Gays suffer from Rrichton harklac Brighton backlash
Socialist Organiser1983 1983-09-08Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 2 →
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WE ARE extremely angry at the attempt to attack the rights of lesbians and gay men to live openly in society by suggestions that homosexuality is linked in any way to sexual abuse of young people.
The 'popular' press has acted in a totally irresponsible and shameful manner in the way in which it has linked the rape of a young boy in Brighton to paedophilia and then to homosexuality, as if being gay is the start of a slippery slope which leads on to child molesting.
The fact that the 'popular' press and sections of the media have fanned the flames of bigotry against gay women and governments of the West. men is clearly demonstrated by the increase in recent weeks of attacks on gay people and on gay pubs and clubs. In Brighton the right of lesbians and gay men to live their lives free from harassment, abuse and violent assault ence to the fate of millions is well known. has been seriously threatened.
Prejudice All this demonstrates clearly how much prejudice continues to exist against homosexual women and men. That people, in 1983, are prepared to believe that there is a link between gays and sexual attacks on young people shows how much work has yet to be done in terms of general awareness that lesbians and gay men are equal area). in every respect to non-gay people.
The public does not assume escalation of the arms race. that every time a heterosexual man assaults or rapes a young girl, that this proves the corrupt nature of heterosexuality.
It is also a sad reflection on the attitudes of the 'popular' press that the sexually-motivated murders of two young women, Caroline Hogg and Susan Maxwell, have almost faded into insignificance in MX missile. contrast to the lurid reporting of the hunt for the Brighton USSR.
tors around the world.
THE CONNECTION between E CONNECTION between the shooting down of a South Korean airliner and the decision by the TUC to talk to Tebbit about its own execuThe Labour Campaign for Gay Rights responds to the press comment on the rape of a young boy in Brighton.
attackers.
Labour Campaign for Gay Rights believes that the age of consent should be equal between heterosexuals and The argument about whether relationships between people under the age of consent can be non-exploitative is a different issue which relates no more to gay women and men than to their heterosexual counterparts.
We call on the Labour Party and Trade Union Movement, together with everyone whose mind is not clouded with bigotry, not to allow the recent events in Brighton to be used to attack the rights of gay people. Rather, we must redouble our efforts as a movement to ensure that there is accurate information generally available about homosexual people and an end to all legal discrimination.
On the question of paedophilia, we believe that it would be a serious attack on civil liberties for paedophile organisations to be banned. We believe that this act would open the door to attacks on the rights of other organisations campaigning for changes in society which are generally unpopular. Such a ban would undermine the rights which are essential to maintain any democratic society.