GLC must 'come out' on gay rights

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KEN Livingstone's widely publicised speech to the last week was the most important public defence of gay rights yet by a Labour leader.

Livingstone's vigorous defence of gay sexuality, his sharp condemnation of the ignorance and bigotry of public officials and politicians and his call for the ending of anti-gay discrimination should help to open up new offensive for gay rights within the labour movement.

The urgent need for this offensive is shown both by the recent sacking of Susan Shell (for being gay) by a London Labour Council (Barking) and by the reactionary howls which greeted Livingstone's speech in the right wing press.

Livingstone urged that the GLC should "come out" in support of gay rights and should implement the: anti-discrimination demands put to it by gay organisations.

The Inner London Education Authority (partcontrolled by the GLC) was responsible for the notorious dismissal of a teacher, John Warburton, for discussing homosexuality with his students.

It is important that this long standing wrong is now righted by the new ILEA. John Warburton should be unconditionally reinstated and the ILEA should declare its support for the demands made by the Gay Teachers Group.

Among these demands are steps to develop a positive attitude to homosexuality within the school curriculum.

Ken Livingstone is reported to have agreed that the ILEA should "pursue a policy in schools which would help gay teenagers rather than repressing them" And he linked this with reducing the overall oppressive hierarchy in the ranning of schools.

If Livingstone's words are to be converted into action by his colleagues in the Labour GLC and ILEA, then a lot of pressure will be necessary. Some of this will be coming from the Labour Campaign for Gay Rights and gay members of the Labour Party should fight to make this campaign into a really effective pressure group within the Labour The Labour Campaign for Gay Rights will be having fringe meeting at this year's Party conference to demand a more positive gay rights policy from the A strong , motion from Oxford City CLP (resolution 502) is unlikely to be debated and the party leadership has practically buried the document The Rights of Gay Men and Women' issued by the NEC.

Labour Parties should discuss this document and let the NEC know that there is real concern on the issue of gay rights. We should make it as difficult as possible for Labour leaders to ignore what Ken Livingstone has sa:

Labour Campaign Gay Rights Scottish Conference Saturday October 31 Queen Margaret Union Glasgow Discussion on the Labour 'arty NEC document, 'Th Rights of Gay Men and Women' Speakers include Susan Shell and a local NALGO representative; speakers from Labour Party NEC, Scottish Council of the Labour Party and STUC also invited.

Contact lan Dunn, 52, Broughton Street, Edinburgh OUT NOW! 'Gay Socialist' No. 1 Newsletter of the Labour Campaign for Gay Rights Free to LCGR members:

membership or affiliation is £2 (£1 unwaged) from Paul Fairweather, Gay Centre, 61a Bloom St., Manchester M1 3LY

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Socialist Organiser, Thursday 27 August, 1981 Page 14

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LGAY TEACHERS. GROUP