Owenstacey
TNPer
- TNP Nation
- HuksGares
Equality for the LGBT community has flourished in many parts of the West in the last 20 years and marital equality in particular has driven the LGBT community forward. The UK has tried to maintain itself at the forefront of equal opportunity for people of all walks of life. However, it is undoubtable that the UK have dramatically changed this view on homosexuality and this past is maintained to this day by the stubborn views of some of its former colonies in the Commonwealth.
The argument of some Commonwealth members stubbornness over homosexuality was highlighted during the 2018 Commonwealth games when Tom Daley, an English diver, spoke out against 37 Commonwealth countries that still outlaw homosexuality. This makes it hard for athlete's like Tom Daley because, as he has admitted, it is hard for him to travel to these 37 countries because of the struggles that people in the LGBT community in these countries have to go through. This dedication shown by people like Tom Daley, shows that passion resilience is rewarded and can help a much wider range of people with the publicity he receives through sport. This therefore brings the question why, if the UK is so open to the LGBT community and homosexuality in general, then why is it not doing enough to help them in other countries?
As many people will already know, the UK legalised gay marriage in 2014 but it was a long road and whilst the Conservatives took the big step to legalise it, they were also the party that did everything they could in the 1980's to go against it. This is seen by Margaret Thatcher's introduction of Section 28, a policy introduced into British law which prohibited schools from intentionally promoting homosexuality or of the acceptability of it. This, in modern Britain, would be seen as a travesty as it would block young people from learning the truth and set the LGBT community back significantly in the 1980's when trying to promote it as being something that happens and not something that can be ignored. Therefore, this ignorant state of mind would have been known by many of the Commonwealth countries and earlier opinions on this would have been the reason for them adopting these views.
Therefore, it is simple that Britain have some part to blame in allowing these Commonwealth countries to adopt these extremely prejudicial views and at a time when we developed, should have campaigned harder for these countries to follow them in promoting equality. Britain cannot simply say that they are so strongly on the side of the LGBT community when so recently they prohibited the promotion of homosexuality but won't do enough now to rectify this. So, with Britain moving to an unpredictable period with its movement away from the European Union and Theresa May's suggestion of closer ties with the Commonwealth countries, it is clear that now is the time for Britain to stand up for the equality of the LGBT community in these countries, and help allow people the freedom of opportunity which is at the heart of British values.
The argument of some Commonwealth members stubbornness over homosexuality was highlighted during the 2018 Commonwealth games when Tom Daley, an English diver, spoke out against 37 Commonwealth countries that still outlaw homosexuality. This makes it hard for athlete's like Tom Daley because, as he has admitted, it is hard for him to travel to these 37 countries because of the struggles that people in the LGBT community in these countries have to go through. This dedication shown by people like Tom Daley, shows that passion resilience is rewarded and can help a much wider range of people with the publicity he receives through sport. This therefore brings the question why, if the UK is so open to the LGBT community and homosexuality in general, then why is it not doing enough to help them in other countries?
As many people will already know, the UK legalised gay marriage in 2014 but it was a long road and whilst the Conservatives took the big step to legalise it, they were also the party that did everything they could in the 1980's to go against it. This is seen by Margaret Thatcher's introduction of Section 28, a policy introduced into British law which prohibited schools from intentionally promoting homosexuality or of the acceptability of it. This, in modern Britain, would be seen as a travesty as it would block young people from learning the truth and set the LGBT community back significantly in the 1980's when trying to promote it as being something that happens and not something that can be ignored. Therefore, this ignorant state of mind would have been known by many of the Commonwealth countries and earlier opinions on this would have been the reason for them adopting these views.
Therefore, it is simple that Britain have some part to blame in allowing these Commonwealth countries to adopt these extremely prejudicial views and at a time when we developed, should have campaigned harder for these countries to follow them in promoting equality. Britain cannot simply say that they are so strongly on the side of the LGBT community when so recently they prohibited the promotion of homosexuality but won't do enough now to rectify this. So, with Britain moving to an unpredictable period with its movement away from the European Union and Theresa May's suggestion of closer ties with the Commonwealth countries, it is clear that now is the time for Britain to stand up for the equality of the LGBT community in these countries, and help allow people the freedom of opportunity which is at the heart of British values.