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Government considers watered down same-sex marriage bill to minimise Tory rebellion
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London: Gay couple threatened with death in violent late night homophobic assault
120
Tory MP Nadine Dorries: 'The gay marriage bill is taking the sex out of marriage'
90
Philip Hammond: 'No great demand for gay marriage and it's upsetting vast numbers of people'
72
Government to consider abolishing civil partnerships or opening up to straight couples
68
Bret Easton Ellis slams GLAAD and says gay basketball player Jason Collins treated like a 'baby panda'
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US Radio host: Gay news websites are covered with porn that is turning teens gay
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Lib Dem MP Sarah Teather tells Catholic newspaper 'I never went into politics to tackle equal marriage'
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Tory MP David Burrowes: 'I'm not anti-gay; I'm just pro-marriage'
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Tory MP David Burrowes: I only want a referendum on same-sex marriage so I can defeat the government's bill
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Robert in S. Kensington 831
Eddy 389
Rehan 269
Jock S. Trap 243
bobbleobble 222
D.McCabe 221
rapture 203
Iris 199
Ray123 193
Midnighter 187
Congratulations Peter. It couldn’t have happened to a better man. I am so proud of him.
Many Congratulations Mr Tatchell – you deserve to be recognised and honoured for all the tireless campaigning – where the silent gay majority say nothing you vocalise our impotant rage…. Thank you.
I am not gay nor do I actually agree with many of Mr Tatchell’s views, I do believe this honour is well deserved as he seems a man of utter conviction. His campaigning on human rights is to be applauded.
I don’t agree with him on everything. But Tatchell is a legend and an inspiration.
Once again…smile, handshake and a hug, Peter.
pictures here and audio here (includes Simon Hughes) and here (McKellen and Tatchell)
Deserves to be offered a Knighthood.
Well deserved and long overdue. An inspiration to all in the human rights & green politics movements
A large ‘one in the eye’ for the albeit dying out (ex Widdecombe sadly) homophobic Blue Rinse brigade.
Peter is without a doubt the most inspirational and bravest person I’ve ever met. Britain is so lucky to have him here. While some may not agree with his methods preferring negotiations behind closed doors, Peter’s voice and those of the activists he inspires are just too loud to ignore. We owe so much to him as a publication and we are grateful.
Ben
PinkNews.co.uk founder
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I am a gay member of the Southwark Blue Plaque Steering Group and it was me who put Peter’s name forward. No one had ever recommended a lesbian or gay person before, and I was expecting a negative response. To my relief – and delight – the Group were unanimous in their support for Peter’s name to be included in that year’s list of nominations, and then the public voted for him. I was there today. It was a lovely event and the speeches were emotionally charged. Peter deserves this honour and he was deeply moved by the reception we gave him. Peter aside, I couldn’t help but smile at the following conversation I overheard. I was standing next to an older man who was being questioned by a younger man:
Older Man: “Look! There’s Ian McLellan!”
Younger man: “Where?”
Older man: “There. The old man.”
Younger man: “What does he do?”
Older man: “He’s a famous actor, or something.”
Well done, my friend Peter. You have done more than any other in Britain and elsewhere to further the advance of human and gay rights around the world. You not only deserve this award so richly, but you should be honoured with a knighthood and the Nobel Peace prize. I can think of no other individual worthy of it. You put Ben Summerskill et al to shame. Lets not forget, that it was you Peter who first put marriage equality on the map as far back as 1992 long before the Dutch became the first country to enact it. It is because of your tireless efforts and dedication that have brought this entire marriage equality issue to the front burner. Long may you flourish. In my view, the LGBT and nation as a whole owe you a great debt of gratitude. You have been right all along. Well done!
Peter should run StonewallUK!
Well done Peter – this is such a well deserved honour. You are human rights hero of the decade IMO
Inspirational.
I agree! Peter should be running Stonewall, not that other character.
Peter is indeed a hero, but like all heroes he has his flaws. Let’s not lionise or idolise him.
One of the things that Peter is wrong about are the people who live in the redeveloped area along the south bank of the Thames, north east of him, in and around Tower Bridge. He has said that we are all rich and that we have taken accommodation where local people should be living. Well, I’m from South London, I’m not rich, I’m a social worker, and I live in one of those new blocks of flats along the river. I’ve worked hard to save my money and better myself and that’s how come I can afford to live in a nice flat overlooking the Thames. I’m not the only key-worker living in this area either. We don’t all choose to live on a shoe-string, Peter, though you have and by so doing you have had the time and freedom to do a great deal of activist work.
What a very dull world this would be if we all lived in a little council flat just off the Elephant and Castle and spent our lives campaigning on LGBT issues!
“Voted by the people” … the highest accolade of all! This wasn’t some group of Establishment ‘Worthies’ doing the voting, this was the Public!! It’s so encouraging to hear that the public still has excellent taste, great good sense – this is a small, but not insignificant hounour …. hard-earned and richly deserved!!
I too congratulate Peter on this honour, but isn’t “a secular blessing” a contradiction in terms?
Congrats, Peter! An accolade duly deserved for years of work on behalf of ALL British GLBT folk. On behalf of the majority who lack the balls to ‘do the right thing’, we humbly thank you.
Now, let’s see just ONE Conservative who’s campaigned so selflessly – at their own expense – for so many years.
Just one.
Integrity and selfless work for others. An inspiration. Thank you.
Sue did you really have to use this occasion to have a snipe. Well done for saving for a house by the Thames, I am sure your a not one of the people Peter was talking about. Grow up.
Any way back to Peter, a modern day hero of mine, well deserved and even more meaningful that it was voted for by the public.
Congratulations, Peter. Very much deserved. Lovely to read this news today (and thanks for the links, zefrog).
And MBE, or a remunerated appointment of some kind, Amnesty for example, would have been more appropriate at this stage in his life.
Peter Tatchell deserves a knighthood from the Queen. He has earnt it for all his selfless work for gay issues.
Mr Tatchell, you inspire me every day! Congratulions on such a community honour!
Congratulations and a huge thank you to Peter. All Gay people in the western world have benefited from this one man’s courage. I hope there are many younger people out there who will, one day be inspired by this man.
How lucky you are to have a national leader. Here in the USA, that is someone / something we sorely need.
To keep down the bickering in the gay community, and help keep the focus.
You gotta love the Tatch.
Sue, at No. 16, thanks so much for saying that! My partner and I are teachers and like you we live in Docklands too. We moved in shortly after Tatchell and his Bermondsey crew “hijacked” the HMS Belfast with their protest against the warehouses being turned into homes for sale on the open market. Tatchell thought they should all be turned into council homes and given to the people of Bermondsey!
Sav, it’s fair for Sue to have said what she did, and for me to add to it, because Peter has only recently again taken a nasty swipe at people who have worked hard, saved their money, and bought a flat along the river. The other day he described all of us “rich people” who shouldn’t be living here. That’s wrong. And as far as I am concerned it’s just sour grapes. Having said that though, I am still totally happy to say he does a first rate job at fighting for gay rights.
This unusual honour (plaque for someone still alive) couldn’t have gone to a better person. Congratulations to Peter, and it’s the very least he deserves.
Can anyone tell me whereabouts the sign is? I’m going to London in November and want to get a pic with it-
I was there yesterday, neighbours, friends, police, a Catholic priest who gave a speech, subscribers to his Human Rights fund and some eminent members of the LGBTQI community were also there. It was good that Simon Hughes MP (PT’s ‘Battle for Bermondsey’, read it!) turned up and re-itterated apologising for past uncivilised events. It was a pity that Ben S could not be there out of sheer respect for Peter’s tireless, selfless, humble, brave and unpaid efforts for more than just the LGBTQI community. The plaque is between two tenament blocks off Rockingham St (just north of New Kent Rd near the tube station) near to his home for many years (regardless of outsiders’ threats and actual nastiness). The plaque should say ‘Lives here’ but it is future proof, hopefully a LONG way off! Peter wanted it much closer to his actual home. It is so good to see all comments are positive. He is a Great Man and puts many supposed great men to shame.
Sorry, I should have added that Sir Ian McKellen came along as a founder member of Stonewall and has himself been very brave in coming out in his profession and actively criticising politicians about Section 28. There was a lot of mutual respect going on between those two! There is room for both approaches in the fight, but Stonewall got funding and Outrage got little. Both have achieved a lot, although plenty will argue both ways.
So happy to see all of the positive comments about this. I am very happy to also see that the ´knock Peter´ trolls have remained silent on this.
Nothing makes me sicker than to see those gay people who are happy to sit behind their computers knocking other peoples efforts on THEIR behalf.
Peter has shown great courage and faced many REAL adversities and dangers in his quest for equality and fair treatment for lesbian and gay people. It is easy to talk the talk, but how many of us actually walk the walk? Peter does on a daily basis.
I too add my name to those who call for a knighthood for Peter. Its about time his work was officially recognized.
Congratulations Peter. Thanks for everything.
Peter Tatchell Blue Plaque unveiled
Youtube video – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDCx7yf2Evc
Should that not be ‘Lives here’ rather than “Lived here” as he still stays there. It’s just a load of tripe if you ask me.
@34, you say Peter should get a knighthood. Well, Peter’s a republican who has no truck with the royal family and all Tory tosh, but given that he’s pictured here with minister of religion, and given that he doesn’t seem to mind public acclaim, we may indeed find him softening on the “no knighthood” stance.
Warms the cockles of my heart just to see him! Wonderful wonderful man.