I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – gay rights activists are a model for the left in how they’ve managed to turn around public opinion.

In this instance they had a rather strong motivator to action, unity and not giving much of a stuff about public opinion regarding their actions – death by AIDS. They had their goals and pursued them totally, with in your face, aggressive, not giving a fuck what Mrs So-and-so down the road would think, no holds-barred political campaigning. Death was coming for them, what can your local thuggish cop do to scare you into quiescence? They rallied round one another because everyone else was quite happy for them to die. Many did. I don’t think there is any gay man or women who lived through the AIDS crisis who doesn’t have a list of treasured friends and loved ones who died far too young.

‘The left’ cannot learn from this because the left is far too comfortable and cosy these days, preferring to argue about if an opening show that mixed the NHS with imperialism provides a boost to itself, or having a big sectarian shouting match over who precisely gains from a rebel victory in Syria.
‘The left’ simply is not motivated by a desire to ensure they or their friends don’t die, though we may soon see such things occurring with the increasing attacks on the disabled and unemployed. I wish we could all unite more easily to action without a few bodies to spur us to righteous anger, but it doesn’t look like that’s the way things work.

I should also make a nod to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence who for a long time were the one single source of pamphlets advising gay men on (actually accurate) methods to ‘play safe’ and avoid what would be called HIV. The CDC wasn’t doing owt about it at the time.

”I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – gay rights activists are a model for the left in how they’ve managed to turn around public opinion.”

Up to a point I’d agree. But there are plently of negative things about gay agaenda politics IMO too. But it would require discussion and debate to go through them.

First of all, there was the campaigning in the 80s to make it look like catching AIDS was someting that greatly concerned the whole population and not just particulrly gay men and people in Africa.

http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/0000000054CD.htm

Young hetrosexual people in Norfolk were told that they had to be careful about catching AIDS too, as I presume it was wanted to shift the focus away from it affecting gay men so particularly.

Outrage have had their good moments, but outing people was quite controversial.

And today the tactic of calling anyone who doesn’t support gay marriage a ”knuckle dragging biggot” like Owen Jones said of London radio talk show host Ian Collins – live on the radio, is a tactic that I really loath.
Ian Collins supports civil partnerships and although not a lefty, is a regular and sound guy.
http://www.iancollins.com/

Also … the LGBT acronym needs to be explained properly.
It’s conceited just to use it as if it was a done deal and everyone understands why transgenderism is linked in with gays and lesbians.
Even bisexuality might need a bit more explaining … if you are going to go calling yourselves LGBT and presenting yourselves as such to religious groupings you want to engage with.

@2 It seems to me the reasons are historical- there were a lot of drag queens at Stonewall (probably drag queens, the term “trans woman” wasn’t defined at the time, and there’s obviously a hell of a difference). Trans people are all victims of homophobia, so it makes sense for them to dedicate time to LGB rights. So unless you want to argue that trans people are an embarrassment and are holding LGB rights back, LGB people benefit from the alliance.

I would love to see the trans rights movement create it’s own identity, and it’s getting there with the new generation of activists like Paris Lee. But it’s a natural ally with the LGB movement, as well as with feminism.

@3 even

can your emplty head not remember that there was mass hysteria from everyone. Though mostly the usa gov allowed 28thouand people to get inffected via blood. they had numbers and there is strength in numbers.

still the rates of infection are rising high again in some area’s we are informed. is this because of poor quality condoms or not using condoms?

now clegg has lost you most of your supporters/voters lib dems are unlikely to ever get any power ever again. And after the assange article i hope you lose your supporters too.

i hope it shows you for the complete and utter idiot you are.

@ 6

You do realise that this isn’t a Lib Dem site, right?