Gay Humanists Welcome Fellow Humanists’ Support for Gay Pride

KENILWORTH, 12 AUGUST 2006 — The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has warmly welcomed the support given by the Belfast Humanist Group (BHG) to the recent Gay Pride event held in Belfast. It has also welcomed the article in Humani, the journal of the Humanist Association of Northern Ireland, supporting the introduction of same-sex Civil Partnership legislation in the province.

Brian McClinton of BHG, who edits Humani, reported: “Humanists marched with two banners (one for the BHG and another for Humani) to support a hugely successful and colourful Gay Pride parade. What struck me in the square beforehand was the atmosphere of friendliness and love that pervaded the whole event. Not a negative word was heard on this hot August day, and this applied throughout the parade, which was applauded by many in the big crowd that lined Royal Avenue and Donegall Place. Humanists were making a contribution to this progress and I am sure that our open display of tolerance and support for diversity will be viewed positively by many good, decent people here. It was a great public relations exercise – not that that matters a fig if the cause is just and good and true, and here it was all these.”

GALHA’s secretary, George Broadhead, said: “BHG’s official support goes back to 1985 when it published a policy document in which it called for an equal age of consent for gay men. What a refreshing contrast this is to the religious bigotry that LGBT people in Northern Ireland have had to put up with for years from both Roman Catholic and Protestant sources. Ever since Rev Ian Paisley launched his ‘Save Ulster from Sodomy’ campaign in 1977, religionists have strenuously opposed LGBT rights.”