Section 28

Section 28 or Clause 28Section 28 is sometimes referred to as Clause 28 – in the United Kingdom, Acts of Parliament have sections, whereas in a Bill (which is put before Parliament to pass) those sections are called clauses.When gay became a four-letter word of the caused the addition of Section 2A to the and affected the United Kingdom by forbidding teaching or promotion of homosexuality. The amendment was repealed on 21 June 2000 in Scotland as one of the first pieces of legislation enacted by the new Scottish Parliament, and on 18 November 2003 in the rest of the United Kingdom by section 122 of the Local Government Act 2003, Government of the United Kingdom. Accessed 30 May 2015. under New Labour.
== History ==
Section 28 originated in the social transition in British society from homosexuality as "illegal-but-discussed", to "legal-but-not-always approved", following debate in the 1950s and the 1967 decriminalisation of gay sex for those over the age of 21 in the Sexual Offences Act 1967 (c.60), 1 November 2009
=== The Daily Mail is outraged(!) ===
In 1983, the Daily Mail reported that a copy of a book entitled portraying a young girl who lives with her father and his male partner, was provided in a school library run by the Labour-controlled The author of this horrific book, portraying the evil homosexuals as ordinary people, said that:
Nonetheless, moral outrage by the easily-offended over children being taught this book, as well as others in school ensued, and in 1987, the Conservative government in the UK (under the rule of Margaret Thatcher) issued warning posters claiming that the Labour Party was issuing the book to be read in schools, as well as Police: Out of School, The Playbook for Kids about Sex,Authored by and The Milkman's on his Way,Authored by which, according to Conservative wingnut – who introduced Section 28 and later campaigned against same-sex marriage – were being taught to "little children as young as five and six", which contained "brightly coloured pictures of little stick men showed all about homosexuality and how it was done", and "explicitly described homosexual intercourse and, indeed, glorified it, encouraging youngsters to believe that it was better than any other sexual way of life".Quoted in , 6 December 1999, Column 1102.
But she's not homophobic, as she believes that the gays can be very artistic and "very good at things like antiques".Baroness Knight: Gay men are 'very good at things like antiques', The Metro. 5 Jun 2013.
=== Culture war and widespread demonstrations ===
More and more councils began to adopt wide-ranging anti-discrimination policies, including policies that protected LGBT people, and these events became entangled in a form of culture war between the Conservatives and Labour – alliances between LGBT and labour unions such as the formed by activist groups (such as and led to the adoption at the Labour Party Annual Conference in 1985 of a resolution calling the repeal of Section 28 and to criminalise discrimination of lesbian, gay and bisexual people."Solidarity and Sexuality: Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners 1984–5". Oxford History Workshop Journal, Volume 77, Issue 1 (Spring 2014), pp. 240–262.However, not all leftist groups were united (they never are), and organisations within the labour movement (such as the Trotskyite within the Labour Party) opposed LGBT rights.
But it wasn't until 1987 that negative views of homosexuality peaked (following the AIDS crisis), and one year later, controversy arose and widespread protest demonstrations made a major contribution towards the subsequent passing of Section 28. In autumn 1986 a group of parents in the north-east began making complaints about the aforementioned book that was available to school children."Won't somebody please think of the children!" What started out as a request for the removal of one book, turned into a series of demonstrations across the nation.
=== Conservative election victory ===
In order to prevent any drastic measures happening To add fuel to the flames, the Conservatives had won the UK General Elections, and following the Conservatives' victory, Margaret Thatcher gave a speech to a Conservative Party Conference. In it, she warned of "far-left" extremist teachers in the "inner cities", shockingly indoctrinating children with the false notion that they had "an inalienable right to be gay"Thatcher, Margaret. Speech to Conservative Party Conference, 9 October 1987. Accessed 30 May 2015.Mind you, the Tories really don't care that much about human rights nowadays, so not much change there... and that she would put a stop to the far-leftist gay agenda thwarting Britain's One year later, Section 28 was put into place.
=== Tactics of the Gay Liberation Front ===
Some have argued that the alleged militant tactics of the Not to be confused with the Animal Liberation Front or may have played a part in the enactment of this law. In 1999, Jill Knight, the previously mentioned wingnut, said this:
(The GLF was quite confrontational and had been involved in skirmishes with various other religious movements in the United Kingdom – amongst its best known antics involved the a grassroots campaign brought about by a group of Christians wishing to combat During their first meeting, groups of GLF members in drag invaded and spontaneously kissed each other; others released mice, sounded horns, and unveiled banners, and a contingent dressed as workmen obtained access to the basement and shut off the lights. Needless to say, many right-wingers were not pleased with this sort of behaviour.)
== Section 28 text ==
Section 28 became law on 24 May 1988. The night before, several protests were staged by lesbian women (one believed to be Annie "Mechanic" who lived at Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp), including abseiling into Parliament and a famous invasion of the BBC's Six O'Clock News.When gay became a four-letter word However, despite these protests, the law was enacted. Section 28 of the Local Government Act said, in part:
Note that, in the context of subsection (2), this was written during the HIV/AIDS crisis — i.e. it's okay to discuss gay people exist, so long as you tell your kids they're AIDS-riddled parasites.
=== Response ===
As Labour Party politician said one day after the passing of this law:
=== Effects ===
As it did not create a criminal offence, no prosecution was ever brought under this provision and its effects were chilling. However, its existence caused many groups to close or limit their activities or self-censor. For example, a number of lesbian, gay and bisexual student support groups in schools and colleges across Britain were closed owing to fears by council legal staff that they could breach the Act. Knitting Circle 1989 Section 28 gleanings. Archived from the original on 18 August 2007. Accessed 30 May 2015.
== Modern day support ==
=== United Kingdom ===
Right up until its repeal, David Cameron was in full support of this legislation, saying that he did not support the "promotion of homosexuality in schools" and that the Labour Party was being "anti-family" in repealing the law.Channel 4's Profile of David Cameron: "Toff at the Top" However, as being a homophobe is becoming unacceptable and politically untenable, he has since changed his mind, he has passed gay marriage when in coalition with his boyfriend the deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, despite a "disastrous" interview regarding his party's view on LGBT rights,David Cameron disastrous gay rights interview, Political Scrapbook, (YouTube). and the majority of his party voting against the legislation.Gay Marriage Vote. BBC News, published 5 February 2013.
Of course, there are some 'Kippers who want this legislation back...Duffy, Nick. UKIP councillor: It is a tragedy Section 28 was repealed, gays want to destroy the traditional family. 18 May 2014. Accessed 2 June 2015.
=== Similar legislation ===
Some have claimed that has its basis in Section 28, except being a bit more anal and severe.Robert Wintemute, Russia should learn from Britain's record on gay rights. 24 July 2013 14.50Severe? Anal? Don't tell David Cameron that...
In 2015, the Christian-based Evangelical Alliance's report to the Women and Equalities Select Committee's transgender inquiry,Written evidence submitted by Evangelical Alliance to the Transgender Equality Inquiry. data.parliament.uk, 12 August 2015. which said in part that "children should be protected from having to sort through [questions regarding sex or gender] before they reach an appropriate age", reminded many of the language used in section 28.
==See also==
*LGBT
*United Kingdom
*Gay agenda
*Margaret Thatcher
*Homosexual recruitment
*Brian Souter
*Conservative correctness
==External links==
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*Section 28 timeline
==Notes==
==References==
Category:Homophobia
Category:Moral panics
Category:Purity culture
Category:Freedom of speech