Controversial gay rights activist, Peter Tatchell, spoke about his life and work at Quay Arts Centre in Newport on Wednesday night in an event orgainised by local LGBT+ organisation, Out on an Island.
Peter Tatchell was born into a conservative Christian family in Melbourne, Australia, in 1952. He subsequently moved to London in 1971 to avoid conscription into the Australian army and having to fight in the Vietnam war.
In London, Peter became a member of the GLF (Gay Liberation Front) and helped organise Britain’s first Gay Pride March in 1972.
No stranger to controversy, in 1994 Peter attempted to expose what he regarded as ‘hypocrisy’ in the Church of England, when he threatened to ‘out’ 10 bishops he claimed were secretly gay. In 1998, he disrupted the Easter sermon of the then Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, to protest the opposition of the church to same-sex relationships.
In 2001, Tatchell claimed to have suffered brain damage after attempting a citizen’s arrest of Zimbabwean dictator, Robert Mugabe, after being assaulted by one of his bodyguards.
When asked at the meeting whether he regarded coming to the Isle of Wight as being akin to returning to the Britain of the 1950s, Peter compared the Island to the Australian Island state of Tasmania, which formerly had very conservative opinions, but was now one of the most progressive places in Australia. He believed times were changing.
Speaking exclusively to Island Echo after the event, the gay rights activist said:
“I would like to thank people from the Isle of Wight for making so much progress towards embracing and accepting the local LGBT community.
Article continues below this advertisement “Years ago, the Isle of Wight was not an accepting place for gay people. Many did not feel welcome and left the Island. Now, some are coming back because the Island has become far more tolerant and inclusive.
“There are still issues to fight, such as LGBT inclusive sex education in schools. We have to do more to stop bullying of LGBT children in schools and to tackle the anxiety and depression that many of them feel.”
Peter Tatchell’s visit had attracted some local criticism due to his apparent endorsement of sexual relationships for youngsters below the age of 16.
In a letter to the Guardian in 1997, in defence of an academic book entitled Boy Love, Tatchell wrote:
“The positive nature of some child–adult sexual relationships is not confined to non-Western cultures. Several of my friends – gay and straight, male and female – had sex with adults from the ages of nine to 13. None feel they were abused. All say it was their conscious choice and gave them great joy. While it may be impossible to condone paedophilia, it is time society acknowledged the truth that not all sex involving children is unwanted, abusive and harmful.”
When challenged over the remarks above after the meeting, Peter Tatchell had no comment to make.
Why do gay people have to march and shout it from the rooftops, straight people don’t
What is this?
“The positive nature of some child–adult sexual relationships is not confined to non-Western cultures. Several of my friends – gay and straight, male and female – had sex with adults from the ages of nine to 13. None feel they were abused. All say it was their conscious choice and gave them great joy. While it may be impossible to condone paedophilia, it is time society acknowledged the truth that not all sex involving children is unwanted, abusive and harmful.”
Where do you draw the line?
If you do not know what I am talking about watch the Kinsey Syndrome on youtube
Did he say that??? WFT!
are you kidding me – his views on adult and child relationships as indicated in the article are enough to consider him an outcast in society and he belongs in a cell for peddling such disgusting views, or at least subject to a full investigation by the police.
How the hell can those that consider theirselves lesbian, gay or transgender allow theirselves to be associated with an individual whose views on sex with children are not in line with the rest of us, which is, it is abhorrent, is beyond me.
There are only two sections of society now, as we have moved on from the isolation and persecution that LGBT used to put up with in the 20th century.
1. Straight, gay, lesbian and transgender
2. Nonces
He should be looking down his nose at those in number 2 and not talking it up -dodgy and I wouldn’t want him around, ever.
some of his friends are clearly nonces then – based on his documented comments.
I sincerely hope he leaves this island sooner rather than later.
So what rights do straight people have that people of the LGBT don’t? I’m all for equality but seems some of these groups confuse discrimination with the lack of rights. They are discriminated against and that is wrong but I am quite sure they have the same rights as everyone else? Am I wrong?
Here’s his answer regarding under age sex…
Just so he isn’t once again misinterpreted.
https://www.petertatchell.net/lgbt_rights/age_of_consent/under-age-sex-statement-of-clarification/
Really F Stow… the bloke is likely to get a wide berth to be on the safe side based on what he is quoted as saying. – he points his finger at the church in his article.
a classic tecnhique of trying to divert attention from himself – the expression is “he who points the accusing finger, is often the guilty party” is worth remembering and likely to be considered by many readers, as the reason for highlighting the church.
Personally, any bloke that devotes this much time to the sexual activity of teenagers and comments on it to the degree he does, is guaranteed to make people suspicious of his motives.
hasn’t done himself any favours whatsoever – he will just be seen as a dodgy old man.