Tag: Homophobia

The latest news about homophobia across the UK and the globe.

COMMENT | Is the gay community homophobic?

For a community that has a history of persecution, horror, and division it will always shock me that even to this day, the gay community remains deeply divided and discriminatory to itself.

In this article, a bit more of a serious one for a change, I want to explore some examples of this discrimination and my thoughts as to why I think this is so.

To start, I will freely admit that I am a white gay man 32 years of age (middle class if that means anything) with an average upbringing. I was not bullied at school for being gay, I was bullied for looking like Harry Potter long before HP was ‘cool’.

My family, until recently, has been fairly stable and while I have been through a lot professionally and personally in my own life since I was 18, most of my views and experiences come through the eyes of others. Having spent a number of years working with social care cases my empathy and ability to see your own pain and map of the world is something I treasure. And something, for this piece at least, gives me some insight that I hope you find relatable.

In this article, I don’t have time to go into the racism, ageism and various other ‘ism’ issues in the community but I will acknowledge them for the moment. I have no doubt all are linked, but racism and ageism isn’t necessarily a sexuality thing as straights have the same issues. We’ll get to them in another article. For the moment, I want to focus purely and simply on gay men hating other gay men for their sexuality.

The dictionary defines homophobia as a;

“dislike or prejudice against homosexual people”. There are many different definitions out there, including one that defines it as “a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards or people that are perceived as being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender”.

But let’s start with the simplest one as I prefer simple arguments. A “dislike or prejudice against homosexual people”. For this article, I am going to focus on gay men vs gay men. There are plenty of documented cases of gays vs lesbians, gays vs bisexuals and gays having a bash at transgender. The level of disgusting hate I see on F2M people’s profiles aimed at them from other gays is just an embarrassment on us all.

Now, this is not to say that all gays despise other gays. Far from it. But, there is enough evidence from all our experiences and local communities to say that there is an issue with gays hating and discriminating against other gays for being gay. Or rather, a version of gay that they don’t agree with.

A good example of this is the ‘straight gay’ hating on the ‘camp gay’.

Camp gays are widely seen by a number of other gay men as loud, annoying, embarrassing and a hangover from a day when gays were just seen as loud, camp and annoying. When they look at pride marches all they see is the camp gays and automatically assume all pride are this way and pride, the scene, and gay culture is geared solely for the camp gay. Think back, at least one of your friends that don’t really do the scene or rolls their eyes at a young camp gay guy has these opinions. And the fact that they will actively avoid the scene and prides is evidence of these underlying prejudices and resentment that fuels their preferences today.

Now, many of you will say ‘so what?’.

If someone wants to avoid the gay scene and community that should be their right and freedom right? And yes, you are correct. As someone that believes in free will you would be correct. But it doesn’t just stop there though does it? Take a look on social media, many of them go on little tirades of hate towards the scene and anything gay doing a job even Mary Whitehouse would be proud of. If you want to disconnect from the community and reject your history that is absolutely fine, but this online hate that is aimed at anyone daring to be ‘loud and proud’ is nothing short of homophobia.

If a straight man/woman did it we would accuse them of it, so why is it different because another gay man does it against a gay man?

In straight men at least, often such a phobia comes from their own fears and issues around their sexuality. How many staunch anti-LGBT people do we see be revealed to have secret gay hook-ups or eventually come out as gay when that hate runs out and what you are left with is a realisation. Therefore can the same logic be applied to the gay man that rejects his gay brothers? If things like pride, camp behaviour, ‘loud n proud’ are visual ‘in your face’ reminders of their sexuality and are therefore something to be avoided?

I can’t say that as I believe homosexuality means different things to different people and everyone expresses that differently. But this ‘hate’ comes from something. Otherwise, why would another gay man attack another gay man in such a fashion when they are plenty of straight people out there that would happily do it to us anyway?

I have no answers to this just some insights that it does happen and casual homophobia is everywhere. Maybe if we start to accept it for what it is, and start challenging it when we see it, maybe (just maybe) the gay community has a cat in hell’s chance of being the inclusive community it professes itself to be.

19th March 2019
COMMENT | Parents, protests and the LGBT Programme, Inside Parkfield Primary School
It almost seems defunct now the No Outsiders programme has been pulled from the school but here’s how my informal meeting went with Andy Moffat, Deputy Headteacher at the centre of the storm in which parents protested about having their children being taught “gay lessons”.

On the approach to Parkfield, I noted the sign announcing the school name. What will it bring? I thought.

There were no signs of Protestors at the gates or media pressing through. It was a quiet, subdued afternoon. I supposed all the school children had gone home. I walked through the gates and through the entrance.

What struck me most was the colour, the warm welcoming signs and the creativity of images plastered on the wall.

This was a school which was proud of its heritage, innovations and unique ways to celebrate diversity.

All the messages/images on the walls were created by children welcoming diversity and difference, embracing all the strands of the Equality Act 2010.

Andy welcomed me, smiling, with a warm handshake. I could see he was holding it together. We walked through the corridors and upstairs. I was looking for signs of this “gay agenda”.

All I could see was a celebration of diversity, questions, facts, images, statements, pinned on the walls.

It was incredibly inspiring. It was the type of school I would’ve liked to have attended when I was a child.

Andy introduced me to the Headteacher, who was complimentary about my appearance on The Big Questions.

I made several enquiries about the parents/protestors. Where was Fatima Shah now? And who is the man with the megaphone?

Fatima has kept a low profile since this furore broke out. The man spewing homophobic rhetoric isn’t even a parent and has no connection to the school at all.

Andy showed me the assembly hall. Again, the boards were covered with positive words and images about diversity and differences.

We talked for about an hour. I can’t share all that we spoke about, but it provided me with good insight about the No Outsiders programme, how he had created it with very good intentions, and how the school had supported him with his ethos.

“No Outsiders has run for four years without complaints until now”

The programme has been running in the school for four years without any complaints until now. Parents HAD been consulted and they were all on board with the idea and attended workshops.

Andy showed me the books in question. They are remarkable little books for kids, covering various aspects of family, race, religion, difference. In one book, it mentions there are families with 2 mummies or 2 daddies. That’s all. On one page. In a book. For little children. To highlight reality. And representation.

In another book, once again, it mentions in one line, LGBT. That is all.

I realised then, how passionate, committed and almost at breaking point Andy Moffat is. He’s really striving to make positive changes. As a white, middle-class teacher, he could’ve easily gone to ANY school in the UK. But no. He chose an inner-city school, knowing it was in a predominately Muslim location. His plan of action – to break the taboo or barriers and slowly encourage children and parents to learn and accept difference in relation to British values and law. As a gay man, why shouldn’t he introduce LGBTQ issues, discuss discrimination and LGBT- phobia? It exists and is part of life. Andy is working hard in his inner-city school to reduce or eliminate it.

However, those who are protesting have taken the step to not only try and damage his career, the education the children receive, the reputation of the school, they also damage what it means to be Muslim.

I heard about the vile death threats, the rumours, the intimidation, saw the images and videos…

The ironic thing is, the protestors are saying Andy is indoctrinating the children. But in talking so negatively about the lessons, taking the kids out of school, sharing negative petitions, and spouting homophobic comments, is placing them in that very same position. Are they not brainwashing, conditioning and indoctrinating the children?

It also reminds me of two things:
1. The controversy and furore surrounding The Satanic Verses 30 years ago. Many who protested hadn’t even read the book.
2. The interpretation of the Story of Lot and how it is declared by many who state it’s a sin to be homosexual when they haven’t even read it.
“Protesters are misrepresenting the wider Muslim community”

As Muslims protesting, I would say they need to take a step back, re-evaluate what they are doing, how they are misrepresenting the wider Muslim community and understand in not adhering to educational policies, standards, ethics and ethos, they are alienating themselves even more.

Why perpetuate the negative stereotypes in the media especially?

The protestors also need to stop braying like a lynch mob for the removal of the “gay lessons” and resignation of Andy and look to their own actions.

I’m sure this isn’t the way of Allah or the majority of Muslims.

I’m sure Allah said, seek knowledge before making a decision which might have a detrimental effect on oneself and others.

I’m sure Allah said, defend your faith but with good reason and irrational decisions are made out of fear.

I’m sure good Muslims take time out to reflect, review and reason before they judge others?

I’m sure Allah is watching and on the Day of Judgement ask the Protestors: What did YOU do to bring unity to the community?

As I’m part of the LGBT+ community and a person of faith, I really believe we need to be standing up together. We may have fought for our rights, but we really need to embrace our brothers and sisters who are similar to me.

We really need to strive for more action and positive changes to educate and include.

I thought the battle scars were healing, but this protest at Parkfield has opened old wounds.

Please don’t allow it to become another Section 28.
14th March 2019
Parkfield School caves into the demands of protesting parents over LGBT+ lessons

“Until a resolution can be reached No Outsiders will no longer be taught at Parkfield”

The school at the centre of a row over teaching children about LGBT+ relationships has cancelled its lessons, THEGAYUK has learned. Parents of children at Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham, had been planning another protest outside the school this morning, but have called off the demonstration after the school said it would no longer offer the lessons, which taught primary school-aged children about same-sex relationships and gender expressions.

The parents claim that the lessons infringe on their religious beliefs and that the lessons amounted to indoctrination of their children. Around 98 percent of the school’s population are Muslim.

A statement on the School’s website stated,

“Nothing is more important than ensuring our children’s education continues uninterrupted.

“Yesterday, both parents and the trust held constructive discussions with the Regional Schools Commissioner, and as a result of these discussions we are eager to continue to work together with parents, over the coming days and weeks to find a solution that will support the children in our school to continue their education in a harmonious environment.

“Until a resolution has been reached, No Outsiders lessons will not be taught at Parkfield and we hope that children will not be removed from school to take part in protests.”

“No evidence” that lessons weren’t age-appropriate

In a report released earlier this week, Ofsted said there was no evidence the curriculum overly focused on LGBT issues and that it is taught in an age-appropriate way. In reality, the lessons focus on race, religion, gender identity, age and disabilities. Despite this, the No Outsiders programme has caused many parents of children at the school to demonstrate and around 600 children were removed from classes by their guardians at the beginning of March 2019.

Parents “Welcome” the move

In a statement on the Alumrock Community group, parents wrote that they welcomed the move and demanded that a new programme needed to be “negotiated”, writing

We, the representatives of Parkfield Parents Group have had a positive meeting with the Department of Education to discuss serious concerns we have with the ‘No Outsiders’ programme and its implentation at Parkfield School.

We made our position clear, that the No Outsiders programme cannot continue to be taught at Parkfield School and that a new programme needs be negotiated, with which parents are happy and meets the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

The school have agreed that “Until a resolution has been reached , No Outsiders lessons will not be taught at Parkfield”.

In view of this development, we have decided to postpone the protest for Thursday 14th March 2019. We will await further developments early next week when we expect detailed proposals to be tabled. We will then review our actions with respect to protests and schoolwide withdrawal of children.

We have advised and notified parents that the protest scheduled for Thursday 14th March 2019 is not taking place and that we are keeping future protests under review inview of developments.

We welcome these developments and reiterate that the school needs to work with parents in a spirit of partnership and cooperation and not against them in educating their children.

14th March 2019
Parkfield parents in Birmingham plan to protest LGBT+ equality lessons again

Parents of children at Parkfield Primary School are planning another protest outside the school over LGBT+ equality lessons.

It’s a sad state of affairs as parents of children who attend the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham are set to demonstrate outside the school on Thursday morning from 8:20 AM till 9:20 AM, despite an Ofsted report that states that the lessons are age appropriate.

Parents from the school who are apparently 98 per cent Muslim have questioned the age appropriateness of the lessons and argue that they had not been consulted with over the lessons, which have been labelled as “toxic”.

Parents of children at the Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham have said that they will protest outside the school grounds every Thursday until the equality lessons, called No Outsiders, dealing with social issues, including LGBT+ relationships are cancelled permanently. In reality, the lessons focus on race, religion, gender identity, age and disabilities.

The school is due to provide just five of its No Outsiders lessons for its students over the course of the year.

A poster, which is advertising’s the protest outside the school is being shared on Facebook.

At the beginning of March around 600 children were removed by their parents in protest to the planned lessons. The school has said that it will continue with the lessons next term.

13th March 2019
Ofsted says “No evidence” that Birmingham School’s No Outsiders lessons are age-inappropriate

Ofsted has said there was no evidence the curriculum overly focused on LGBT issues and that it is taught in an age-appropriate way.

Parents at the Parkfield Primary school in Birmingham had criticised the school’s No Outsiders lessons as age-inappropriate over some of its focus on LGBT+ relationships and gender expressions, but a report today from Ofsted has now said that the lessons are not taught in an age-inappropriate manner and do not overtly focus on LGBT+ issues.

In reality, the lessons focus on race, religion, gender identity, age and disabilities. Despite this, the lessons have caused many parents of children at the school to demonstrate outside the school and around 600 children were removed from classes by their guardians at the beginning of March 2019.

Headteacher David Williams described the report as “great news”, according to the BBC.

The inspection by Ofsted was arranged after parents said that they were concerned over the leadership at the school.

In his report, Ofsted’s senior inspector Peter Humphries said, “A very small, but vocal, minority of parents are not clear about the school’s vision, policies and practice.

“This group of parents feel that staff do not sufficiently listen to their concerns.

“Their view is that PSHE education and equalities curriculum focuses disproportionately on LGBT issues and that this work is not taught in an age-appropriate manner.

“Inspectors found no evidence this was the case.”

12th March 2019
Birmingham Cllr, speaks out over Parkfield Parents LGBT Protest

The Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities, Cllr John Cotton has spoken out at the anti-LGBT protest held at Parkfield Community School in Birmingham.

As hundreds of parents and students stood in protest outside Parkfield Community School yesterday shouting “Shame” over lessons aimed at teaching inclusivity and equality for LGBT+ people, one of Birmingham‘s leading politicians, Cllr John Cotton has spoken up to remind Birmingham’s residents that the city has been built on “tolerance and mutual respect” and that insulting language has no place in the city.

His statement read,

“Birmingham City Council’s first priority will always be to stand up for the rights of all children, whoever they are and whatever kind of family they are from. This city is built upon diversity and we value and celebrate difference as a strength.

“For many years, the council has supported various programmes, including No Outsiders, as a means of promoting the values of the 2010 Equality Act and ensuring all protected characteristics are respected. We have also championed the importance of ongoing dialogue and consultation with parents, so everyone is clear about what is and is not being taught in the classroom.

“We remain concerned at the continued protests by parents of Parkfield School and urge both the school and parents to come together in the spirit of cooperation in the best interests of the children. Parkfield School is an academy, but in spite of the restrictions this places upon the council’s scope to act, officers have been closely involved in supporting Parkfield and its staff.

“We are working with the Regional Schools Commissioner – which is responsible for academies – to address this issue. Whilst we recognise that parents have concerns, continuing protests only serve to attract extreme fringe movements taking an opportunity to further messages of division and hate.

“In recent days, we have been appalled to see attempts to divide the people of our city by using insulting and incendiary language targeting the LGBT community. This has no place in our city. Birmingham is a place of tolerance and mutual respect, where people of all faiths and none, all sexualities, all ethnicities, come together in pursuit of a common aim. This council will continue to champion these values and support all communities in putting them into action.”

8th March 2019
Stonewall affirms its support of No Outsiders

The UK’s largest LGBT+ charity Stonewall says it is pleased that Parkfield Community School has reaffirmed its approached to LGBT+ acceptance.

Stonewall UK, the UK’s largest LGBT+ charity has stood by Parkfield Community Primary and its “No Outsiders” campaign saying that it is vital that children “learn about and celebrate diversity at all ages”, but added that it was essential for the school to work with the parents and the wider community to resolved their concerns.

The statement was released on the 6th March by Mo Wiltshire, the Director of Education for Stonewall.

Today hundreds of parents protested outside the primary school in Birmingham and demanded that the “No Outsiders” classes be abolished and called for the resignation of its creator, Andrew Moffat.

The school has been planning to deliver around five lessons to its pupils during the year.

“This approach also teaches children the invaluable lesson of acceptance, reducing the likelihood of bullying in the long run”

Wiltshire continued, “Schools that strive to create inclusive environments do so because they know the benefits this has for the whole school community. Not only do children feel able to talk about who they are and who their families are, but this approach also teaches children the invaluable lesson of acceptance, reducing the likelihood of bullying in the long run.

“We work closely with many faith schools and faith communities around the country to help them deliver LGBT-inclusive education to children and young people.

“We’re pleased Parkfield Community School has reaffirmed its commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all its pupils and we’re also pleased that it’s planning more conversations with parents and the wider community to resolve concerns, because the support of the community is essential in creating this inclusive approach.’

7th March 2019
Parents at Parkfield School say they’ll protest every Thursday until No Outsiders is cancelled

Protesting parents outside Parkfield Primary school in Birmingham have said that they protest every Thursday until the pro-LGBT+ equality lessons provided by the school are cancelled permanently.

Parents of children at the Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham have said that they will protest outside the school grounds every Thursday until equality lessons, called No Outsiders, dealing with LGBT+ issues are cancelled permanently.

The school is due to provide just five of its No Outsider lessons for its students over the course of the year.

Last week around 600 children were removed by their parents in protest to the planned lessons. The school has said that it will continue with the lessons next term.

A crowd of parents and their children gathered outside the school this morning from around 8:20 AM with at least three speakers present, including one from an American Christian organisation, who congratulated the parents on their protest. The protests have taken places for around four weeks.

There was also a large media presence and police presence at the demonstration.

The protest was filmed and streamed on Facebook live.

Parents at the school have suggested that the lessons are “not age appropriate” and that they infringe of their children’s belief as well as their own religious beliefs and suggesting that the lessons were a “safeguarding issue”.

7th March 2019
Noxious substance thrown in the face of two men in ‘homophobic assault’

Police in London are looking to speak with victims of a suspected homophobic assault where a corrosive substance was thrown in the faces of the victims.

Police were called to McDonald’s on Brixton Road, SW9 at 04:00hrs on Saturday, 19 January following reports of an unknown substance being sprayed in the face of two men.

Officers attended and found two 22-year-old men who said they had been attacked at a bus stop.

Police report that the men advised they had been sprayed in the face with a noxious substance, believed to be pepper spray, by a man in a hate crime attack.

The men were treated at the scene by paramedics and did not require hospital treatment.

Two other men were allegedly attacked in a similar assault 20 minutes earlier.

Detectives investigating the assault have identified that two other men may have been the victims of a similar assault in a nearby KFC 20 minutes earlier on the same night.

“Unprovoked Attack”

geralt / Pixabay

Detective Constable Amy Cross, of Lambeth CID, said, “This was a completely unprovoked and targeted assault on at least two members of the public, with a possible further two victims not yet in contact with police.

“Both the attack and the homophobic motivation of this assault are abhorrent and I appeal to anyone with any information that could assist the investigation to come forward.’

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lambeth CID by dialling 101 and quoting reference CAD 1206/19JAN19, Tweet @MetCC or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

7th March 2019
Parents are planning another mass protest outside Birmingham school over LGBT+ classes

Parents from Parkfield Community school are planning a protest outside the school on Thursday over LGBT+ equality classes.

Parkfield Community Primary school in Birmingham is to become a protest ground for parents who are against the school’s plans to hold No Outsiders classes – a campaign where the ethos is to promote LGBT+ equality, inclusivity and to question transphobia and homophobia in primary schools.

In an interview on Facebook live on the ArunRock community page, one community leader said that there was to be a mass protest outside the school on Thursday and told viewers to attend whether they were parents of children at the school or not.

On Friday last week, around 600 children were removed by their parents from the school in protest of the No Outsiders lesson.

The school have said that there are no plans to hold these lesson this term – as it focuses on religious studies for the rest of the term.

A statement from the group reads,

“The majority of parents at Parkfield are extremely unhappy with the fact that no consultation has taken place on the age appropriateness of the material used to teach their children.

“As a result of this most parents have signed a letter to the governors calling for the immediate abolition of the “No Outsiders” programme.

“As parents we have a right over our children & want to make sure we are consulted what is being taught.”

6th March 2019
School at the centre of LGBT+ lesson protest, says headlines are misleading

Parkfield Community school in Birmingham, which has been at the centre of a row over its LGBT+ equality lessons says that headlines about it stopping lessons is “misleading”.

stevepb / Pixabay

The school, which was faced with the removal of hundreds of children over plans to introduce LGBT+ relationship and equality lessons, called No Outsider, has said that headlines suggesting it had stopped the lessons was “misleading”. It quoted a headline from The Guardian newspaper.

In a single Tweet, the school, wrote, “We are concerned this headline is misleading. Parent meetings/ workshops are soon to begin and our no outsiders work continue”.

https://twitter.com/ParkfieldSchool/status/1102684438583042048

The tweet echoed a letter sent to the parents of children at the school which said,

“Up to the end of this term, we will not be delivering any No Outsiders lessons in our long term year curriculum plan, as this half term has already been blocked for religious education (RE).

“Equality assemblies will continue as normal and our welcoming No Outsiders ethos will be there for all.

The school has now confirmed that they have put the lessons on hold and will, according to The Guardian, “resume only after a full consultation with every parent”.

The letter continued,

“The discussions were a helpful first step and identified the key issues that are concerning parents, including the ethos, the books, the age appropriateness, the lessons and the assemblies. The agreed outcome of the meeting was the need to have a discussion with the school community about the No Outsiders curriculum and how it should be delivered.

According to The Guardian, around 600 children from predominately Muslim families were removed by their parents from a school in Birmingham on Friday in protest.

THEGAYUK has reached out for comment from the school, but has not heard back.

5th March 2019

Tag: Homophobia

For a community that has a history of persecution, horror, and division it will always shock me that even to this day, the gay community remains deeply divided and discriminatory to itself.

If a straight man/woman did it we would accuse them of it, so why is it different because another gay man does it against a gay man?

It almost seems defunct now the No Outsiders programme has been pulled from the school but here’s how my informal meeting went with Andy Moffat, Deputy Headteacher at the centre of the storm in which parents protested about having their children being taught “gay lessons”.

“No Outsiders has run for four years without complaints until now”

“Protesters are misrepresenting the wider Muslim community”

“Until a resolution can be reached No Outsiders will no longer be taught at Parkfield”

“No evidence” that lessons weren’t age-appropriate

Parents “Welcome” the move

Parents of children at Parkfield Primary School are planning another protest outside the school over LGBT+ equality lessons.

Ofsted has said there was no evidence the curriculum overly focused on LGBT issues and that it is taught in an age-appropriate way.

The Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities, Cllr John Cotton has spoken out at the anti-LGBT protest held at Parkfield Community School in Birmingham.

The UK’s largest LGBT+ charity Stonewall says it is pleased that Parkfield Community School has reaffirmed its approached to LGBT+ acceptance.

“This approach also teaches children the invaluable lesson of acceptance, reducing the likelihood of bullying in the long run”

Protesting parents outside Parkfield Primary school in Birmingham have said that they protest every Thursday until the pro-LGBT+ equality lessons provided by the school are cancelled permanently.

Police in London are looking to speak with victims of a suspected homophobic assault where a corrosive substance was thrown in the faces of the victims.

Two other men were allegedly attacked in a similar assault 20 minutes earlier.

“Unprovoked Attack”

Parents from Parkfield Community school are planning a protest outside the school on Thursday over LGBT+ equality classes.

Parkfield Community school in Birmingham, which has been at the centre of a row over its LGBT+ equality lessons says that headlines about it stopping lessons is “misleading”.