Posted on 01/18/2005 6:35:43 AM PST by presidio9
Schools will be encouraged to hold lessons exploring the achievements of gay men and women throughout history as part of the first gay history month.
The project, to be held in February, will highlight the hidden history of household names who would probably today identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, such as William Shakespeare, who was rumoured to be bisexual, and Florence Nightingale, who few people know was a lesbian.
Other events covered during the month will include talks on the early years of gays and lesbians in British television and discussions of the history of the British LGBT Muslim movement. Pupils will also study modern gay icons such as Freddie Mercury and Sir Ian McKellen, alongside more historical gay and bisexual figures such as Isaac Newton and Alexander the Great.
The voluntary initiative, modelled on the successful black history month held each October, is being backed by the government and has been given a grant by the Department for Education and Skills. It will be officially launched at the Houses of Parliament on February 7.
Jacqui Smith, the government minister responsible for equality, said: "I hope that lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender groups and their supporters across the country will take the opportunity to participate in the month and organise LGBT events in their areas. I believe the month will be important in helping to drive the culture change to create a more inclusive society. It will also be a great opportunity to uncover some hidden LGBT histories."
The scheme was designed by Schools Out! - a group campaigning for LGBT equality in schools - to get gay issues onto the curriculum. They will also encourage libraries, theatres, sports clubs and councils across the country to hold events.
Nigel Tart, from Schools Out, said: "Since the 80s, LGBT issues have been squeezed out of subjects like history, English and drama. Today's students only encounter them, if at all, in relation to bullying, sex education and Aids. LGBT history month is our first major project to reclaim our place in the curriculum."
It is not know how many schools will be involved in the project but Stephen Twigg, minister for school standards, said the government would be encouraging schools to sign up.
It is very very easy to say "so and so was gay" since that person is long gone and cannot defend himself.
It's part of a well planned and well funded campaign:
An excerpt from "THE OVERHAULING OF STRAIGHT AMERICA"
"(4) Make gays look good. In order to make a Gay Victim sympathetic to straights you have to portray him as Everyman. But an additional theme of the campaign should be more aggressive and upbeat: to offset the increasingly bad press that these times have brought to homosexual men and women, the campaign should paint gays as superior pillars of society. Yes, yes, we know -- this trick is so old it creaks. Other minorities use it all the time in ads that announce proudly, Did you know that this Great Man (or Woman) was ________? But the message is vital for all those straights who still picture gays as queer people -- shadowy, lonesome, frail, drunken, suicidal, child-snatching misfits.
The honor roll of prominent gay or bisexual men and women is truly eye-popping. From Socrates to Shakespeare, from Alexander the Great to Alexander Hamilton, from Michelangelo to Walt Whitman, from Sappho to Gertrude Stein, the list is old hat to us but shocking news to heterosexual America. In no time, a skillful and clever media campaign could have the gay community looking like the veritable fairy godmother to Western Civilization.
An excerpt from "The Homosexual Propaganda and Media Manipulation Game"
(50) Infer and speculate that famous historical figures were gay for two reasons: first, they are dead as a door nail, hence in no position to deny the truth and sue for libel; (page 188)
Actually, I think the first part is supposed to be blob of tissue - baby - child, and so on.
I thought that someone's sexual orientation wasn't important. Isn't it supposed to be the content of their character?
Saying someone did something great isn't good enough anymore. Now we have to say they homosexual AND they did something great.
I'm sick of this crap.
"I laugh at all the people they state were homosexuals, I mean any admittance of a "possible gay thought" lands people in this category. It disgusting that they feel they must show "historical figures as gay" in order to make their disgusting lifestyle acceptable to themselves. When will they stop going to these lengths?? I mean if it is really "okay" and they are "born this way" why justify it??"
Good point. I wish they would get back in the closet and we could nail the door shut.
""Gay" activists need to STFU and get back in the closet""
Yes, they do.
ROFLMAO!!!
I loved that movie!
I hear William Wallace was a homosexual... and that Tony Blair along with King Arthur are all gay.
Right next to the Twinkies.
THE ULTIMATE JUNK FOOD
Most of what I've seen indicates that nobody is even sure who Shakespeare actually was. How can a "mystery man" be gay?!
That headline scared me.
I thought you meant WAYNE Newton.
Be still my heart. =:P
Huey Newton?
I'm just trying to figure out how we're here if all the previous generations were gay.
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