Martyn in Europe

This is an extended reponse to an article that appeared in the Guardian's Comment it is Free online blog, written by Peter Tatchell. The article "Our lost gay radicalism" refers to "The Stonewall riots of 40 years ago led to demands for liberation. Now we meekly hope for equality".

When I was a Welsh kid, growing up in England, there was a lot of very nasty homophobia around. At best, homosexuals were barely tolerated, and were frequently considered a deviancy. My own parents, quite liberal in many aspects, didn't know how to come to terms with homosexuality, never mind what has now become LGBT, and even more, if reports from the USA are to be believed.

In my own way, I have been a thoroughly prejudiced and ignorant twit when it has come to homosexuality and sexuality beyond heterosexuality. For many years, I thought that a negative macho response to the advances of another man showed people that I was a male, and that this confirmed me as a real man. It didn't.

It was not until I was in my early thirties that I realized that my prejudice was based on a whole bag of lies, prejudice and discrimination.

Ostensibly, at twenty nine, I was not anti-gay, but underneath it all there were pretty objectionable prejudices.

In the late eighties, on a business trip to London, I went back to Oxford. I met some old friends there for a few drinks, we chatted about many things. One of those issues was the gay community in Oxford. I was given an Oxford rainbow-scarf, which I wear with pride to this very day – but only when it's cold of course.

A few years later I was in London, enjoying the sites, and I went into what seemed like a lively bar. It was great, the music was good, the drinks were cool, and the people were great to talk with. Then, even though there were some women there, I realized it was a gay bar. But that no longer mattered to me, I was comfortable with my sexuality and the sexuality of others.
Then, back in Spain, I watched in abject horror, as this very same bar had been nail bombed.

I am proud that the President of the country in which I choose to live has made same-gender marriage a reality. I am not ashamed of my past, because it was a question of ignorance, but I am proud that many wise people made me see the error of my way.

When you grow to love humanity, there are no bounds to humanity.

Sorry for the shortness and the disjointed form of my rant.

Great article Peter. I'm pretty left wing, but you are one of my heroes man!

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Note added 2009/07/03:

Although it met with strong resistance from some conservative elements, and especially the reactionary and archaic Catholic Church in Spain, the introduction of legislation to legalise sex marriage was an electoral commitment made by the socialist party (PSOE).

A curious incident happened along the way to getting the policy incorporated into the Spanish Civil Code. When the proposed legal changes were being debated in the Spanish congress, the media asked Juan Carlos if he would actually ratify the Act – the thinking being that although the socialists could get a majority vote in parliament in support of their legislation, the King would actually block the progress of the law by simply refusing to sign it off. His reply to the questions in this respect was simply that he is the King of Spain, and not of Belgium, in reference to King Baudouin I, who had refused to sign the Belgian law that legalized abortion. 

The Spanish Law 13/2005 was signed off by the Spanish Head of State, on July 1, 2005.

New Labour, with a majority in the Houses of Parliament, could get the required legislation to allow for same sex marriage on the books in next to no time. So why stall?

Afraid of losing votes at the next election? (ROFL) Afraid of averse reactions from the traditional racist and homophobic Labour voter - who apparently now prefer the British Nazi Party? Cowardice? Or simply, something that Gordy does not want to ask Brenda to sign off on?

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Note added 2009/07/02:

Peter, New Labour are cowards. Here in Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and his party, with the support of the left, and even from a few on the right (notably Madrid's conservative mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón), have done their bit over the last few years ago. Same-sex civil marriages have been a reality here since 2005, and no one is going to be able to move the clock back on that one.