Margaret Thatcher—'The Iron Lady' or 'The Benighted Lady'?—Warns of 'Extremist' Anti-racist, Pro-gay Teachers

Margaret Thatcher, Conservative Party Conference 1987

Gay rights: Life under Section 28 - BBC Newsnight

30 years ago Section 28 was introduced. It was - the now repealed - clause of a local government act, to stop a council promoting the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship. That's a quote.

The prominent gay writer and journalist Matthew Todd - he was editor at Attitude magazine for many years - was in school in those days, and looks back now, at the effect it had.

Schools Accused of Reviving Section 28 in Sex Education Policies

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Ministers have ordered an immediate investigation into evidence schools have been enforcing a bitterly controversial rule banning the “promotion” of homosexuality 10 years after it was abolished.

Officials at the Department for Education are looking into dozens of schools and academies whose official sex education policies include clauses replicating Section 28, the law which was blamed for discrimination against gay people.

Sources said ministers were “concerned” about the disclosures, following research from the British Humanist Association, which campaigns against faith schools.

It comes amid international controversy over a law passed in the Russian parliament banning the promotion of homosexuality, an issue which Stephen Fry, the broadcaster, recently raised with David Cameron.

Section 28, introduced by the Thatcher Government, was a clause in the Local Government Act 1988 which forbade councils from allowing teaching which promoted the “acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”.

It was repealed by Tony Blair in 2003, with support from Conservatives. » | John Bingham, Social Affairs Editor | Monday, August 19, 2013

Cameron Apologises to Gays
MAIL Online: David Cameron has issued an extraordinary apology on behalf of the Conservative Party for legislation banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

He said the party had 'got it wrong' when it introduced Section 28 in the late 1980s.

It is one of a series of apologies Mr Cameron has made for his party's actions in government.

The Scots received one in 2006 for having the poll tax imposed on them a year before it was introduced in England.

The Tory leader's latest remarks, during an appearance at a Gay Pride event, were attacked last night by traditionalists on the Right of his party.

They pointed out that as recently as 2003, when Tony Blair axed the clause, Mr Cameron voted for a Tory amendment described by gay rights groups as 'Section 28 by the back door'.

Former party chairman Lord Tebbit said he suspected the apology had been driven by 'focus group findings'.

The gay vote - estimated at 2.65 million people - will be a key political battleground ahead of an election expected next May.
Gordon Brown is hosting a gathering of leading gay and lesbian figures in Downing Street on Saturday, and his wife Sarah is joining a Gay Pride march.

Section 28 was introduced by Margaret Thatcher's government in response to evidence of Left-wing councils promoting gay relationships in schools.

It prevented councils and schools from intentionally promoting homosexuality, but became a focal point for anger for gay rights campaigners.

Mr Cameron insisted he was making his apology because the legislation had been ' offensive to gay people'.

'I'm sorry for Section 28. We got it wrong. It was an emotional issue. We have got to move on and we have moved on,' he said.

He insisted that under his leadership the party was embracing gay rights and predicted it would produce Britain's first gay Prime Minister. Cameron apologises to gays for Section 28: Law to ban promotion of homosexuality in schools was wrong, says Tory leader >>> James Chapman | Thursday, July 02, 2009