Inciting Gay Hatred to be Banned!
In an attempt to further tackle hate crime the Labour Party has finally declared that inciting homophobic hatred will become a crime and therefore punishable under law. Jack Straw has since commented "it is a measure of how far we have come as a society in the last 10 years that we are now appalled by hatred and invective directed at people on the basis of their sexuality. It is time for the law to recognise this" when speaking on the second reading of the crimal justice and immigration bill.
This is just further evidence of the steps the Labour Party has took in the U.K. towards fighting injustice and inequality wherever it may occur. The Labour Party has consistently battled for equal rights for homosexuals.
In the 80s the age of consent for those in a homosexual relationship was 21.
We equalised it and changed it to 16, despite Tory opposition.
The Conservatives did nothing to prevent gay-hate crime which was at its height in the 80s during the AIDS epidemic. Stonewall (the gay lobby group) has reported that before the 97 Labour government:
* 34 percent of gay men and 24 percent of lesbians had been beaten up by queer-bashers
* 32 percent had experienced harassment, such as threats, graffiti, vandalism or blackmail
* 73 percent had been subjected to homophobic taunts or abuse
The Labour Party has increased the sentences for 'queer-bashers'
The Conservatives in the House of Lords attempted to prevent civil partnerships from ever seeing the light of day. Tory MP Andrew Rosindell even went so far as to say that homosexual relationships were 'inferior' to heterosexual ones, as well as being 'deeply offensive'.
To ensure equality the Labour Party introduced civil partnerships so that those in homosexual relationships had the same rights as married heterosexual couples.
This is just further evidence of the steps the Labour Party has took in the U.K. towards fighting injustice and inequality wherever it may occur. The Labour Party has consistently battled for equal rights for homosexuals.
In the 80s the age of consent for those in a homosexual relationship was 21.
We equalised it and changed it to 16, despite Tory opposition.
The Conservatives did nothing to prevent gay-hate crime which was at its height in the 80s during the AIDS epidemic. Stonewall (the gay lobby group) has reported that before the 97 Labour government:
* 34 percent of gay men and 24 percent of lesbians had been beaten up by queer-bashers
* 32 percent had experienced harassment, such as threats, graffiti, vandalism or blackmail
* 73 percent had been subjected to homophobic taunts or abuse
The Labour Party has increased the sentences for 'queer-bashers'
The Conservatives in the House of Lords attempted to prevent civil partnerships from ever seeing the light of day. Tory MP Andrew Rosindell even went so far as to say that homosexual relationships were 'inferior' to heterosexual ones, as well as being 'deeply offensive'.
To ensure equality the Labour Party introduced civil partnerships so that those in homosexual relationships had the same rights as married heterosexual couples.
posted by Lee Skevington at
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
2 Comments:
"The Conservatives did nothing to prevent gay-hate crime which was at its height in the 80s during the AIDS epidemic."
Pleeeease!
Come on, that's like arguing that the 1945 Labour Government did nothing about the issue either. There was homophobia then but did Atlee consider it a priority?
Times change and sensible parties change with it!
Yes that's very true Kevin, however Atlee's government wasn't one plagued by homophobic hate crime urged on by the AIDS epidemic. The circumstances were just a tad different, don't you think?
Please do feel free to enlighten me on the Conservative party's attitude towards this.
I am sure many of us are aware of the traditional homophobic attitudes of the Conservative Party. I am not saying that is still the case universally but old habits do certainly die hard.
Where is the Conservative commitment to ensuring equality for homosexuals? Need i mention section 28? Which i believe David Cameron voted against repealing. Feel free to correct me if i am wrong, but i am pretty sure he voted against allowing gay adoption too.
I know that David Cameron has made a concerted move to give the appearance of embracing homosexuality (despite his own voting record) but i am afraid i am sceptical.
Words only account for so much and actions speak so much louder and it is on the action where the Conservatives come up consistently lacking here.
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