lupestripe's lair

Now, I learnt the Facts of Life back in 1995. Freddie Mercury had died of AIDS only four years previously and there was still an instituitonalised persecution against homosexuals, although it was getting more accepted in the mainstream media.

Last week I stumbled across an old booklet I was given called Is Everybody Doing It? Your Guide to Contraception. It was produced by the Family Planning Association and was given out free to all thirteen year olds who were receiving sex education in State schools. Page 7 (see image below) has always stuck in my mind as it equates being bisexual to being infected or a drug-user. I have never been able to work out if this was directing attacking or whether it was reflecting a prejudice against bisexuals.



Cut to 2007. On Wednesday I happened to catch a glimpse of the banner headline of my local newspaper - The Middlesbrough Evening Gazette. In it the mayor of Middlesbrough, Ray Mallon, called for the formation of a gay quarter in the town.



Despite its reputation Middlesbrough has always been a tolerant and progressive town and a town I am proud to call home so it heartened me greatly that the most senior official in the area has openly called for "more gay events...and possibly a gay nightclub" in Middlesbrough. He plans to visit Canal Street in Manchester to see what Middlesbrough can adopt and he has already supported Boro's fledgling gay community by opening the SuperGay Weekend in the town during the Summer Bank Holiday Weekend.



I feel that this air of support would have been heard of back in 1995 and now, twelve years on, things have changed for the better. Perhaps this is why I had the confidence to come out last Christmas and perhaps this is why I could finally accept who I am. I don't know. But either way I am extremely heartened with the increase in tolerance that society is showing towards gays and I only hope it'll continue.