Have Gay People Vilified The Church?

Originally published on www.vadamagazine.com

For as long as anyone can remember people have been in a constant battle with each other for one reason or another. Different countries have waged wars against each other, we’ve seen celebrities involve themselves in public slagging matches, and there’s usually one mega corporation suing another over a patent or something similar. Minority groups have also found themselves warring with multiple institutions such as the government, but one battle that has gone on for as long as anyone can remember is the battle between the Church and the gay community.

There are a multitude of reasons behind this on-going battle, with many people of religion finding homosexuality a sin or life choice, and fighting endlessly in the battle to prevent gay marriage around the world.  Some members of the religious institution have compared homosexuality to heinous acts like paedophilia and bestiality.

Just last week the new Pope, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio or Pope Francis, commented on same-sex marriage and gay adoption saying it was a “destructive attack on God’s plan.”

But one thing we don’t appear to have considered in this endless tirade of name-calling and accusations is, have gay people completely denounced the Church and brandished them as an eternal villain?

With comments such as this by the leader of the Catholic faith it is easy to say that the hatred expressed towards the Church by many gay men and women is deserved, but not everyone who has a faith or follows religion should be tarred with the same brush.

We have seen several news articles and feature pieces over the last decade that have discussed topics such as gay vicars or priests and how many gay people, just like the heterosexual community, believe in religion. There’s even a group called Christians for Equal Marriage that support the right for gay people to marry just like their straight counterparts.

Just last week the American LGBT religious organisation, Faith in America, spoke out about how the Church must stop harming LGBT people. The groups spokesman, Brent Childers, who was aligned with the anti-gay religious industry said in a statement: “It is critical for all to understand the devastating effects to a young person when their church leadership teaches that homosexuality is a sin and that they are not God’s best.”

“I have come to learn the unintended consequences of those that believe they are teaching what it is to be a good Catholic or Christian. In fact they are the very reason why LGBT teens suffer an unusually high rate of depression, attempted suicides, and worse, suicide.”

Various churches from around the globe have also addressed the issue of gay rights with a particular focus on gay marriage. Many have fought for the cause of the LGBT community, and have shown that not everyone is using God’s name to discriminate. Only last week a Church in North Carolina stated that they would not conduct weddings for anyone until they were able to hold same-sex weddings as well, and a chapel within the Palace of Westminster may be changed so that it can perform equal marriage ceremonies.

Also, in what would appear to be a slight turn in events, a poll conducted by an anti-LGBT rights Christian campaign group found that the majority of American’s believed that, “homosexuality is a civil rights issue like gender, race and age”.

Although there is a clear signifier that many people with a religion, and many within religious institutions around the world, believe in the right for gay people to marry and gay rights in general, there are still a number of people out there using God’s name to justify an anti-gay rhetoric.

We have all seen or heard the rants from the most famous anti-gay group, the Westboro Baptist Church, whose “God Hates Fags” slogan has become a symbol for just how unaccepting many people with faith or religion can be. There’s no doubt that their presence within the media has turned many gay men and women away from the Church as they view it as an ever present evil.

This week alone Washington Times columnist Jeffery Kuhner, accused President Obama of waging a war on the Church with his support of gay rights, he wrote: “Pope Francis is the opposite of a modern American liberal. In fact, he probably finds much of the Democrats’ agenda repulsive. President Obama is waging a war on Christians and on Catholics in particular.

Mr. Obama supports homosexual ‘marriage.’ He has allowed homosexuals to openly serve in the military. His pro-homosexual, pro-abortion and pro-contraception policies violate basic Catholic doctrine. He is an enemy of the church.”

Despite the progression of LGBT people in wider society, it does appear that the combat with the Church will continue for some time, with a number of people within the Church and many who use the word of God to support their own views actively trying to prevent LGBT legislation in a number of areas. However this not only harms LGBT people with faith, who may become conflicted in what they believe, risking psychological harm through this conflict, but also to the Church as it further becomes an outdated institution. However, the LGBT community must remember that not everyone in the Church, or with faith is out to get them, and remember that most people with faith believe that everyone should be treated equally.

That being said, the tense and conflicting battle of rhetoric between religious communities and the LGBT community is clearly far from over.

Sci-Fi Is Definitely A Little Bit Gay

Originally published on www.vadamagazine.com

I’ve never really been a big fan of the Sci-fi genre, apart from a bit of an obsession with Doctor Who and a childhood love of Star Wars. But everyone’s allowed to like the odd film or TV show from a selection of different genres. However, recently I’ve found myself to be quite partial to the odd bit of Sci-fi.

Over the last few weeks I’ve basically shut myself out from the rest of the world, and immersed myself in the television show Heroes. After 77 episodes and copious amounts of hours dedicated to watching this show I can honestly say I’ve been converted to the Sci-Fi cause, but one of the main things I took away from the show was how much you can read Sci-fi, and this show in particular, as an allegory for gay rights.

This may sound a little strange, but let’s take a look at the whole thing. If you don’t like spoilers then stop reading now, but if you don’t mind them then carry on.

Firstly the show centres on a group of people who have certain abilities like telekinesis, mind reading, the power to heal themselves, stop time and fly, amongst many other different abilities. These people, also known as specials to those in the show, are hidden away in society afraid to come out so to speak, and show ‘normal’ people what they can do.

Throughout each season we see various scenarios about what will happen if they do come out. In some of these scenarios they are accepted, and in other scenarios, other members of society hunt them because they are scared of them.

This can be seen as reflective of what happened to gay people in society as for many years gay people stayed hidden, feeling that they were not the same as straight people and many lived in absolute fear of persecution, and many in certain countries still do, just like the specials.

Throughout the show, during flashback segments and primarily in season one, the majority of people with abilities don’t realise that there are others like them, just like many young people when they first realise that they are attracted to members of the same sex.

By season four of the series we are introduced to a group of specials living at a carnival as they were either rejected by friends or family, or simply had nowhere to turn, as they were different.

As many of us are aware, over the years many gay people around the world have suffered issues of rejection from friends and family and society in general, this in turn has resulted in communities being formed, the fact that we have LGBT pride parades are a prime example of this.

Sadly Heroes was cancelled at the end of season four, and judging by the final episode of the show, season five would have seen the specials integrating into society, being proud of who they are. However we will never know what would have happened to the specials. We can only assume that like gay people they would have integrated and gradually people would have learnt that they were not to be feared.

This would have been similar to when gay people finally came out of the closet, and after much persecution and resistance society learned that people from the LGBT community were not to be feared either. However, as we know this is not true of all places around the world, and many gay people are still persecuted and their fate at the moment is very much as mysterious as what happened to the specials. But as they mentioned several times in season four, the world and people can change, and one day this will hopefully be true of the whole world when it comes to LGBT rights. If many Sci-Fi programmes are to be believed, then it most definitely will.

No Room at the Inn

Originally posted on www.vadamagazine.com

Living in the UK, where equal rights for gay people are exceptionally better than many other places in the world, and where the debate for equal marriage has gained continued momentum, things only look like they’re going to go from strength to strength for LGBT issues. However, despite this there remains a certain degree of discrimination shown towards members of the LGBT community on a regular basis that we hear about in the news.

Just this week it emerged that a gay couple were refused a double room at a hotel in London by a receptionist who asked them numerous times: “are you sure you don’t want single beds?” (Nick Hurley, the person in question is pictured above).

Despite booking their room online, one of the men in question explained how he felt he and his partner had been treated in a homophobic way.

I doubt the same treatment would have been given to a straight couple if they arrived at a hotel room looking to share a bed.

However this treatment isn’t isolated to one particular case, but instead we can find a string of numerous news stories that highlight this type of treatment given to gay people.

Last year a gay couple won a court case against the owners of a B&B after they were turned away, despite booking the room and paying a deposit, because one of the owners claimed that allowing them to stay would violate her religious beliefs.

There were also two separate incidents in 2011 where a lesbian couple took legal action against a hotel after they claimed they were turned away for being gay. 2011 also saw the gay kiss pub protest after a gay couple were thrown out of the John Snow pub in Soho for kissing, which was called “obscene.”

Another incident in January 2013 saw a gay couple denied access to a bar because it was “couples only” and they were the wrong type of couple.

It’s awful to think that in 2013 some people still feel they can deny basic forms of equality such as sharing a bed or accessing a bar, simply because someone is gay. This in spite of The Equality Act making it illegal to refuse people goods and services on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Could you imagine if the roles were reversed and a gay person or couple denied a straight couple a hotel room simply because they were not gay, or if a person who doesn’t like children refused a family a table in a restaurant or a room at a hotel because they had a child? Well you couldn’t because this thing would probably never happen as it would be deemed ridiculous. Yet some people still think it’s OK to deny gay people basic rights.

The Thistle hotel involved in the incident in London has apologised to the couple involved, with spokesman Chris King telling ITV News: “From our initial investigations it appears that the couple booked through an online booking system which didn’t work properly and so when they arrived at the hotel there were no double rooms available. We are very sorry if the couple feel they have been badly treated and we are now looking into the situation.”

He added: “Having spoken to Mr. Hurley we understand that the couple were not too upset that there were no double rooms available, but rather with the manner in which this information was conveyed. We have offered them a free night in one of our hotels but they have refused this offer. Thistle does not tolerate homophobic behaviour and will investigate this matter thoroughly.”

Where as we can see public apologies being made and public protest, particularly in the incident with the Soho pub through the now infamous kiss protest, these are only the incidents we know about. Many people still feel as though they can’t come forward with their stories because they are scared or feel that there is no point, as nothing will be done.

But as we can see things are getting noted and acted upon, there is definitely a need to speak up and say something. Issues involving gay people are now being covered much more frequently by the press, and not in a negative manner, because gay people aren’t taking it anymore. People have been fighting for full equality for years and finally it looks like we may not be far from it, in the UK anyway.

Opinion: Gay TV Takeover?

Originally posted on ww.lgf.org.uk

Last week Brian Sewell hit the headlines after his attack on Coronation Street for its apparent unrealistic portrayal of homosexual characters within the soap, believing that there were too many. 

In his article Sewell wrote, “Is it true that the lives of heterosexual Mancunians are haplessly intertwined with transvestites, transsexuals, teenage lesbians and a horde of homosexuals across the age range? Is Manchester now the Sodom of the North?”

Well the answer to this is yes, and it’s not just up North where the lives of people from the LGB&T community have mixed with people of the heterosexual community, it’s happening all over Britain, as believe it or not in the 21st century people are out and proud and it is ok to be gay.

Sewell Mentioned in his column that there were far too many people from the LGB&T community in Coronation Street considering that only 6 percent of the population are gay.

How does he know this? How does anybody know this? That 6 percent is an estimation of how many gay people there are in the UK, as there is no official way of finding out the sexual orientation of many people, and with news items like this still being written in 2011 we may never know.

Think about it, in today’s day and age how much do we really know about the people living on our streets? 

If you’re like me, and most people in the UK today, then the answer is not a lot, so no one knows how many homosexuals are in fact living in one area, the only reason we know this on soaps is because we are given a window into the characters lives.

What is even more infuriating is the notion that having a few gay characters living in Coronation Street is deemed far-fetched or unbelievable, yet the thought of having serial killers pop up every few years is deemed perfectly fine. Tell me how many serial killers have lived on your street over the last 10 years? I can assure you it wont be as many as Coronation Street or any other soap has had. Well lets hope not anyway.

Eastenders has also come under criticism recently and wasn’t spared when it came to this article last week. The show caused outrage for showing two men in bed together, who were apparently naked (the horror), with people saying it should be shown after the watershed, but why? This is just a normal portrayal of a gay relationship. I can assure you I have seen heterosexual couples in bed together that are seemingly naked on several occasions over the years and not once have I heard uproar over that.

Apparently these people who are complaining are just thinking of the children, but how can they be thinking about the children when they want a true portrayal of a gay relationship banned until after the watershed? Surely they are just enforcing homophobic prejudices upon their children and telling them that if they are gay and lie in bed naked together with someone of the same sex then it’s a sin, where as being naked in bed with someone of the opposite sex is fine.

The recent teenage lesbian storyline shown on Coronation Street has had a significant impact on young people across the UK who are struggling with coming to terms with their sexuality, and it has shown them that being gay is nothing to be ashamed of, and we haven’t seen a sudden rise in teenage lesbians because of it have we? No, so what’s the problem?

According to Sewell there’s a new book called Primetime Propaganda by Benjamin Shapio, which argues that an exclusively liberal TV establishment shapes taste, style, politics and family life and attitudes, and complains that gay writers, directors and actors admit to promoting their own gay rights agendas.

Fair enough, maybe the writers and directors are using elements of Coronation Street to show gay characters and by doing this they are helping to portray members of the LGB&T community in a positive light, but to suggest propaganda just makes it sound as though some people haven’t progressed very much in the last 50 years.

On a final note, surely by attacking the soap and saying there are too many gay characters and suggesting that certain scenes should be shown after the watershed, isn’t the whole article that started this debate working as a piece of homophobic propaganda?

LGBT Domestic Violence

Originally posted on www.lgf.org.uk

Domestic violence is a term we have all heard of and understand as a terrible ordeal for anyone to go through, but it is something that isn't as widely acknowledged as happening within relationships in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGB&T) community.

Much previous research on domestic violence has concentrated on heterosexual relationships, with men widely being considered the perpetrator of the violence and women as the victims, the ordeal suffered by men and women within the LGB&T community is often ignored.

Due to the failure to acknowledge LGB&T relationships in much of the previous research on this subject, it is thought that this has played down the severity of the experience of domestic violence in LGB&T communities, as LGB&T people have only recently become aware of the seriousness of this problem, as their heterosexual counterparts.

A new study aims to find out more about incidents of LGB&T domestic violence.

Manchester Metropolitan University Post-Grad student, Laura M.Chant is looking for volunteers to explore their experiences anonymously.

Laura is a graduate of the University of Bolton is currently working alongside Greater Manchester Police on a research project entitled 'Same Sex Violence, Another Closet: Exploring the Victimisation of Unreported Abuse, and Associated Risk Factors, using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis', which explores domestic abuse within a minority population, with the hope of helping people who are suffering.

The research being conducted will help explore domestic violence in LGB&T relationships through the eyes of the victims themselves, identifying the significant experiences for them, which according to the researcher, does not appear to be the primary focus in previous research carried out. The research will then focus on exploring the experiences in relation to the dynamics of abuse, associated risk factors and reasons for un-reporting, the report uses its pioneering approach to help form the general area for this research.

This work is ultimately setting up the ground work to help members of the LGB&T community and the final report will be used to help inform the police of the risk and prevalence of domestic violence, inform ways that the police can promote awareness and encourage victims to come forward.

The findings of this report will be compiled within a thesis that will be available at the Manchester Metropolitan University and within a review report for the Greater Manchester Police.

The research subjects have been given total anonymity within the research findings.