Young Unionists, free speech and the pink vote
The Young Unionist blog is the venue for an about free speech, party policy and the recent Belfast Pride parade. Some contributors are furious that a post on the site might have given the impression that Young Unionists are homophobic. A post by "Ballyalbanagh" about the Pride parade has apparently been edited following complaints. "David C" writes:
The original blog post associated the YUs as a whole ("The Young Unionists believe...") with intolerant attitudes towards the LGB community and hence the disclaimer was entirely appropriate as the UUP manifesto committed ourselves to oppose discrimination on the grounds of sexual orienation.
Other contributors are angry that revisions and editing on the site amount to censorship. Thus this appeal for free speech: "I note the clarifications in this new blog and understand the reason. But I fail to see how the origional detracted from any view held by the UYUC. It was a statement that declared no bigotry should be tolerated in society. As a blogger on this site I am unsettled by what appears to be an act of censorship - we blog to encourage debate, and debate is what was created."
The Conservatives, particularly under Cameron, have been trying to renegotiate a relationship with the gay and lesbian voting population in recent months. As the Ulster Unionist Party continues to find its place in the changing political landscape of Northern Ireland, one must presume that they will wish to reach out to previously alienated voting groups, including the gay and lesbian community.
Comments
Its high time that the unionists woke up to the real world. gay people exist and political parties nned to recognise that fact. They need to treat people with respect.
When people get angry about a banner saying "jesus was a fag", I ask them do they get angry when gay people around them are called fags? That's the point of that banner, to raise the debate about why its acceoptable in our society for gay people to be called fags? I think Jesus would approve of the association, just as he would approve of an image of himself wearing a yellow star david during the second world war which raises the issue of antisemitism.
Janice,
Unless you were the individual carrying the placard I don't think you can argue that it was a protest against the word 'fag'.
The person carrying the placard was also wearing a t-shirt saying 'kooler than Jesus'.
The issue Ballyalbanagh was raising was the irony of people demanding respect while refusing to give it to others. It is clear the sole intention of the person carrying the placard was to offend. If you have listened to Stephen Nolan on the radio shortly after the incident there were a number of gay people who had phoned into his show to voice their disgust regarding the placard.
Your suggestion that gay people are treated the same way as Jewish people under Nazi Germany only belittles the Holocaust.
Richard:
1. The Nazis killed gays. That's where the pink triangle comes from. Janice didnt suggest that gay people are going through a holocaust experience today, she simply said that Jesus would have approved of the analogy.
2. Some gay people disagree with the Jesus is a fag poster - big deal. People take their own views on this.
3. The Young Unionists have a reputation for anti-gay attitudes. The tories have made progress, it's about time the unionists did too.
4. Those people on the march were making a point about the use of the word fag. Have the Young Unionists ever put out a statement challenging homophobic language addressed to gay people?
5. Many of us get the impression that Young Unionists are the hard edge of unionism. Surely you guys should be promoting reform within your party rather than backwardness.
Stephen,
I'm fully aware that the Nazi's murdered gay people. That doesn't change the fact that our society's treatment of gay people isn't comparable to that of the Holocaust.
I think it is important to highlight that there are many gay people who feel that respect should be accorded to Christians. I can only hope that their views will be taken on board, and that in future stewards at the gay pride event will take action against bigots deliberately seeking to offend.
Are you able to back up your claim the UYUC has a reputation for anti-gay attitudes? I'm not aware of any homophobic statements it has issued, or any of our gay members being made to feel uncomfortable on the basis of their sexuality. It reveals more about the prejudices of those trying to portray us as anti-gay than it does about ours.
The UYUC has condemned hate crimes, including homophobic attacks.
Many members of the UYUC, myself included are in favour of the UUP reforming. I want the party to address the reasons why many of our former voters and members became alienated from the party. I'm sure you'll see more of our proposals over the upcoming months.
William,
If you heard the Nolan Show (I know, what a reference) when Stephen spent half an hour or more debating this with Cllr. Christopher Stalford and P. A. McLaughlin, you would have heard the contributions of gay callers, one of whom stated that he left the parade when he saw the 'Jesus is a Fag' placard and condemned P.A.'s defence of the placard where P. A. stated that he would have carried the placard himself, as a deliberate attempt by the paraders to cause unnecessary offence and by doing so, and setting back the various meritorious campaigns to stamp out intolerance wherever it exists.
To my surprise, the abuse I recieved on that particular post was deeply offensive and from some startling quarters. Public groups who actively campaign on rights, respect and tolerance cannot expect to be immune from criticism. If the RBP carried a placard proclaiming that the 'Pope is a Fag', I could surmise that they would never be allowed to march that particular street again...ever. With rights come responsibilities. I feel the gay community felt let down by their representation in this matter.
Regards,
Ballyalbanagh
Screw them, there were people turning up to the march specifically to be offended. I remember in 2005 seeing some of the filth that was being put about on leaflets by a group allied to C18 that were protesting the March, which makes the whole "Jesus is a Fag" Placard extremely tame by comparison. Any gay men that walked away after seeing that placard has a very short memory, if it wasn't for people going out there, provoking and confronting those who who would try to marginalise them and make them feel ashamed in the name of religion or whatever, they wouldn't enjoy the rights and freedoms they have today.
Our situation in northern Ireland isn't quite unique, you get people demonstarting against Pride marches wherever they happen, but what is unique is that elsewhere they are the Looney-fringe, here they have the support of the largest political party in the legislature.
"If you have listened to Stephen Nolan on the radio shortly after the incident there were a number of gay people who had phoned into his show to voice their disgust regarding the placard."
I worked towards gay liberation in the 1970s and 1980s.
In some respects the problem is a mirror image of other parades we have witnessed in Northern Ireland. Groups of extremists, move from one gay parade to another to cause mischief and trouble.
There are people within the embrace of sexual politics who are at war with faith, organized religion, and family. If heterosexuals didn't go to gay parades, very few people would be there.
I don't think banning people attending events is the solution.
I am opposed to pro-prostitution groups, heterosexual or homosexual, being given public money or being allowed to proselytize in schools. That is the next step the extremists will be going for.
The fanatics want public sex to be legal and ordinary gays, do not.
I don't want to see newsletters with 55 year old men advertising for sex being circulated in Ulster's schools as is happening in Scotland.
Heterosexual men are not allowed to use schools as a reservoir to locate 15 and 16 year old schoolgirls.
There will eventually be a backlash to the predatory behaviors of the minority within the gay community who are abusing the spirit of acceptance..
Yvette Doll
I did not hear or witness the Gay Pride event last summer, but one thing that does strike me is that are we not entilted to our freedom of Speech? I do however not agree with posters with hurtful slogans about religion. The majority of gay people do not agree with this childish Negativity.
The sole purpose I think for these slogans are to stir opinions. For example when in Secondary school many people dye there hair flourescent red or get a piercing. This is basically the same kind of message that was wanted to get across.
I dont think that Richard understands this- In a modern Ireland we have the right of free speech and expression and this is a prime example of this. Expression and free speech is meant to challenge society and societies morals- would it not be a boring existence if we did not have these type of people with blasphemous statements. We may not all agree with it but it still should be out there.