Afraid to speak out.

When Coronation Street first started in 1960 homosexuality was still illegal. I haven’t watched it for years but I’m glad it’s moved on since then. The sexual offences act 1967 decriminalised home sexuality but the age of consent for gays was 21 until 1994, and 18 until 2001, when it was finally brought in line at 16. It sounds to me as if these storylines are reflecting real life and the changing nature of society, albeit exaggerated to make good television. After all, Midsomer surely wouldn’t have that many murders in real life.

If anyone disagrees with the law maybe they should write to their MP, though why anybody would disagree with it is beyond me. I’d find an ‘anti gay’ political movement far more frightening.

As you were.

After all, Midsomer surely wouldn’t have that many murders in real life. What must it do for house prices?

GillT57 a property developer could make a killing

I believe in the principle: 'I may not agree with what you say,
but I will defend to the death, your right to say it.'
Democracy depends on such beliefs.

There are so many gays on television now. It never used to be like this. Prime time light entertainment used to be full of strong heterosexual types like Frankie Howerd, Charles Hawtrey, Kenny Everett, Julian Clary, Eddie Izzard, Graham Chapman, Kenneth Williams, Michael Barrymore, Stephen Fry, Stanley Baxter, Larry Grayson, Gordon Kaye, Dustin Gee, John Sessions, Tony Slattery, Rosie O’Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres, Sue Perkins, Sandi Toksvig, Graham Norton, Paul O’Grady, Derren Brown, Clare Balding, Philip Schofield, Andi Peters, Christopher Biggins, Mark Curry, Alan Freeman, Dale Winton, Richard Wilson, Eddie Mair….

muffinthemoo. I applaud you, finest GN comment ever.

muffinthemoo

There are so many gays on television now. It never used to be like this. Prime time light entertainment used to be full of strong heterosexual types like Frankie Howerd, Charles Hawtrey, Kenny Everett, Julian Clary, Eddie Izzard, Graham Chapman, Kenneth Williams, Michael Barrymore, Stephen Fry, Stanley Baxter, Larry Grayson, Gordon Kaye, Dustin Gee, John Sessions, Tony Slattery, Rosie O’Donnell, Ellen DeGeneres, Sue Perkins, Sandi Toksvig, Graham Norton, Paul O’Grady, Derren Brown, Clare Balding, Philip Schofield, Andi Peters, Christopher Biggins, Mark Curry, Alan Freeman, Dale Winton, Richard Wilson, Eddie Mair….

???? great post

Well i never Muffinthemoo and the sad part of it that so many have had to keep quiet about who they are.

muffinthemoo
They weren’t snogging each other on a 7.30pm family soap though were they.
So point spectacularly missed.

No sorry point spectacularly made

Not at all Lucca.
Of course there’s always been gay people on TV, the vast majority openly gay, but we’re talking about a soap where gay men are kissing, that crosses a line for some people.
So trying to compare the wonderful Larry Grayson to gay men kissing in soaps is a bit crass.

jeanrobinson

I believe in the principle: 'I may not agree with what you say,
but I will defend to the death, your right to say it.'
Democracy depends on such beliefs.

Do you remember the court case where a street preacher was charged with ‘inflammatory language’ against homosexuals.
Peter Tatchell defended him.

Yep only closeted gay men are acceptable. What a way to ask people to live their life.

So gay men will only exist if they’re in Coronation Street? Played by straight men in at least 2 cases btw

Listen, I personally couldn’t care less, but I thought muffinthemoo post was actually quite insulting.

No that wasnt what I was saying. I was pointing out that Larry Grayson was only acceptable on TV because he wasnt open about being gay, whilst at the same time being very camp, it's always been a very odd contradiction. So he and others like him had to hide who he was (whilst not hiding at all) because people cant cope with reality.

So gay men will only exist if they’re in Coronation Street?

Said nobody ever.

I see the OP hasn’t been back to defend their views.

Galaxy

No that wasnt what I was saying. I was pointing out that Larry Grayson was only acceptable on TV because he wasnt open about being gay, whilst at the same time being very camp, it's always been a very odd contradiction. So he and others like him had to hide who he was (whilst not hiding at all) because people cant cope with reality.

But everyone knew and no-one made an issue about it.

Likewise with so many other people in muffin's list and others.

Likewise no-one made an issue about other comedians/celebrities who were/are heterosexual.

They just were/are people.
It shouldn't be relevant.

I see the OP hasn’t been back to defend their views.

I'm not surprised.
As one of our older Gransnetters, ExD may well have been frightened away by some of the posts.

muffinthemoo wins the internet ???

Alan Freeman bless him, I didn't know.

Really?
Alan Freeman, DJ in Tasmania, wore fluffy jumpers so gained the nickname Fluff.
On Radio Luxembourg which I used to listen to on my transistor radio, hidden under the bed clothes so Mum couldn't hear it!
He had such a lovely voice.

I had to google it Call and yes, its that Alan Freeman,

In a way its good I didn't know, because it doesn't matter. But in another, I hope that doesn't mean that he had to keep it secret.

I agree that it shouldn't be relevant but it is if people complain about gay men kissing on soaps whilst being happy about straight people kissing on soaps. Then it is relevant.

Agreed Galaxy.

I hope that some day, people will be able to be shown kissing a consensual adult partner of their choice at 7.30pm, regardless of that partner’s race, gender, disability status, or anything else that makes our very existence “crass” and “insulting” or “offends” people.

I hope that some day we all are accepted as real people with real feelings and real relationships, and not kept as sexless circus turns hosting game shows.

I hope some day not to disgust and insult people by the unchangeable fact of how I was born. I am sorry I am intrinsically offensive, despite living as a straight person. I didn’t choose to be how I am, and I have never hurt anyone by it either. I promise you, it would have been a lot easier to be born straight, and if I could change who I am, I would in an instant. I was raised in an environment that did not allow me to accept myself for me. I don’t ever want that for any other young person.

I hope that mine is the very last generation that didn’t have the right to a spouse and (adopted) children under the law because the chosen life partner was the ‘wrong’ gender.

I hope some day, the closet goes the way of jail and chemical castration and all the indignities heaped upon people like Alan Turing because he didn’t know how to pretend to be someone else.

I want young LGBT people to grow up without shame for just being who they are. I want us not to have to hide who we are and who we love anymore.

It seems like so little. Then some days I remember that for some folk, it is still too much to give us. I hope to live long enough to see that change.