay man who has been out for 12 years and living in the South East of England with some time spent in Kent I must agree that the homophobia of old has gone. I face no discrimination and my partner neither.

So just because alan etc haven't had any trouble, others don't ?? Sounds like
snooty middle class complacency... (As does the comment about Pride being 'passe'.)

Those 100 calls are the tip of the iceberg. Many still don't report even quite serious
attacks due to their circumstances and fear of the police/courts. (I know, i've had
people tell me and though i've tried to get them to report it,they won't.)
The murder of a 'rent boy' in Thanet only last year was because the person concerned
didn't feel able to go to the police after being blackmailled.

Don't forget the murder of two gay men only a couple of years ago in Thanet.

Around the UK, attacks are and have been on the increase (over and above the numbers
reported).

Verbal abuse of gay people is still rife and can still hurt. 'Gay' is used in schools as
a term of abuse and in the street. I have been personally attacked in the last few
years (yes, I reported it and got the toe-rag put in jail) and still have verbal
abuse because i'm recognised as gay.
The subject is still not properly addressed in schools (along with sex ed in general)
particularly in Kent -though the County Council is beginning to see that there is a
problem.
I have friends who say they dont want to go to Canterbury because it's 'too close'
and dont want to be recognised. They'd rather go to 'Brighton or London etc where
no one knows them.
Why is it that the gay group at the Uni at Ctby seem to hide away
in a usually unmarked room every week ? They lost their termtime helpline, the only
Uni group in the UK to do so.

I don't suppose alan etc bother to lift a finger when they hear stories about gay people
being abused or murdered elsewhere ??(Saudi Arabia recently for instance) Or did
anything but 'tut tut , how awful' when the Soho bomb went off or David Morley was
murdered ??

Pride events are about continuing to show we are here and not going away as well as
celebrating 'diversity' within communities.- There does need to be more 'political'
input at such events though. With the rise of the far right here and the rise of the
Christian and Muslim fundamentalists it remains VERY important to be OUT & PROUD at
such events and that cultural diversity and human rights must be maintained.
IF WE DON'T THE BIGOTS -WILL-COME BACK IN GREATER FORCE, INCLUDING THOSE CURRENTLY
HOLDING THEIR TONGUES BEHIND THE NET CURTAINS...

.... yeah, its renowned for it. All we need now is some refugeess from Deal and Dover saying they can feel nothing but love for them in the streets.........

Alan doesn't think shouting "YOU BIG POOF" at a gay man is homophobic......... on the basis that he surmises it is shouted at straight men as well - hmm - (I suspect even some straight men might be offended by it)... even though its a derogatory term for gay people.

Alan doesn't tell us how he knows this incident got reported to the East Kent Homophobic Incident Reporting line - nor does he tell us what the other 99 reports might have been about.

So why are 'Alan' and 'Gay man in Tonbridge' so keen to dispel 'myths' of homophobia in Kent? Are they able to declare that they know the personal experiences of every gay person in Kent?

I is bamboozled.

Well I'm sorry I don't feel oppressed enough for you.

I'll try to do better in future. Please forgive me for having a good relationship with my work mates and neighbours and ofr not knoing any other gay people who are feeling as you want them to.

As a working class gay man living in Dover, I am very much aware of the difference between classes in the way gay people are 'tolerated'. Having received the usual abuse that is to be expected in most of the shitty cleaning jobs I have had from 'straight' people, I find that the middle class gays I have met express no solidarity, compasssion or concern. For many snooty wealthy poofs, sexuality is merely a 'lifestyle choice'. They are the Pink Pound Made Flesh. In fact, they appear the most amoral, pleasure-obsessed heartless and vain bunch of bastards one could possibly meet. If you don't fit in with their image of what a 'gay' man is (thin, attractive, waspish, monied, and fixated with appearance above all else), then you may as well jump in the sea. SEXUALITY SEEMS TO ME TO BE A FLAWED BASIS FOR ESTABLISHING AN IDENTITY. People are simply people. However, to suggest that Gay Pride events and initiatives like the homophobic incident reporting line are passe and counterproductive seems to me ludicrous and out of touch with my reality. Intolerance, simmering contempt and outright homophobia is the REALITY for some less well off queers like myself. By the way, my bitterness has nothing to do with the fact that I am a fat, ugly, quiet, hairy, thick, and introverted carbon-based bipedal life-form with severe mental health problems who also happens to be bent. Honest!

I don't recall asking you to feel oppressed - in fact your whole apology is just one big strawman response.

What I cannot for the life of me work out is why you are posting on the thread in the first place. It's great if you can get on with your life without being discriminated against - it doesn't however follow that everyone is as fortunate as you.

For you it may be "Not as it seems" - but for others it apparently does seem like theres a problem.

Have a nice day.

Some interesting points here that remind me of debates I have helped to facilitate. The more militant members of the womens movement can be very upset if they are asked to speak against women who do not share their view of male oppression and perhaps there are similar issues here. For example the vast majority of women between the ages of 16 and 25 do not have any views on sexism because they have never experienced it, although that is not to say some have not.

The G&L community is as diverse as the straight community and it is fair to observe that many, many G&L people simly do not feel Pride marches are still relevant to their lives. A Lesbian women of my friend group describes it as "outdated". Perhaps we just celebrate the fact that for the majority (although of course not all) prejudice is a thing of the past

The idea that homophobia doesn't affect everyone is false. Just because a supposed
'majority' haven't experienced any or anything recently doesn't mean it's gone or even
going away very fast.
At the moment it is very much alive and 'kicking' so to speak in the school yard to
the streets. How many of the 'maj' would regularly and openly walk hand in hand with their partner thru any street (including London and brighton etc-even in the gay areas)
or kiss/cuddle them (or even just friends). Not very many, asy this could well still
attract an attack. (maybe not the first time but soon after).

Look at Rotterdam,Nl- It used to be very 'liberated' until,unfortunately more muslim
migrants arrived and now gay people are spat at and threatened.
We need to greatly improve the education of all if we are to avoid the same happening
here (I suspect it already has).

Canterbury is not as tolerant as people may think.. Why are there no openly gay bars
etc in a major centre ?- For one thing anyone setting up on Church owned land would
not advertise as a gay venue- The one already in such a situ is gay run but doesnt
do so openly.
IN the same venue just a few weeks ago a group of teens/early 20's was overheard to
say 'gay pride in Canterbury should be banned, and all gays should have their heads
punched in'. The police have been made awar of this poss' threat.

As for Pride's as such. In major cities and gay centres they may be a bit 'old hat'
but for many places, previously without such or any visibility, they are vital to
continue to show we are everywhere and to combat homophobia..

We'll, they've certainly got us talking. I'll be there and hope others go along to have a fun day and meet new people.
What we need is a proper gay bar where we can just be ourselves, pick up the papers and mags and relax.
See you Saturday