Conservative Christian Richard Carvath makes vicious homophobic attack

When Andrew Tibbs tweeted this earlier today to say I was shocked was an understatement.

"Tory @RichardCarvath makes some appalling homophobic comments on his blog http://bit.ly/eEwhji The Tories should get rid of him. Pls RT"

This nasty individual has some very vile and disgusting views of gay people and the reason I am linking to his blog is to ensure that the Conservative Party dismiss him completely and that people know of this horrible individual.

Although Richard Carvath stood in the General Election as an independent candidate, he proudly boasts on his blog that he is a member of the Conservative Christian Fellowship, the Christian wing of the Conservative Party.

They should take immediate action and expel him.

I am appalled that Carvath generalises that not only are all gay people perverts in his mind but he also states that all gay people carry disease and have poisonous blood and hints that all gay people are paedophiles!

"Given that homosexual-perverts are generally riddled with disease - from HIV to syphilis to hepatitis etc - as a result of their sodomitical activities, it is entirely right and proper that the National Blood Service refuses to accept their poisonous blood."

I have been subjected to homophobic views many times before but am shocked that Carvath is allowed to put so many of these untrue and misguided thoughts into the public arena, especially the sheer hatred he has.

He goes on to personally attack Matthew Sephton, the Chair of the Conservative Party's LGBT group and although I am in a different party, I am here supporting Matthew.

Personal attacks such as the one by Carvath on Matthew in his blog post are simply not acceptable.

Although I am not religious, I respect other people are but all of the people I know who are religious, not one is homophobic to this extent (yes, some are homophobic), Carvath's views are so right wing and extreme it is appalling.

On the whole blood ban part of the attack by Carvath - poppycock.

To sign the petition and read more about the ban on gay men being able to donate blood, visit the website.

UPDATE MONDAY 17th JANUARY 2010 23:11
Tweet from Matthew Sephton.

Monday 17th 21:07 - "I can pass on that @DavidBurrowesMP has confirmed that he wrote to that person last month to withdraw #CCF membership"

Matthew has also stated that the post on Carvath's blog, where he claims he re-joined the Conservative Party is wrong because his membership application was returned.

Happy to let you all know the Conservative Party has nothing to do with this particular individual or his vile views.

President of FIFA, Sebb Blatter says gay football fans should have no sex during world cup

Sepp Blatter, the controversial president of FIFA, has once again dismissed concerns that Qatar is unsuitable to host the 2022 World Cup because of its attitude to homosexuality.  He went on to say that gay football fans should refrain from having homosexual sex while in the country.

The small country punishes homosexuality with up to five years in prison or lashes.

Last week, gay football groups said gay fans would be unable to travel to the Qatar for the games because of its oppressive laws.

Sebb Blatter speaking in Johannesburg at a post-2010 World Cup legacy project launch also said;

“We are definitely living in a world of freedom and I’m sure when the World Cup will be in Qatar in 2022, there will be no problems.

“You see in the Middle East the opening of this culture, it’s another culture because it’s another religion, but in football we have no boundaries.

“We open everything to everybody and I think there shall not be any discrimination against any human beings be it on this side or that side, be it left, right or whatever.”

This shows how naive Blatter is, as LGBT website Queeried put it;

In other words Blatter seems to believe that the arrival of a football World Cup to the country will suddenly make Qatar forget it doesn’t like gay people and becoming a YMCA loving country.

The Gay Football Supporters’ Network said it would boycott all activities related to the 2022 World Cup and have issued a demand that Sebb Blatter should apologise for his comments.

I'm sorry but in this day and age, an apology is nowhere near enough, it is time for Sebb Blatter to resign and for the President of FIFA to go to someone who doesn't think homophobia is funny.

Scottish Police pledge swifter response for homophobic and racist crimes

Why?

I am sorry, I really do not agree with this one and I say that as someone who has suffered homophobic crime twice in my lifetime, one was a mugging and the other was more serious.

Did I want the police to prioritise those crimes any differently to the occasion we were burgled, absolutely not, they were all crimes and I would want them treating no differently to any other crime.

The Scotsman was carrying this story earlier this week and Assistant Chief Constable Mike McCormick, of Lothian and Borders Police, said:

"We wanted to make sure our own staff were aware of the impact hate crime has.

This I agree with, informing all of the rank and file officers of the impact is a sensible aspect of this manual.

"If you punch me in the nose because you don't like me because of the colour of my skin, race, sexuality or whatever, that has a longer effect because I'm thinking that not only does this person not like me, but lots of other people won't like me either.

I don't agree with this and it certainly was not how I was feeling after any of the three crimes I have suffered (two homophobic and one other).

"If people say 'I had not meant any harm' it was just a bit of loose language, we're saying think hard before you say something. And we want victims of hate crime to know this is how we feel."

Again sensible, but did this really require the eight Police Forces of Scotland to bring together their best practice into one manual, or actually are we saying use your common sense?

The manual represents a promise to protect, not only ethnic minorities, but anyone who might be prejudiced against because of age, disability, gender including transgender, race including gypsy/travellers, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.

It is backed by new powers in the Offences Aggravated by Prejudice (Scotland) Act, which was passed in Scottish Parliament earlier this year.

All commons sense again, or as my Mum used to say, treat other people how you would expect to be treated, good advice that if a few more people took heed of, the society we live in can only benefit.

There was one part in the article that was spot on.

Sergeant Martin White, of the diversity unit at Lothian and Borders Police, one of the officers who wrote the manual, said:

"(Under the act] if someone is arrested for hate crime, we must look to put them before the courts as soon as possible, if not from custody then bailed to appear as soon as possible.

"In the courts, hate crime has to be recorded and reflected in the sentence. It gives the courts the chance to give an appropriate sentence."

But surely, every single victim of crime deserves that same right?

All crime has to be recorded and the sentence must reflect the crime.

My message to all Scottish Police Officers today is simple, once the crime is identified ensure the perpetrator is apprehended and pushed through the system.

My message to the courts and judges is also simple, ensure you act swiftly, take the accused off the streets and ensure the sentence fits and is carried out to completion, a weeks good behaviour behind bars doesn't help the victim, whoever they are.

Please let us not treat homophobic or racist crimes any different, crime is crime and if you commit crime, you should be punished - simples!

No word from Clinton Cards on whether they are homophobic or just plain lazy?

Last Sunday I wrote Clinton Cards - homophobic or just plain lazy? and had also contacted them, their auto response email stated my email would be responded to within 48 hours.

Almost a week later, my email still remains unanswered.  I know they have read the blog post as well.

I have emailed them again today using the contact form HERE.

I am somewhat disappointed (although not shocked) that I have received no reply but maybe I have discovered Clinton Cards flaw, they haven't worked out how to deal with civil partnerships, or worse the Board of Clinton Cards is homophobic, I do hope it is not the latter?

So, my message to Don Lewin, Clinton Lewin, Barry Hartog, Stuart Houlston, Debbie Darlington, John Robinson and Paul Salador is this - at least have the balls and decency to reply to my email, if your marketing team doesn't know how to deal with this change in the "wedding" market then ask the gay community for help and advice.

Continued silence will not help you - I will pursue this.

No reply from Conservative Council leader Kay Cutts over her snub of gay activist

On the 5th August I blogged about the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Councillor Kay Cutts snubbing Ian Campbell who was to be presented with a youth citizenship award for his work promoting gay rights and fighting bullying and anti homophobia in schools.

You can read the original post HERE.

As I wrote at the time Ian is the youngest Mayor in the UK, aged just 23.

You will see from the original post that Councillor Cutts spokesperson claimed that she didn't have her photo taken with Ian Campbell because he was a Labour activist, nothing to do with him being gay.

Ian wasn't at the awards as a Labour activist, he was there for his work on LGBT rights and homophobic bullying.

Well I then emailed Councillor Kay Cutts on the 5th August and have yet to receive any acknowledgement or reply, I will be emailing again today and will continue to do so until I receive a reply.

I also wonder if Ian Campbell ever got an apology from Councillor Cutts - I suspect not.

Prime Minister David Cameron ordered an investigation into Councillor Cutts conduct and it was referred to party chairman Baroness Warsi, I wonder what conclusion she came to?

The reason I am pursuing this issue is this, there are not enough people in this country who take LGBT rights seriously or who for various reasons will put their heads up above the parapet and defend their sexuality.
 
Ian Campbell did just that at a young age, after coming out he was thrown out of his home but still that has not deterred him and he has campaigned in schools about homophobic bullying.
 
That deserves support!

Clinton Cards - homophobic or just plain lazy?

As some of my readers know, my partner Roger and I will be holding our Civil Partnership next January.

This has led me into every card and stationery shop wherever I go.

I've been surprised how many companies have embraced not just the wedding market but also the civil partnership market too.

And when gay marriage becomes law, the whole wedding marketing scene will become so much easier.

However, Clinton Cards have not embraced the Civil Partnership aspect at all.

I popped into their branches on Princes Street and in Ocean Terminal and was somewhat shocked to see the photo below.

The advertising banner in the wedding section

So, although the photo isn't the end of the world, in this day and age it shows a major High Street chain very much stuck in the past.

Its a sad day when a major chain cannot admit the world has moved on.

I asked staff in both branches why they didn't have any Civil Partnership products or stationery.

The staff at the Princes Street branch giggled and said what's a Civil Partnership.

The staff at the Ocean Terminal branch said they sometimes do but only a few items.

So my question to the senior management Board of Clinton Cards is this;

Is the decision to not market products aimed at couples about to have a Civil Partnership based on homophobia or just plain laziness?

Either way Clinton Cards you need to change your marketing team.

So, now comes the time for you to help, will you now join me and contact Clinton Cards and ask them (a) why do they not stock any cards, stationery or products for Civil Partnerships and (b) was this a pro-active or homophobic decision or just an oversight and plain laziness?

When I checked out the website to confirm the contact details and to see the board members I also searched on there in the wedding section for Civil Partnership products and got this message;

Search Results for civil partnership

We're sorry but there are no matching results for your search this time.

Please select a new search and try again...

However, if you search for gay cards you get a selection of just 30 items mostly semi naked men, if you search for Civil Partnership in the general categories you get a pathetic 3 items.

So, if you are happy to ask the two questions I posed above the online enquiry form can be found here or you can do it the old fashioned way by writing to Customer Services (Website), Clinton Cards, The Crystal Building, Langston Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 3TH.
 
Let us see if we can achieve a success story and change the mind of the Board of Clinton Cards.

Gay couple in homophobic attack by 15-strong mob in Bradford

Unfortunately while thousands of people in the LGBT community were enjoying Pride in London this weekend, another nasty homophobic attack was taking place.

Two gay men, aged 21 and 37, were walking along Heap lane towards Bradford city centre at around 7.30pm when the mob of 15 men and women began verbally abusing them.

DI Ian Bryar of Bradford South police said the couple were "very shocked and upset " and confirmed the incident was being treated as homophobic.

He said: "This was an unprovoked attack on two men walking towards the City centre. Because of the language used by the group towards the victims I believe that this attack was based on the men's sexuality and is therefore being treated as a homophobic hate crime.

Police say the gang grabbed items from a nearby skip to fashion makeshift weapons and attacked them following the verbal abuse.

Both men were treated for head injuries that required hospital treatment but were described as not serious.

You can only describe these 15 people as cowards, the fact they needed to create a gang of 15 to attack 2 people is nothing short of cowardly.  I hope that if the attackers families or friends know or suspect it may be them they will go to the police.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Bradford South police on 0845 6060606 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

I wish the two guys in Bradford all the very best and a speedy recovery.

Conservative MEPs claim paedophilia is connected to homosexuality

Today during a Parliamentary hearing organised by Members of the EPP Group on the sexual abuse of children some of their members claimed paedophilia is connected to homosexuality, despite offering no proper evidence.  This is because their claim is completely unfounded.

Vytautas Landsbergis, Member of the European Parliament for Lithuania, former Head of the Lithuanian Parliament and member of the EPP group, said there was a connection between homosexuality and paedophilia. Children, he said, should therefore be protected from “homosexual propaganda” and “homophilic [sic] pædophilia”.

Anna Záborská, EPP Member of the European Parliament for Slovakia, later made a further remark on “adult men abusing young boys”.

Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, responded that such claims were unfounded, and that the European Commission condemns discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Unfortunately Vytautas Landsbergis and Anna Záborská are not alone with these atrocious homophobic views, similar comments had been made earlier this year by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Holy See (Vatican) Secretary of State. He had argued that “there is a relationship between homosexuality and paedophilia”.

It is really scary that people in such senior positions have these views and yet cannot back them up with fact.

The majority of LGBT people across the world condemn paedophilia.

My review of 2009 - my top twelve blog posts

2009 for me personally has been a hard year, not just with elections and work but not selling our old flat in Dartford, my partner Roger not able to get a job for a year, finding out my Mum had pancreatic cancer, closely followed by her death only a matter of weeks later, finding out a close friend died in May, losing two good friends in December and then at 4.20am this morning on her birthday, Roger's Nan lost her fight with cancer - 2009 f**k off, you've been shit!

So, I sat here and wondered how to remember this year, I finally decided to do my review by favourite monthly blog post.

A mixture of political and personal, do enjoy.

January - Tavish TV - Save our Forests January saw the Scottish Liberal Democrats turn their campaigning might on the SNP who were planning to sell off 25% of Scotland's forests. The Liberal Democrats and many environmental charities united to fight the SNP - finally in March we won!

February - Lost - one marked register. One owner, no history. February saw the story of the Sheriff's Office who lost the marked register for the Glenrothes by-election.

March - Baby's details on National DNA database The fact that the DNA of a baby under one year old has been stored on the police national database, is utterly scandalous and Jacqui Smith MP should be ashamed of herself and the Police.

April - A message for Nigel Griffiths MP and the Labour Party The Edinburgh Labour MP (until the election) blamed Edinburgh City Council for the closure of the capital's Post Offices. Utter crap Mr Griffiths, look in the mirror and along your benches, the Labour Party has closed even more Post Offices than the Conservatives did in their last term in government!

May - Labour fall to third place for first time in 22 years Wow, no-one ever saw this coming really where the governing party, currently Labour fall to third place in the polls, with the Conservatives on 40%, Liberal Democrats on 25% and Labour on 22%.

Bonus month - The best advert, ever!

June - Queen's Birthday Honours list My sister's boyfriend John gets a Royal Victorian Medal in this years Birthday Honours List, after 16 years of continuous service working for the Royal Family.

July - Police Officer to face prosecution over deaths of police dogs I have blogged a few times about this awful case of animal cruelty, it all went very quiet after this part but satisfaction in his prosecution - utterly appalling that a serving police officer allowed this to happen.

August - I really couldn't pick just one, so I have gone for three this month Tories claim homophobia doesn't exist, Le Grand Bleu yacht leaves Leith Harbour and Megrahi and MacAskill.

September - 8inch penis is average, Glasgow men are above average It really does speak for itself, Glasgow boys are bigger.

October - Caroline Righton and the Tory smear campaign This was an appalling attempt by a Conservative candidate to smear a Liberal Democrat candidate - it failed and shows that not all of David Cameron's A listers should be candidates.

November - John Lamont MSP is the most expensive MSP and sticks two fingers up to Cameron and the Kelly Report. My review of the year couldn't ignore John bubbles Lamont.

December - Is taking a photo of a building a crime? Why the Police are taking this so serious, god only knows but it really is quite pathetic and they need to calm down and react appropriately.

Well, that is the summary of my year via my blog, onwards and upwards for 2010, it's going to be a very busy year.

International Human Rights Day and Uganda

Today is International Human Rights Day and so I thought I would finally blog about the situation for LGBT people in Uganda.

The Ugandan Parliament is discussing the anti-homosexuality Bill, which violates the equality and non-discrimination provisions of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Uganda is a signatory.

These breaches of international humanitarian commitments undermine the right to privacy and individual liberty and thereby set a dangerous legal precedent which threatens the human rights of all Ugandans. They are part of a wider drift towards an authoritarian state.

President Museveni is fast turning into another Robert Mugabe and the world already has way to many of those. Late last month President Museveni said: "I hear European homosexuals are recruiting in Africa.

“We used to have very few homosexuals traditionally. They were not persecuted but were not encouraged either because it was clear that is not how God arranged things to be.”

I have been gay all my life and I have never recruited anyone, where do I get the membership forms from? I know I shouldn't make light of such a serious situation but this crap coming from the mouth of a President of a country is just unbelievable.

As Peter Tatchell says the new anti-homosexuality Bill, if passed, proposes the death penalty for 'aggravated' and 'serial' homosexual acts and extends the existing penalty of life imprisonment for anal sex to all other same-sex behaviour.














Membership of LGBT organisations and funding for them, advocacy of LGBT human rights and the provision of condoms or safer sex advice to LGBT people will result in a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of seven years for "promoting" homosexuality.

Surely, preventing the spread of AIDS should be something of importance to the Ugandan government? I am utterly appalled that this kind of legislation is being proposed and good on Peter Tatchell (not often I say that) for pushing this one into the public domain.

Pink News is reporting today the Ugandan government may drop some of the harshest parts of the Bill, wow that's so big of them! I would like the Queen as head of the Commonwealth to throw Uganda out for this ridiculous proposed legislation.

David Bahati, the MP for Ndorwa West who proposed this nonsense really should be bloody ashamed of himself, he claims this legislation will protect children, youths and traditional families, he sounds like he would fit in with the British Conservatives with that kind of clap trap, that was where they started with Section 28.

I applaud Gordon Brown for raising the issue with Presidnet Museveni at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government conference in Trinidad.

It is time to take a stand against this homophobic hatred from a head of a country.

Make your voice heard today by emailing the Ugandan High Commissioner here in the UK, Joan Rwabyomere on info@ugandahighcommission.co.uk and together we can stop this nonsense.

Church of Scotland in homophobic employment stance?

After posting my T-Mobile blog post link on Twitter this morning I then had a look through the stories that had been running overnight and there was one that caught my eye, "Kirk votes against trainee gay clergy".

Now, everyone that knows me well, knows I have a view on religion, which isn't good, however I do respect those who partake in religion of whatever faith.

However, that aside, I do take racism, sexism and homophobia very seriously and I fully believe that if any organisation said they couldn't employ anyone openly religious we would never hear the end of it from religious groups.

So, how can the Church of Scotland stop anyone who is openly gay working for the Church?

Surely the key factor is a belief in God, not who you sleep with?

It is a great pity that the Church doesn't unite across the UK and take fighting paedophilia as seriously as they do being homophobic.

The story is reported on Pink News and The Christian Institute where it is reported that this two year ban on employing openly gay people was put in place after the appointment of Revd Scott Rennie in Aberdeen.

I think yet again the Church just decides what it wants and when it wants and no one stands up to them, well I think it is time they played by the same rules that the rest of us play by and stand up to discrimination whether it be sexism, racism or homophobia!

Jan Moir's homophobic column in the Daily Mail

I have been in some General election and Scottish election planning meetings all day today so was catching up on Twitter as waiting for the bus home from the city centre and saw that Jan Moir was being attacked for her column today.

So, I saw on Caron's blog that as usual homophobia was alive and well in the Daily Mail in the form of a column by Jan Moir and that during the course of the day online advertising had been removed from the site, such is the power of the internet these days.

Anyway, unlike a lot of my friends and colleagues on the web I am going to link to it because people need to read this crap that the Mail's columnists get paid to write and hopefully they will stop buying it because of articles such as this.

Surely, Stephen Gately's family, partner, friends and fellow Boyzone members deserve some time to grieve and therefore as a mark of respect Jan Moir should have kept her trap shut, we don't all need to know her opinion, her poisoned thoughts and innuendo and implication rather than basing her column on fact.

She says; "Whatever the cause of death is, it is not, by any yardstick, a natural one." What makes her think this? Just a feeling or a hunch, certainly not fact unless all of a sudden she has become a first class doctor.

She goes onto say; "Another real sadness about Gately's death is that it strikes another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships."

What myth is this she speaks of? I am sorry, but marriages don't last forever either so what exactly is her point? No people I know who have had a civil partnership have claimed it is going to be happy ever after, but like any relationship you have to work at it. I have been with my partner for 16 years and we have not had a civil partnership, yet, my only regret about not having had it yet is that my Mum won't be there to see it.

Then earlier this evening Jan Moir has bitten back against the backlash she has received since the article came out, she makes some points in the piece such as the point above about the happy ever after myth of civil partnerships, in the statement she says that they have proved to be as problematic as marriages - but Jan Moir you didn't say that in your original article, you cannot whinge afterwards if you couldn't be bothered to put it in the original.

The original piece has generated some 1,000+ complaints to the Press Complaints Commission, To read Moir's full statement, see below;

Some people, particularly in the gay community, have been upset by my article about the sad death of Boyzone member Stephen Gately. This was never my intention. Stephen, as I pointed out in the article was a charming and sweet man who entertained millions.

However, the point of my column – which I wonder how many of the people complaining have fully read – was to suggest that, in my honest opinion, his death raises many unanswered questions. That was all. Yes, anyone can die at anytime of anything. However, it seems unlikely to me that what took place in the hours immediately preceding Gately’s death – out all evening at a nightclub, taking illegal substances, bringing a stranger back to the flat, getting intimate with that stranger – did not have a bearing on his death. At the very least, it could have exacerbated an underlying medical condition.

The entire matter of his sudden death seemed to have been handled with undue haste when lessons could have been learned. On this subject, one very important point. When I wrote that ‘he would want to set an example to any impressionable young men who may want to emulate what they might see as his glamorous routine’, I was referring to the drugs and the casual invitation extended to a stranger. Not to the fact of his homosexuality. In writing that ‘it strikes another blow to the happy-ever-after myth of civil partnerships’ I was suggesting that civil partnerships – the introduction of which I am on the record in supporting – have proved just to be as problematic as marriages.

In what is clearly a heavily orchestrated internet campaign I think it is mischievous in the extreme to suggest that my article has homophobic and bigoted undertones.

Well Jan Moir, I did read your original article, three times in fact and I am afraid your choice of words and language leave me in no doubt that you were trying to whip up hysteria, with homophobic comments and innuendo.

I hope Stephen's partner, friends and family can bury Stephen and grieve in private knowing that there are hundreds of thousands of us with them in spirit - gay, straight, bi and those who have no idea.

Muslims won't play with the gays!

We often see claims of racism and homophobia in sport today, more often than not though it is the fans who are accused of chants that are not as PC as they perhaps should be.

So when news of this story reached my in box from a few sources, I dug around and to be honest was appalled.

A Muslim amateur football team Creteil Bebel has pulled out of its planned game this weekend with Paris Foot Gay (PFG), saying it was against their religious beliefs to play against homosexuals.

In fact, Zahir Belgarbi, one of the team directors told Reuters: "As a Muslim, I have the right not to play against homosexuals because I don't share their ideas."

Another team member explained to a local French radio station: "We're sorry if anyone feels insulted. (But) as a Muslim I still have the right to decide not to play because I don't agree with their philosophy."

So, if it is the philosophy of being gay they have an issue with they would never play football against any other team in the world unless they were a Muslim team, or do I have that all wrong?

Paris Foot Gay was set up in 2003 in the poor suburbs of Paris to fight homophobia which was rampant in those parts of Paris and they have proved their very worth and although have had some insults over the years never on such a scale as this.

Paris Foot Gay are being supported not only by Paris authorities but also human rights groups and they have also said they make take legal action against Creteil Bebel.

For crying out loud, if the boot had been on the other foot (sorry about the pun) can you imagine the racism claims, and rightly so, so why can a team be openly homophobic and get away with it?

I write this and say this as an openly gay man - Creteil Bebel are not doing themselves or the Muslim community itself any favours, mainly because of the words they chose to use "I don't agree with their philosophy."

The reason I say this is because surely they don't agree with the philosophy of Christianity, or Catholicism and well, people who eat pork?

They have never refused to play against any of those from what I can ascertain so why is a team that is fighting homophobia and discrimination any different?

I think this is a sad day not just for sport, but for diversity itself.

As featured on Lib Dem Voice, a joint blog post.

Right wing newspaper apologises, not, for homophobic comments

So, as you may have read on my little blog yesterday, Right Wing homophobic Newspaper Strikes Again, well it appeared late last night that Iain Dale had received a personal apology from Peter McKay who does the Ephraim Hardcastle column in the Daily Mail.

However, as the first editions were published online it appeared this apology was nothing more than a hoax, as today's column says;

"Tory blogger Iain Dale complains about an item here yesterday. I mentioned that Dale, who is gay, is hoping to become the Tory candidate at Bracknell, Berkshire, and invited subscribers to PinkNews, the homosexual website, to attend the open primary on October 17, saying: 'You don't even have to be a Conservative to attend.' Dale says my comment - 'Isn't it charming how homosexuals rally likeminded chaps to their cause?' - is homophobic, as is my description of him as 'overtly gay'. He has complained to the Press Complaints Commission, and suggested his readers email complaints. I have nothing against Dale. Nor am I homophobic. But if he wants to become an MP, surely he'll have to become a little less sensitive. Incidentally, the Tories are having their first gay pride event at their Manchester conference next week. They'll promote a new 'gay-friendly' logo, Conservative Pride. Isn't life grand"

I really disagree with Peter McKay, this isn't about sensitivity. As I said yesterday if a person is suitable for a job what difference does their sexuality, skin colour or even religion make? None

The line I find offensive is the "Isn't it charming how homosexuals rally likeminded chaps to their cause?" - it is homophobic and bloody patronising and to be honest comments like this are what drive some of the homophobic bullying that goes on today in workplaces and schools up and down the country.

Homosexuality is not really acceptable

So says the United Nations General Assembly President Ali Abdussalam Treki, Libya’s Secretary (Minister) of African Union Affairs, who as the Assembly President, the equivalent of the Presiding Officer in Holyrood or the Speaker in the House of Commons, does hold a position of power.

I am utterly appalled and I appreciate you need to read his whole piece to get the full context, but it clearly shows a level of ignorance from very senior people within many organisations.

This all came about at a press conference to start the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly where one journalist asked about the UN resolution which calls for the universal decriminalisation of homosexuality.

One thing he did say which makes me really think this is pure homophobic hatred is "there are some countries that allow that, thinking it is a kind of democracy."

What a load of crap, so because I am gay and this country sees diversity and equality as a good thing, they only let me because it is democratic? Balls.

Again another big I am who does not understand, who probably has never met a gay person, well Ali Abdussalam Treki, let me know if ever you are in Edinburgh, or I will let you know when I'm next in New York and perhaps we can meet?

There is a funny side - only just - according to his CV, he is a veteran of diplomacy!

Seriously, what worries me with this chap, is what are his views on women's rights, violence against women and the spread of AIDS in Africa as well as his views on LGBT rights, what other things are we to learn about this man and how much power does he actually wield?

What does the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon think of his new General Assembly President and his homophobic views?

I the eyes and mind of Ali Abdussalam Treki homosexuality is not really acceptable, in my mind homophobia is not really acceptable either.

Same old Tories - not as gay friendly as "Dave" would like

So, the Leader of the Conservative group on Bristol City Council, Councillor Richard Eddy has criticised a local LGBT group for receiving a Big Lottery Fund grant.

Instead of being thankful the money has in fact come into Bristol he described it to the Bristol Evening Post as "mistaken and misguided" and "an outrageous waste of money."

So here we see the same old Tories slagging off gay groups getting monies to fight homophobic bullying - it is about time that people like Councillor Eddy went and saw for themselves how hard it is coming out and the damage that homophobic bullying does, it can lead to suicide so surely if this stops one young person in Bristol from going down that path it is in fact money well spent.

I had it easy when I came out, I was 18 when I moved out of home and then told my Mum and stepdad - although me and my Mum didn't talk for three years we became closer and actually the best of friends, those three years in some ways were a price worth paying. I had known for years I was gay but did suffer bullying, not at school, but outside, a local thug just didn't take to me and a battle ensued.

If I had actually had access to something like the scheme in Bristol it would have saved me some sleepless nights but as usual when homophobia and bigotry get in the way it blocks the good work of schemes such as this.

Councillor Eddy should go and see the work the scheme actually does first before slagging it off, try educating himself rather than being ignorant, you never know, he might actually learn something.

Cures for Gays

Is the Metro turning into the Daily Mail?

I had received a text this morning from a good friend - What the...Metro headline 'experts still try cures for gays.'

I sat there getting annoyed, then the BBC News team did the paper review and the headlines screamed "Fern Britton to leave This Morning" - oh my god could the day get any worse?

So, sat on the bus I read the story - Experts still try 'cures' for gays. What a load of rubbish.

17% of therapists, mental health professionals who most of actually work for the NHS have tried to 'cure' gay patients - what of for crying out loud? Good taste in clothes?

Come on - these so called professionals should be ashamed of themselves and should actually be fired by the NHS and struck off as well. Let's invest the money saved into curing real illnesses like cancer!

To the therapist quoted who said; 'The physical act for male homosexuals is physically damaging and is the main reason in this country for Aids/HIV. It is also perverse' - I say this. You are wrong.

You really should check your facts about Aids and HIV before you spout your claptrap. Also as a therapist your personal opinion isn't supposed to cloud your judgment, your personal opinion seems to lead your professional opinion - time to resign!

Yes, I'm biased because I'm gay. But I knew for years I was gay and I was not suffering from any mental illness and nor am I now.

Yes, I'm ranting because I'm angry that this volume of NHS so called professionals are able to preach this rubbish to people who are seeking advice.

Stand up and be counted and then resign.

Finally, do go and read my friend and colleagues take on this here.