Out In the Country

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

When I was 14 years-old, my family relocated from my home town to a new housing estate in the countryside. Much as I love visiting the countryside, I hated living there and was glad to leave within a year or so of leaving school. I hated everyone else feeling they had a right to know everyone else’s business. It was hard to keep any secrets.

So you can imagine what it was like for a gay lad, having to keep his sexuality a secret not only from family and friends, but also from the whole estate and original (delightful) village of which it was an eyesore of an extension! Gay relationships were illegal in the UK until 1967, the year I was 22.]

So I have been pleased to hear from gay people who come out in the country and been accepted by local people although I have to say that, on the whole, I hear the opposite. The majority of gay men and women living in rural areas, in the UK as well as worldwide, still feel they must keep their sexuality a secret. I dare say they suffer much the same torment as I did all those years ago.

When, oh, when will everyone realise that sexuality is only a part of who we are, and a very private part; it is no one else’s damn business? We are human beings like everyone else who have as much to offer our local communities as anyone, and don't deserve to be stigmatised simply because too few among the heterosexual majority understand what it means to be gay or some (if not most) religious groups are intrinsically homophobic. I should not have to be saying this in the 21^st century, for goodness sake. It should be taken for granted.  Oh, but I wish...

Why, oh, why do so many people worldwide continue to believe the many outdated, misleading and generally offensive stereotypes that continue to attach themselves to gay and transgender men and women? 

Yes, we have pro-gay legislation in some part of the world, but anti-gay legislation in others. Besides, as I have often said on the blogs, you cannot legislate for bad attitude.  Where schools and colleges refuse to go out of their way to educate these people, I guess all we can do is try and lead by example and hope for the best.  True, it's not enough. It's nowhere near enough. But what else can we do? 

OUT IN THE COUNTRY

He asked me to dance

on the village green;

I jumped at the chance

Though neighbours askance

(some thought it obscene)

he asked me to dance

Forget all that token stuff

about poufs on-screen?

I jumped at the chance

Band playing by chance

our favourite tune,

he asked me to dance

Measuring every advance,

treasuring each joining-in;

I jumped at the chance

A subtle rush to ring-fence

(unsuitable for children?);

He asked me to dance,

I jumped at the chance

Copyright R N Taber 2005

[From: A Feeling for the Quickness of Time by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2005]