22nd August 2007

Comment from Philip Booth: The SNJ covered the terrible story of the attack on a gay couple in Stroud - they used my photo of the rainbow flag (see left) to illustrate the story but failed to credit it or even give a quote - poor show! But congrats to them for highlighting this story front page and for their editorial. Here's my response:

The attack on a gay couple in Stroud last week that you reported on your front page is shock to many of us. It is particularly disappointing coming on the same day as the County's second hugely successful Gloucestershire Rainbow Day: an event aimed at promoting acceptance of our diverse community. Indeed this year it was great to see our own District Council also flying rainbow flags at Ebley Mill and the Subscription rooms.

Forty years on from the legalisation of homosexuality, this country has nearly embraced a culture of acceptance, but we still have a way to go. Shocking suicide statistics show that 40% of gay boys bullied at school have gone on to attempt suicide. We need a zero tolerance policy enshrined in legislation in exactly the same way as we deal with racial bullying.

It is wholly unacceptable that our main public-service broadcaster fails to seriously admonish, let alone punish, the Radio 1 breakfast show host, Chris Moyles, for using the word "gay" pejoratively. Did anyone stop to think that Moyles might in effect be endorsing homophobia in schools? Name calling on the grounds of sexuality should not be legitimate fodder for comedy.

We must also not forget that even in the EU, government and police attitudes sometimes encourage homophobic repression. It is truly horrifying to remember that there are 77 countries in the world where homosexuality is still a criminal offence punishable to by imprisonment or even execution. We must keep up the pressure on those countries to drop these draconian laws in line with international human rights standards – and common decency.

Please support a petition against hate crimes:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/LGBT-Hate-Crime

Cllr Philip Booth, District councillor for Randwick, Ruscombe and Whiteshill,

Stroud District Green party