Laurence CookNot too long ago the archbishop of York, John Sentamu reported racially motivated abuse in response to his comments about Gay Marriage in Britain, now another local face has been subject to hate mail. York’s Labour Councillor, James Alexander, has revealed on his twitter feed that he has been subject to homophobic abuse in writing on more than one occasion.
His tweet dating from the 30th July suggests that in response to the letter he published in York Press he was left an abusive letter at his office. Prior to this incident James Alexander had been defending the latest York Pride day via letters to the local paper. One public letter in response to Alexander’s read that “if he thinks the whole of York are behind him, then they’re not” – the suggestion being that locals are not in favour of having local Pride marches or events. Others on twitter responded to this by posting links to video coverage of the latest Pride event and James Alexander replied saying that this sort of thing showed why York Pride was a necessity.
The sexuality, indeed the sex, of politicians has always been a subject that seems to create the odd whirlwind of negative responses. However, opposition has been directed at the way in which the councillor is ‘forcing’ gay rights upon York. Scarily this supposes that those who oppose the Pride events seem to believe that lesbian and gay people currently do not have the same rights as everyone else. The councillor and anyone else, gay or straight, involved in York Pride not forcing anything on York – it is simply a celebration of the fact that equality and protection from discrimination exists.
