David Cameron denies TV gay kissing ban
Digital Spy, 17 May 2011
David Cameron has denied newspaper reports that he intends to support a ban on gay people kissing on television before the 9pm watershed.
Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers' Union, will next month submit a report to the government on the way children are potentially "sexualised" by cultural mediums, such as TV shows, music videos and adverts.
Several newspaper reports have indicated that Bailey will recommend a ban on same sex kissing on TV in the early evening, which has already led to criticism from soap stars.
Coronation Street's Kym Marsh said that the rumoured ban was "absolutely ridiculous" and accused Cameron of "living in the dark ages".
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Pink News, 2 May 2011
Brooke Vincent who plays teenage lesbian Sophie Webster in Coronation Street took to Twitter to criticise the prime minister: "I swear David Cameron's meant to be supporting equal rights,” she Tweeted. "I just think if same-sex kisses are what he is prioritising and concentrating on changing, our country's in trouble.”
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David Cameron 'does not want' gay kissing ban on TV
BBC Newsbeat, 17 May 2011
The government ordered a review into the way kids are sexualised last year
David Cameron has indicated he will not support any calls to ban gay kissing on TV before 9pm.
It follows newspaper claims that the prime minister didn't want images of same sex kissing shown before the watershed.
Last year the government asked the chief executive of the Mothers' Union, Reg Bailey, to carry out a review into the way children were 'sexualised' by things like TV shows, music videos, clothing and adverts.
The review is due to be published later in the summer.
Some newspaper reports claimed it could call for a ban on same sex kissing on TV in the early evening, leading to criticism from soap stars.
'Wrong and irresponsible'
Coronation street actor Anthony Cotton, who plays gay father Sean Tully, said David Cameron was "not in touch with people" after reports he would support the review's recommendations.
But a spokesman for the prime minister has told Newsbeat: "Those suggesting that the PM is looking at a ban are both wrong and being irresponsible."
He said the review's remit "doesn't include making recommendations as to what should or shouldn't be shown on TV".
However the Department for Education's website says Reg Bailey's review will be looking into how parents can tell broadcasters about the "things they are unhappy about".
Earlier this month, Mr Bailey tweeted: "Don't believe everything you read in the press. Brookside kiss has never been mentioned in anything the review has looked at."
In 1994, the Channel 4 soap Brookside broadcast the UK's first pre-watershed lesbian kiss.
All four major soaps - Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks - have gay or lesbian characters and all have had gay couples.
Some film-makers argue that the 9pm threshold no longer matters with children able to watch adult content on their mobiles and online.
David Cameron's spokesman said the government is taking forward a "range of LGB&T (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) policies to build on the work done by the previous government".
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David Cameron to host gay reception at No10
Pink News, 21 June 2011
Prime minister David Cameron hosted a reception at Downing Street for the gay community on Wednesday 22 June 2011.
The event focused on tackling homophobia in sport and invitees will include gay and lesbian sports stars, campaigners and celebrities.
Sportsmen Gareth Thomas, Steven Davies and Ben Cohen were expected to have been invited, along with community leaders and volunteers from across the country.
One prominent gay rights figure who wasn't there is Peter Tatchell. The activist has never received an invitation to Downing Street, despite being one of Britain's best known gay rights campaigners.
Mr Tatchell said: "It is a bit odd but they must have their reasons. Maybe I'm too much of a troublemaker. I'm sure I would turn up and be on my best behaviour.”
A Downing Street source said: "There are lots of people who haven't been invited.”
Organisers hoped that prominent footballers would be among the invitees. However, this is the traditional footballers' ‘holiday season' and many were not in the country.
Instead, some ‘older faces' from the footballing world were expected to attend, along with chief executives from sports associations.
LGBT receptions in Downing Street began in 2009 when Gordon Brown was prime minister.
Mr Cameron has continued the tradition.
At last year's reception, he promised the crowd the coalition government would change the law to allow religious buildings to host civil partnership ceremonies
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Why it's vital to kick homophobia out of sport, by David Cameron
Pink News Exclusive, written by 23 June 2011
On Wednesday evening (22nd June) I hosted my second reception for the LGBT community in 10 Downing Street. This year, the event focused on tackling homophobia and transphobia in sport and it was great to see representatives of almost every sport I could think of in the room, including the heads of the Football Association, Premier League, Football League, Professional Footballers Association, League Managers Association, England & Wales Cricket Board and the bosses at most of the leading rugby clubs in the country.
Sport is part of the DNA of this nation; I don't just mean athletes and teams competing at an elite level, I also mean the events that bring communities together – whether it's the egg and spoon race at your child's school or Vauxhall's gay sports day when you can witness competitive handbag throwing or literal drag racing.
What made the reception so special was that guests representing the elite end of sports were able to meet and chat to those participating at grassroots level. There is a thriving sporting life in the LGBT community and a great array of clubs were at the event, such as Stonewall FC, Kings Cross Steelers, Frontrunners and Pride Sports. The UK is currently bidding for two international LGBT sporting events, the 2015 Euro Games in Manchester and the Gay Games in 2018 in London (which could give us something to cheer on that year, given we lost the World Cup bid) and those leading both bids were also there and I wish them every luck.
The presence of so many of sports governing bodies was significant as it was a very clear statement that homophobia and transphobia is something they take seriously. I think we're all agreed that we've got a long way to go before we stamp both out. Language and behaviour that isn't acceptable in the playground, or in the workplace, can still be heard on the pitch, in the dressing rooms and in the stands.
In order to end homophobia and transphobia we need cultural change and we also need role models. Whereas we've many to choose from in business, the arts and politics, we have too few in sport. I congratulate Gareth Thomas and Steven Davies for the decision they made and the inspiration they've given and I am delighted that two of the all-time greats of tennis – two magnificent role models – are backing our work in this area: Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King – who I was delighted to welcome to No10. But, put simply, you don't have to be gay to be a role model, so we need others who care for this issue to stand up and be counted. Role models in sport are also needed to help tackle bullying in schools, young people look to the stars they admire and if we don't have enough positive role models then behaviour won't change. We also need these role models in the media so it was great to see both Kieron Richardson and Victoria Atkin from Hollyoaks at the reception.
Progress is being made in sport, rugby in particular has done a huge amount to lead the way on this issue and it was great to see the Sheffield Eagles wearing a tackling homophobia strip at a recent game, they should be congratulated for doing so and I hope other teams in all sports follow suit. Football in particular, as it is our national game, has a leadership role to play both here and abroad and that requires the issue to be tackled by managers, players, stewards and the supporters clubs. Homophobic and transphobic taunts should not be tolerated, in the same way racist taunts aren't. I believe that good work is underway led by the FA and PFA and I encourage all involved to do all they can, as quickly as they can. We've seen the effectiveness of Kick it Out and Show Racism the Red Card – we now need to galvanise our energies into kicking homophobia and transphobia out.
Tackling inequality is at the centre of creating a fair society and I want to thank many members of the government, not least Theresa May, Lynne Featherstone, William Hague and Hugh Robertson for the work they've done this past year. I'm proud that the UK has just been named by the International Lesbian and Gay Association as the number one place in Europe for LGBT equality, it shows how far we've come. Since the coalition government was formed we have laid out plans to allow civil partnerships on religious premises and the regulations will be in place by the end of the year, we've also put through legislation to delete men's convictions for consensual gay sex from their criminal records and we have launched the transgender survey to allow transgender people to directly influence government policy for the first time.
But we haven't just been acting in the UK; it is a sad fact that gay people can be appallingly treated in other parts of the world, particularly in Africa. William Hague has committed to put the Foreign Office at the forefront of efforts to promote the human rights of LGBT people and the UK played a leading role to build support for a statement from the UN Human Rights Council on "Ending acts of violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity”. Our embassies across the world continue to support the efforts of LGBT people, for instance in Malawi, UK pressure helped secure a presidential pardon for a same-sex couple who had been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment. And I know that many are deeply concerned by the situation in Uganda – and I congratulate Scott Mills and the BBC for the programme they made looking at homosexuality there – the government has raised the issue on many occasions with the Ugandan government and will continue to do so. I'm very proud of the fact that we have made the difficult, but I believe right, decision to maintain the commitment to reach 0.7 per cent of our national income going in aid to the poorest countries by 2013. This is a huge commitment for Britain to make but it means we are meeting our promise to the poorest people in the world. I think it is right morally, because as a rich country we should be helping the poorest people in the poorest countries, but it also has the spin-off benefit of giving us some moral authority in the world to talk to world leaders and governments about our relationship with them and what we expect from them. We have got, because of our aid commitment, an ability to speak to African leaders, African governments, African civil society and other countries around the world and raise LGBT issues.
It will take time to tackle homophobia and transphobia but we can do it. I urge everyone involved in sports to sign the charter and make a public declaration of their commitment to this cause. Sport should be a welcome place for everyone, those participating in, attending, working for, volunteering in or covering. At its core, sport is about fairness and equality, the values of justice, teamwork, dignity and respect. Homophobia and transphobia is totally unacceptable in sport as it is in wider society and only by working together, sharing best practice and encouraging one another will we defeat it.