Letter: Stirring up anti-gay bigotry
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: The Conservatives must be in a desperate plight to think it worthwhile playing the homophobic bigotry card by attacking the National Lottery Charities Board's awards of a tiny proportion of its huge handout to a couple of small lesbian and gay charities (report, 12 June).
In 1978, I was one of the nearly 200 signatories of the statement Towards a Charter of Homosexual Rights, which commented that "We believe that fear or hatred of homosexuals is a social evil akin to anti-Semitism, racism, and slavery, with the same evil consequences. It harms both the victimised individuals, and the society which tolerates it.... Homosexuals are the only natural minority ... who are still liable to be mocked or persecuted by people claiming to represent ordinary social opinion, or the Christian church." Sadly, this is still true today, even though - or possibly because - homosexual people are much more visible and vocal in society.
The Prime Minister is a civilised man, and he knows perfectly well that homosexuals are still very disadvantaged and discriminated against. One can only conclude that he (quite wrongly, in my opinion) discerns some political advantage in whipping up prejudice against them. If so, he should remember that gay men and women are, like everyone else, taxpayers and voters, and he should realise that the time has gone by when they are prepared to be ground down and insulted by his party or anyone else.
I was especially sorry to see that Virginia Bottomley is apparently responsible for launching this disreputable bandwagon. As Secretary of State for Health, Mrs Bottomley had extensive dealings with many lesbian and gay people giving devoted service to Aids sufferers and in other health work. We deserve better than her patronising sneers and silly twaddle about "deeply shocked colleagues".
ANTONY GREY
London NW2
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments