I don’t tend to talk specific party politics on here very often but the political landscape in the UK has been messier than an episode of Real Housewives (no shade, I love Real Housewives) for quite some time now. With Boris Johnson resigning as the Conservative Leader, his time as Prime Minister is coming to an end and we will have someone new leading the country. I just want to say that I have never voted Conservative and it is highly likely that I never will. I have a persistent mistrust of the Conservative Party. That being said, I think it is important to know what MP's stand for, regardless of whether they are someone you would vote for, especially when they are the party in power.

As I’ve gotten older and become more politically aware, I have found myself getting into the habit of checking the voting records of MP's who are potentially going to be in power or a member of the cabinet, regardless of the party they are affiliated with. Call it a case of ‘know thy enemy’ if you will. When I look at voting records there are certain areas of specific interest which I prioritise and LGBTQ+ rights are obviously going to be right up at the top of that list of importance. I want to know whether or not my rights as a gay man and the rights of this community are safe or whether there could be a potential threat. I think it would be foolhardy and naive to believe that now we have certain rights, they would never be taken away. Recent behaviour from politicians in the USA is all the proof you need that this isn’t the case.

So that is what today's article is about. I’m looking at the current Conservative leadership battle, the individuals in the running and their track record when it comes to voting for or against LGBTQ rights. It should go without saying that LGBTQ+ rights are not the only topic of importance when it comes to politics but it’s usually my starting point. Of course, you can absolutely get this same information from a dozen other articles, but I also feel it is important to get that information out there so the more places we shout about it, the more we ensure it doesn’t get ignored. If you want to find more detail on voting records, I have included a link with each of the MP's names. While only one of these is going to become the Conservative leader and Prime Minister, it is clear that they all have ambitions for the 'top job' and therefore it is worth keeping an eye on them all.

This being a blog about life from my 'gay' perspective, I have written about coming out several times in the past. Whether that be about my own coming out, or because another famous person has, it is a subject that never really goes away. Every time a celebrity or the like comes out and it is splashed across the media I find myself circling back to my own coming out and what the culture was like back then. From my perspective and in contrast with my own experience, coming out does seem to have gotten 'easier' in terms of the fact that society is that little bit more accepting. I am in no way diminishing the experience of LGBTQ youth who are still discovering who they are and allowing the world to know it. I dare say that, for them, there is nothing easy about it regardless of the society we find ourselves in. 

This is further compounded by the fact that, no matter how far we have come, there is always a narrative that comes to the surface every time a famous person comes out. First off there is always an element of "I'm not homophobic but I don't want it rammed down my throat", which irritates me no end and I have written about that before HERE. A number of heterosexual people seem obsessed with the notion that somehow homosexuality is being forced upon them just because someone came out or because there is a pride event.  It really isn't being 'rammed' anywhere and I'd like to refer back to the way one of my readers put it (and made me laugh so hard that I nearly spat coffee across my laptop)... "I mean, don't be on your knees with your mouth wide open".

In addition, you also hear or read the narrative that "You have equality now, why do you even need to come out?". Oddly enough I actually agree in a certain regard. Why do we need to come out? Why do we need to be out and proud and vocal about it? Surely it is nobody else's business. It is personal and private. That being said, it would also be remiss of me to ignore the many reasons that people do come out. I have a great many of my own feelings on the answers to those questions which are for another day. If you find you can't answer then I have to wonder how blissfully unaware you are of the realities of being LGBTQ in 2022 can be for so many. Despite the legal equalities we have, it is still incredibly important that we continue striving for social equality as there is a long way to go. I've written about this too back HERE.

Anyway, this brings me to the main point of this article and the subject I find myself circling back to so frequently. It is another one of those subjects that I wish heterosexual people had some understanding of. Coming out is not a one-time deal. As LGBTQ people, once we find the strength and courage to be our authentic selves and feel safe enough for the world around us to know that, we come out. We step out of that closet. We tell our nearest and dearest, in what can genuinely be some of the most terrifying conversations, our truth. Even with the most accepting and open-minded people around us, the thought of coming out can evoke the fear of outright rejection. Those fears may very well be unfounded but they do exist. For many of us, once we do come out and get over that hurdle of anxiety we find ourselves in a situation where it never stops. None of us gets to just come out and that be it. The door of the closet behind us remains open ajar because of society, despite our best efforts to slam it shut and it seems more doors are ahead of us. You find yourself coming out again and again and again.

Almost every time you are introduced to someone who is not in your friend or family circle. Every time you start a new job or a new employee starts a job at your current employment. Every time you have to fill out forms or documentation that is going to be seen by a complete stranger. I could go on with the many many situations in which we find ourselves 'coming out' again but if my point isn't entirely clear I thought I would share a couple of examples of occasions where I found myself coming out... again!

One of which was as simple as having a conversation over the phone with a bank or phone company or something. I honestly can't remember what I was calling for but at one point they wanted me to commit to something and I said that I would like to discuss it with my other half. The response I got was as predictable as it was assumptive, 'oh, yes, would you like to discuss it with her and give us a callback?'

Of course, I could have just ignored the assumption that my other half was a female. Was it really a big deal? Did it really matter that a complete stranger made that assumption? Again, it's a conversation I come back to time and time again. No, it shouldn't matter that someone made that assumption but it did. I didn't spend years finding the strength to come out to then have it just ignored and to find myself being pushed back into that closet so to speak. Naturally, I corrected them at the time. Which in effect, means that I was coming out to a complete stranger over the phone. 

This type of coming out happens all the time. Even for those of us who society deems as 'obviously' gay (apparently I am...), we have experienced questions such as, "do you have a girlfriend/wife?. If we mention a partner we get asked what HER name is. And every time we are presented with questions like these that essentially refer back to some heteronormative expectation and assumption, we come out again.

I should note that in some ways, it has actually become more notable since I became a parent. I want to be clear, I don't exactly begrudge people for their assumptions. Especially when those assumptions are a reflection of the wider society we live in. It is a learning process for everyone. That being said, it still hits hard every time. A particular example of this would be when we were at an airport ready to fly out to Florida for our daughter's first birthday. We were browsing the duty-free store and we got, well actually, our daughter got asked, twice, within fifteen minutes, 'Where's your mum?'... Cue a particularly withering eye roll from me to my husband. I guess, generally speaking, what I am questioning here is whether most people don't really think too much about asking such personal questions and making assumptions about complete strangers? Is that ok?

I am sure there might be some people reading this who think that this isn't such a big deal or that we should just ignore it. I wish it were that simple. As I say, it took me a few years to accept my sexuality and even more to be out and proud, to be a defender of it and the community that it means I am a part of. I mean, what kind of example am I setting to my daughter if I don't correct that assumption and be my authentic self? What I am teaching her in that moment? Granted, she was only one year old at the time, but you get my point! Of course, as an isolated incident, it probably seems trivial but that is the thing. It is not an isolated incident for us. It happens far more frequently than I ever would have imagined. 

For many years, I would refer to my husband as my 'partner' or 'other half'. Just like so many others do I am sure. However, the reason I was referring to him like this, especially in new social situations with strangers was bourne out of that fear of rejection or in an attempt to avoid a potentially homophobic confrontation. I would keep my sexuality secret in those new social or work-related environments until I was confident that I was in a safe space to be open and honest. Sometimes it would take maybe just a few minutes, other times it could take months. My real point here is that, rightly or wrongly, I was in a position where I was keeping my authentic self a secret. To me, that says it all. The fact that I felt I had to hide in order to avoid a confrontation or even a potentially dangerous situation speaks volumes about the society we live in. 

You could absolutely argue that it was all in my head and my fears were unfounded. In certain instances but not all, I would actually agree. I also can't deny those fears existed and for good reason too. It probably seems to many that whether I say husband or other half is just a trivial turn of phrase but I can assure you it isn't. It took me many years to build up the confidence to refer to myself as gay, or use terms like 'husband' and effectively out myself right from the off. Where I was once fearful of a potential situation, I am now in a place where I am able to force myself to think positively for want of a better word. I have found enough strength to ignore those fears and in essence, assume that I am in a safe space whilst still being fully prepared for a situation where I may be confronted with homophobia if my assumption is wrong. It has taken me literally years to build the strength to not only deal with homophobia but also face it head-on and fight back. Heck, the fact that I (sporadically) write this blog is very much a part of that.

Regardless of sexuality, we all know what it feels like to have assumptions made about ourselves. We all know what it feels like when we feel we have to hide something about ourselves. To a certain extent, everybody experiences that feeling of 'coming out' in their own way. Everyone is doing their best to be their authentic self and potentially share a secret that they have protected for many years for a whole myriad of reasons. For all of us, that can come with a truckload of fear and anxiety. To quote one of my favourite lines from Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Musical:

No matter how tough you think you are... no matter how immune you think you've become... it still hurts.

 

Netflix

Heartstopper began streaming on the Netflix platform one week ago today and I, like so many others, am a little in love with it. Based upon the webcomic and graphic novels written by Alice Oseman, it is a coming-of-age, coming out, teenage romance story. I actually hadn’t heard of the story until the screen version was released and my Twitter feed became all abuzz with praise for the show. The husband and I ended up binge-watching the entire series in a single night and we enjoyed it so much that we are hopeful that a second series is coming soon.

In no time at all, Heartstopper has become a critical hit, scoring a ‘Certified Fresh’ 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes while hitting the Top 10 Netflix shows in numerous countries within days of its release. In that sense I don’t feel I really need to review it as such. I’m pretty sure a big chunk of the people reading this have already seen it and are aware of the praise it is getting too so you’d probably learn nothing new. The story, the scripting, the performances from the cast, the cinematography, the soundtrack… everything about it is just so beautifully done. I genuinely couldn’t find a fault with any of it. That being said, the show has given me some thoughts that I wanted to dive into and share.

The show feels so quintessentially British and is centered on the experiences of school or sixth form age teenagers - age 16-18 for my non-Brit friends who have no idea what 'sixth form' is. It's very clear that the show has been produced with that audience demographic in mind but, as I've already said, that didn't stop us from enjoying it. As a ‘creeping ever closer to 40’ age gay guy there is definitely a big contrast between the teenage experiences that this show presents and the experiences I personally had as a teen in the 90s.

This initially started off with my writing a small piece as part of my ‘This Week’ articles but I ended up writing quite a bit more so now I’ve made it a separate article.

I can’t believe that, after almost three years since the government pledged to put a step to conversion therapy in the UK, any form of legislation still has not been brought forward. Actually, scratch that, I can believe it, given this governments track record. Granted, I’ll give some grace here for the fact that they have also been dealing with a global pandemic over the last year. That is a priority as it should be, but this conversation has been ongoing since long before the pandemic.

The much-needed legislation was discussed in March, but the update given by equalities minister Kemi Badenoch was at best, vague. No actual commitments were made on when the legislation would be brought forward or what form it would take when it does. As a result of the dawdling, three members of the LGBT Advisory Panel stepped down and it has since been announced that the panel has now been disbanded. On top of all that, prime minister Boris Johnson has said in a letter to the Evangelical Alliance that any legislation will not apply to adults who seek “pastoral support” from churches while exploring sexual orientation or gender identity.

Call me cynical, but Johnson’s comments sound like they are already planning to facilitate a back door for conversion therapy to continue, on religious grounds. It is beginning to look like this is legislation is no longer going to be an outright ban on the controversial practice. Arguably, it is too soon to make any assumptions about what this legislation will actually dictate but these not so early warning signs aren’t filling me with confidence. The fact that the Minister for Women and Equalities, Liz Truss, has now disbanded the LGBT Advisory Panel also adds to my concern, not just because of conversion therapy, but because it is another removal of voices for the LGBTQ+ community. A community that has fought long and hard to be heard at all.

What I find most frustrating about this discussion is that scientifically speaking, there is no reliable evidence that these ‘conversions’ work and actually there is more evidence to suggest that they are ineffective and potentially harmful. Conversion therapy is pseudoscientific in that it consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that claim to be both scientific and factual but are incompatible with the scientific method. Pseudoscience can be very dangerous in that it can drive people away from proven scientific breakthroughs such as vaccines (topical I know!). Historically, pseudoscientific theories have even led to racism and genocide.  

Why is the actual science being ignored here? If we have learned anything over the last year, surely it is that we need to pay more attention to science, not less. With an ever-increasing awareness of mental health, including the mental health of those within the LGBTQ+ community, now is the time for governments to be listening to the scientists and health care professionals when it comes to this barbaric and homophobic practice.

Many of those that argue in favour of these conversions use ‘religious belief’ as justification for the therapy. I am so tired of this notion that religious beliefs entitle people to dictate a complete stranger’s life. I do not begrudge anyone of any faith their beliefs. I swear I have said this so many times before. In terms of religion, everyone is entitled to believe whatever they like however that does not give them license to dictate how anyone else should live their lives.

To reduce this down to a most simplistic analogy (and one I may have made before), I personally do not feel that pineapple belongs on a pizza. For me, it is gross and a bit weird. It goes against my ‘belief’ that fruit (and don’t start with me about tomatoes – I tend to go for a barbecue base anyway haha) should not be on a pizza. Does that mean I get to dictate to everyone else that they can’t have pineapple on pizza anymore? Does that mean I can use torturous methods in an attempt to ensure people never try to have pineapple on pizza anymore? It sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? I can’t do those things and neither would I want to. Instead, I just don’t have pineapple on pizza, and I let anyone who does enjoy it do exactly that.

Of course, the conversation of homosexuality in relation to religious beliefs is far more complex but it really doesn’t have to be. Those who do hold religious beliefs just need to understand that it does not give them any right to impose those beliefs on anyone else. Conversion therapy is a potentially dangerous method of imposing those beliefs on others. It should not be allowed.

There is no reason to continue delaying this legislation. It has been almost three years which in my view time has been ample time to conduct consultations, gather evidence and so on. The only reason I can think of which could be holding back an outright ban on conversion therapy is the government attempting to keep religious institutions happy. I’m sorry, but that simply isn’t good enough. I have read too many heartbreaking stories about people being forced into these therapies against their will. Some of them are outright horrific. 'Ice-pick' lobotomies, chemical castration, electro-shock therapy and nausea-inducing drugs are just some of the examples of conversion therapy that sound terrifying in their names alone! Religious belief is in no way justification for any of them.  

Ok. So the plan for a new series of articles didn’t exactly get off to a great start after only one got published. What can I say? I got distracted?!?!? Well, I'm gonna try again… So, this week in LGBTQ+ news…

Hi all! I hope you all had a lovely Easter Weekend? Here we go again with another rundown of the music I have been listening to. Kicking it off with the stats: