Gay people should get the respect they deserve

This letter is published in today's Derby Telegraph:

Gay people should get the respect they deserve

Alan Walker from Stanley Common states that "unless you are gay, you do not command any respect" ("For true Christians, God's law is always God's law", Opinion, March 29). He is "sick and tired of the coverage they get on television and in the papers".

I sincerely wish the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) community did command more respect. I wish it was not necessary to continually fight our corner in the media. Mr Walker goes on to say that he has "nothing against gay people".

However, his homophobic interpretation of the Bible gives licence to gay bashers who hang around gay venues looking to enjoy their Saturday night sport.

Many youngsters, who share same-sex attraction, fearing abuse or violence, are afraid to go near these places and continue to be lonely. Mr Walker has no such problem. He will be able to enter and leave his church without any threat of humiliation.

At long last, the equality and diversity efforts of Derby City Council are trying to undo centuries of emotional damage inflicted upon a vulnerable minority. Before the election, Nick Clegg proposed all schools should be required to teach that homosexuality is normal. Some are doing that.

I agree with Mr Walker when he says "enough is enough!" If all gay people "stood up to be counted" they, like Christians, would "gain the respect they deserve!".

Narvel Annable

Dovedale Crescent

Belper

How are you feeling, Britain?

One of the regular tasks that falls upon the Core Partners of (REDP) - of which Leicester Council of Faiths is one - is to read and respond to consultation documents, papers and proposals from various agencies and organisations that impact upon areas of equality and diversity.More often than not, these are produced by this department or that within national - local (within the East Midlands) or national .

I've just made such a response on behalf of REDP to the consultation run by the Office for National Statistics on developing indicators for Measuring National Well-Being. The consultation period has been running since November and closed today. But the website remains live, so you can check it out for yourself if you wish, faithful reader.