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House of Homophobia
It’s
thirteen years since the Tories were thrown
out of office and the Labour Party swept to
power. On the eve of the 2010 UK general
election,
Narvel Annable
cautions against being too negative
about their achievements.
This Labour
Government has achieved many advances for
equality. Lesbians and gay men must not be
too disheartened by the recent concession to
allow faith schools to tailor their
sex-education lessons to their own beliefs.
Ed Balls, the
Secretary of
State for Children, Schools and Families,
tells us that religious schools will not be
allowed to teach homophobia. Who is he
kidding? We are not stupid! After giving way
to canting Bishops, Archbishops and
Catholics, it will be “business as usual”
for some reactionary bigots.
Education is supposed to benefit the child,
but some medieval minds will exploit this
loophole in the Children, Schools and
Families Bill. They will continue to
teach that homosexuality is a sin, continue
to distress gay pupils, thus making sure
that their education supports the
church rather than the child. In doing so,
homophobes continue to peddle their poison,
giving a green light to gay bashers,
murder-music rappers and any number of evil
elements who have oppressed 10 per cent of
the population for centuries.
Take heart!
That said – take heart! We are on the march!
In just a few years, many high-profile
lesbian, gay and bisexual figures have come
out to prove that sexuality does not have to
be a barrier to success.
Gareth Thomas did it. He plays rugby
in a man’s world – a macho world. He is
proud to be out. He is glad to be gay. He is
now a positive role model for children and
adults like me. Millions will follow his
excellent example.
The “House of Homophobia”, like a house of
cards, is fast falling. We are
winning.
Narvel Annable
is an author
of fiction and non-fiction books and a
writer of historical and educational
articles. His first non-fiction work was
Miss Calder's Children,
and his
novels include Death on the Derwent
and Scruffy Chicken.
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