ANGER, ANGUISH and anxiety have been the reaction of lesbians and gay men to the letter by Patricia Hewitt leaked to the Sun. Millions of lesbians and gays who might have been expected to support Labour on the basis of the party's policy have been shaken and confused.
endorsement, are not just an outrageous assault on the human rights of millions of lesbians and gay men. It is also political suicide for the Labour Party.
so-called left' that by the don councils are It is true that social policies which ideological of the rabid approach retreating prejudice entirely completely incoherent, Peter Purton, LCLGR (personal capacity)
The first is a simple reason of fact. If London councils like Ealing, HarBrent or Lambeth ingey, 'loony' then so was the 79. per cent of the last Labour Party conference when it voted for the im• premellalon ot a prehensive lesbian and gay rights policy. So too were Neil Kinnock and the entire National Executive commilice; which mously backed the sucresstul resolution.
The victories won by the Labour Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Rights at the last two national conferences were not accidents. They were won because the arguments Hewitt's letter, and Neil Kinnock's subsequent Any on socialist equality iberty, grotesque inmen in life society.
The elementary adherence evel sexuality. the Alliance such 'electoral Tons , it would be 1c cobal y devoted equality campaign for lesbian and terrifying implicaRacist immigration policies may be electorally popular. That does not mean that the cabour Parthe sake of electoral gaior. should adopt them for Supporting capital punishment might win votes. 1nal does not mean lial should favour of hangings. It has been. •rightly stated that heterosexism discrimination against homosexuality is the only remaining form of discrimination that is acceptable within ment. That does not make it right.
Either the Labour Party is in favour of equality for all, or it is not. It cantu alcalis position of secretly being in favour of legislating for lesbian and gay rights, but publicly aventude the popular prejudices which make life unbearable for the milions of homosex ual women and men.
But even in the crudest electoral terms, the current approach of the caucisio disastrous. Every experience of tighting honestiv on les. bian gay rights, whether It be 1ULd council policies, or around openly lesbian or gay candidates, is positive. The most recent council elec tions show that an honest campaign has actually benefitted Labour (as in Haringey or Lambeth).
But every time the Parin the Bermondsey Las the Bermondsey byeelecton. or oca eco tions such as in Islington South, the been conceded to the Tories and the Alliance, party has been Honest policies, honestly campaigned for and explained, have been successful. A dishonest approach of pretending that • support the rights of lesbians men has handed a gift to the opposition and has left the field clear for bigotry and prejudice.
In such a climate. , the picacio which has been fanned for lesbians and gay men by the AIDS hysteria has been added by reactionary crusades the religious fundamentalists the Tories anc In addition to delng a calastropie tot icsbians and gay men, such a policy is also a disaster for the Labour Party.
Make no mistake. If the Party refuses to fight on the question of lesbians and gays then the next peo ple who it will be declared it is impos do supoori are black people. Then it will be women. Then trade unionists and defenders of civil liberties. You never fight reaction by running away from it •because Tours •s the enemy simply increases their demands.
• guaranteed that the other parties will try to exploit popular prejudice against the Party's policy the positive attempts plement it Whether the Party wins or loses subport depends not on the called 'loony left' attempolicy; it depends on Nel Kinnock Hewitt and the way they cau general election campaign.
• The Lesbian and Gay Pride Weeks Committee, in light of the growing attacks on lesbians and gays, ingely heterosexpredominantly ual organisations to supprt this year's lesbian and gay pride march, which is to be held on 27 June. For further information contact Mary Harper, 11 Rushton House, Albion Avenue, London SW8 2SE. details in our next issue.