Pride.

Yup!

You mean for employment?

Some of the places I know if you ain't gay you ain't in! Its a sort of positive discrimination. I suppose its very different in a large city than a quieter area though.

Same for me Jane, but I doubt it is an advantage , it is accepted in the arts , not an advantage or disadvantage , just accepted. Sadly not so for many.

So many Anniebach. The most obvious being the arts in general and I have specific experience of certain companies and departments within organisations where the staff is laughingly referred to as a 'gay mafia'. This is not pejorative btw. I've been called a faghag before now and be proud of it. Sadly I've also had to be someone's 'beard' as a woman accompanying a gay man who is not 'out' is called. I'm proud to have a number of friends who just happen to be gay.

Jane, in which fields is it almost an advantage ?

You can't go by celebrities.I personally don't know many gay men,but we have two friends who have been together for over 50 years.Lovely lovely people,and to everyone they are just D--- & J--- . Not treated any different and don't act any different although one of them is definitely the woman,he's always moaning about J--- being useless in the home.

No its not. However, its much much better than it was. I've had gay friends since before it was legalised and well remember how exceptionally difficult it was for some. In certain fields its almost an advantage these days. Hooray!

I was repeating what homophobics have said to me,

strange that Fry had the need to announce he doesn't partake in that sex act , would men in heterosexual relationships have the need to deny they have sex? No, let's not think life is great for all gays coming out now , it is not.

Umm heterosexuals commit (what a word- don't we mean practice or just do) buggery (there's another word) too, don't they? Taking it up the bum as it's known. Surely we accept there's a variety of sexual experiences in most relationships?

Ruby, you have asked every gay person if they do not comit buggery ? And because Fry saud he doesn't you believe this is throughout the gay community?

They certainly have. Thank goodness.

The article was 7 yeas ago and he came out 20 years previously?
I think both society and Everett's career have moved on considerably since then don't you?

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1232588/Rupert-Everett-Coming-gay-actor-ruined-career-Hollywood.html

Well, according to Rupert Everett, Rupert Everett's career dived when he came out, but what would Rupert Everett know, eh?

I don't think Rupert Everett 's career has done anything other than go from strength to strength! Not to mention other leading actors and "celebrities". It is easier in the world of the Arts, but not exclusive , hence sportsmen and women, politicians etc
Focus on the person, not their skin colour, religion or sexuality - surely we can do that these days?
<sigh>

ruby - there are some gay sports stars but it's still career damaging in certain sports, which is a bloody shame. Rupert Everett is on record as saying that his career nose dived after coming out, which is why so many top Hollywood actors still have to pretend to be straight.

We still live in a world where White, straight male is the default. I hope things continue to improve but we still have a long, long way to go.

Annie Not all gay guys partake in this act, at all. Stephen Fry has been known to have said that he has never done this. So maybe your homophobic people have the wrong idea of gay men?

LSP Of course there are gay sports stars, they are coming out all the time these days. And actors, loud and proud, maybe you just don't watch the programmes where the gay actors are performing. On QI the other week, here were more gay people than straight. Not that this matters, to me at least, I admire people for their talent, not their sexuality although if Susan Calman (comidian) is short of a date, she can have my number.

I do think it's being attracted to the person, not the gender of the person.

I have spoken to many homophobics and not one said it was a sin, they thought buggery was disgusting

I think if our society didn't ram heterosexual down our throats then most people would have relationships with both sexes.

Whilst some things have improved being gay is still a harder choice. We still live in a world where people die because they are gay. The uk is better than it was 20 years ago but far from perfect. There are almost no gay sports stars, hardly any gay actors and homosexuality is still disguised amongst politicians and actors as they know it could affect their careers.

Out dated patriarchal religions have a lot to answer for as there are still people who believe being gay is a sin, in america attitudes like this are on the rise amongst the Nazis alt right.

I had forgotten it was on until Ruby's post. Only the 1st January and I have discovered something new! "Rented" the film on my iPad, didn't know you could do that. Thanks ruby, brilliant film

We saw it a while ago and loved it.

I watched it last week on catch up I bawled and wondered how I had missed watching this before and I hadn't realised the miners marched in 1985 . I've always believed that everyone has a 'gay' gene that can be activated if the circumstances are right, for the majority that is suppressed or not recognised. Just my opinion.

I recorded it but have not had the time to watch it yet. I was not sure about it.