LGBT heroes

What is it about two men or two women kissing in public which causes some people distress? Whether it's in a London pub or whether it's on children's TV there's always the odd bigot trying to keep same-sex relationships out of sight.

Although the My Hero project, mentioned in an earlier blog, was supposedly set up to counter the lack of "positive role models" in the media, it seems the site has never included a feature about LGBT History Month.

But there were plenty of equality champions gathered together in London last night. They'd congregated outside the John Snow pub in Soho to protest at the treatment of a gay couple two days before. The couple, James Bull and Jonathan Williams, had been on a first date when they were asked to leave the pub. Rather than face the music, the cowardly landlord closed the pub early and had nothing to say on camera. (Sky News report)

News about LGBT discrimination and news items about attempts to fight homophobia never make it to CBBC Newsround, though stories about combatting racism are relatively frequent. Only last night, for example, the lead story was about racist chanting in football, and celebrities campaigning to help stamp it out.

Not only is CBBC failing to combat homophobia, it is at the same time responsible for a drama which rewrites history, depicting a prominent LGBT hero as heterosexual. (see previous blog) I've asked Joe Godwin, Director of BBC Children's, about Leonardo in that regard.

When another a couple gets thrown out of a pub simply for kissing, the BBC will bear a share of responsibility. Unfortunately the end result of homophobia isn't limited to being ejected from a pub. Michael Causer and Ian Baynham are just two of the many victims who aren't able to testify to that.