An excellent report about gay rights in Uganda on Newsround this afternoon (1.50pm bulletin) -

Ricky Boleto: Next - what rights gay people should have is a big issue around the world, particularly in Africa. In the African country of Uganda, gay people have been holding rallies to try to change the law.

Ricky reports on gay rights in Africa

Ricky: Hundreds of people waved the Ugandan national flag and Rainbow banners. They danced and sang. They say they're fighting for more freedom to admit you're gay across Africa. It's against the law to be openly gay in Uganda and in many other African countries. But there have been some changes recently. Up until last year gay people could be sentenced to life in jail. Now that can't happen any more, and the demonstrators think African governments should be more understanding. They say they want equal human rights for gay people.

Moses Kimbugwe (gay rights supporter): Violence, discrimination, harassment and stigma against all LGBT people is bad. So we are here to send a message to the wider population that we do exist and we do want rights like any other Ugandan.

Ricky: The demonstrators say they're proud to be gay and they want society to respect them. In Africa many people hold traditional beliefs and do not approve of gay people. Some African leaders have said it's not part of their culture. But a few weeks ago President Obama visited East Africa and gave his support for equal rights. The gay rights demonstrators are hoping that President Obama's words and today's marches will begin to change people's minds.

The second series of Wizards vs Aliens concluded yesterday with somewhat of a surprise - and I'm not referring to wizards winning an all out war with the aliens. No, the big surprise, for many, was that Benny has come out as gay to his best friend Tom Clarke. There's no denying that the relevant scene was very sensitively written and acted; though, as it happens, the word "gay" was never actually spoken.

Tom tells Benny that they need to save the world in order that Benny can go on his very first date. They win the war, and save the world. So the big question becomes whether or not we'll see any more of Benny. Will we ever see him go on his first date?

That was the last episode of the current series, and no decision has yet been made about the commissioning of a third series.

Benny coming out as gay might seem like groundbreaking children's television but, surprising as it may seem to those unfamiliar with Newsround Blog, gay characters first appeared on kids' TV more than twenty years ago. And although Benny has yet to go on his gay date, kids actually saw teens coming out and dating in the past, before programmes like Byker Grove and Grange Hill were axed.

The reality, then, is that children's TV has just recently been playing catch-up, and there's no guarantee that it'll continue to do so. There is no room for complacency. Furthermore, lesbians have been even more poorly represented on TV than their male counterparts.

Newsround reports on Tom Daley coming out

This was the third story on Newsround at 4.20pm yesterday -

Newsround report about Tom Daley coming out
Leah: Fellow sports stars and swimming officials have given their support to diver Tom Daley after he revealed he's got a boyfriend. It's being seen as a big step because some athletes have said it's difficult for high profile stars to be openly gay. The Olympic bronze medalist posted a video online announcing the news. He says he couldn't be happier.

brief clip from Tom Daley's YouTube announcement followed
Tom Daley: I met someone and they make me feel so happy, so safe, and everything just feels great. And well that someone ... is a guy.


A very similar report (again the third story) on the 6.50pm bulletin -

Leah: Sports stars and swimming bosses have given their support to diver Tom Daley today after he revealed he's got a boyfriend. It's being seen as a big step because some athletes have said it's difficult for high profile stars to be openly gay. Tom posted a video online announcing the news. He says he couldn't be happier.

brief clip from Tom Daley's YouTube announcement followed
Tom Daley: I met someone and they make me feel so happy, so safe, and everything just feels great. And well that someone ... is a guy.


The news story is also on Newsround's website.

Marrying Mum and Dad series 2 episode 6: Spy-themed civil partnership

Synopsis
The title sequence was almost the same as the rest of the series, but just at the end the caption flipped from Marrying Mum and Dad to Marrying Dad and Dad. Unfortunately the editing of this episode was not very consistent, and we often saw the "Mum and Dad" logo.

Marrying Dad and Dad
Naomi Wilkinson: Welcome to Marrying Mum & Dad, the show where you get to organise one of the most important days of your parents' lives - their wedding day.

Ed Petrie: I've just got to stop you there, Naomi. It's not marrying mum and dad today, it's dad and dad.

Naomi: OK, but the kids are still in charge of organising one of the most special days of their parents' lives?

Ed: Yes!

Naomi: And the lucky parents still won't know a thing about what's being planned until the big day arrives.

Ed: Yes.

Naomi: And we've only got a few weeks to get everything in place?

Ed: Yes!

Naomi: So we should probably be getting on with it then?

Ed: Yes, I s'pose we probably should! Let's go!

The family live in Warwickshire - dads Mark & Paul and their three kids Callum, Chloe and Paula.

Naomi: Dad Mark and Dad Paul have been together for 19 years, and the kids now think the time has come to make things official by organising a civil partnership - the ceremony that two men or two women have in place of a wedding.*(see Comments)

The theme of this episode was spying and spies. The kids went to a "spy school" where they were taught the tricks of the trade - codebreaking, observation skills and avoiding being detected by a laser alarm system. They suggested their dads should get to the venue by skydiving. Ed and the three kids had a chance to experience what skydiving was like at Airkix indoor dive centre.

The kids went on to check out a venue for their dads' special occasion - a large "spy HQ" country mansion with a marquee in the gardens. Cake maker Sarah from Sarah Edwards Cakes worked with the kids to make their dads' spy-themed celebration cake.

Callum, Chloe and Paula like to sing, so they suggested the James Bond theme song - Skyfall would be just right. Naomi arranged for a backing band to accompany the song.

The big day arrived and the dads, now dressed like Daniel Craig as 007, were driven to a secret location. But the penny dropped when they saw it was Hinton Skydiving Centre. Paul and Mark would have to jump out of an aeroplane 4000 metres above the ground! With wedding guests waiting below and the parachute drop completed successfully, the ceremony was ready to begin. But not before Paul and Mark managed to dodge the laser alarm system which had been set up in the mansion.

The ceremony over, and the two grooms kissed and hugged, as the guests cheered. The family were all delighted that it all went off so well. Absolutely perfect, said Mark.

Naomi: With Dad and Dad happily hitched, it's party time and another surprise!

Ed: It's time to reveal your spy cake, as designed by Agent C, Agent P and Agent Mini-Meister!

Lastly Callum, Chloe and Paula sang the Skyfall song.

It was clear everyone enjoyed a wonderful time.

Paul and Mark
-------

* Comments

Despite the huge success of the occasion Newsround Blog does have a few niggling reservations about the show. Firstly the term "civil partnership" was used way too often, when Ed and Naomi could instead have referred to it as a wedding. The programme did not make clear that two dads or two mums will soon be able to actually marry in Britain. I had previously asked the BBC to make that point clear, but they failed to do so.

The Children's Media Conference programme has now been published. The session on LGBT-inclusion, mentioned in my blog last Sunday, has been scheduled to take place on Day 2 - Thursday 4th July 2013 at 5.10pm

The Dumping Ground

Synopsis of Episode 5 - What Would Gus Want?
(The issues raised by CBBC will be examined in a future blog)

Care worker Mike has met a couple, Ronnie and Dawn, who want to foster Gus. But Gus, who has Asperger syndrome, is unhappy about being fostered. Mike suggests that Gus meets the couple and then decide.

Tyler is jealous, and hopes to be fostered by the couple, if Gus turns down the opportunity.

Gus agrees to meet the couple, in the hope of helping Tyler. When the couple arrive at Elm Tree House, all the kids there are surprised to find out that the couple are both women.

Johnny thinks the gay couple would not make proper parents, and Lily agrees. A heated 'debate' amongst the care kids ensues. Elektra is shocked by what she sees as Johnny's prejudiced attitude, and his younger sister, Tee, is also disappointed with Johnny.

Meanwhile, the couple are chatting to Mike and Gus in another room. It seems evident that Dawn, like Gus, has Asperger's. Gus informs Ronnie and Dawn that he doesn't actually want to be fostered and suggests they foster Tyler instead. But Dawn says "We don't want Tyler. We wanted you. If you don't want us there's no point in continuing." They leave, but the kids at Elm Tree House are still arguing amongst themselves.

Gus thinks over the fostering idea and tells Mike he's changed his mind and wants to meet Ronnie and Dawn again. They both go round to the couple's house where Gus and Dawn ask each other pre-prepared questions from their notebooks.

Gus cannot quite decide whether or not he wants to be fostered. Faith explains he would get more attention if he lived with the couple, and that would help him achieve his goal of a career as a forensic scientist. Gus is persuaded despite some late misgivings. He has concerns about the disruption of moving his belongings. The other kids devise a plan to help him make the move.

Gus goes to live with the couple, and the care kids resolve all their differences. Frank suggests they all go bowling to help cheer them up now that Gus has gone.

I contacted the Corporation on 11th December 2012 to ask about any diversity advances in children's programmes.

My email -

A few days ago the Member of Parliament for Monmouth, David Davies, said he believed "most parents would prefer their children not to be gay." 

Whether or not David Davies is right, the prevalence of prejudiced attitudes on the part of parents is quite troubling. So I was wondering what BBC Children's is doing to help kids feel OK about themselves, no matter what their sexual orientation.

Please could you advise of any recent CBBC drama series, or any in the pipeline, which actually include lesbian, gay, or bisexual portrayal as part of an inclusive approach? I believe that, in the past, such portrayal was considered appropriate by the BBC.

The BBC did not respond to the part of my enquiry about helping kids feel good about themselves but I was told about one programme - The Dumping Ground - which, the BBC said, "features a same-sex couple that would like to foster one of the young residents. The drama allows the characters to debate the topic and address the prejudices surrounding the issue."

However, it now seems the characters do more than just debate the topic and address the prejudices. According to the Media Centre website "Johnny and Elektra come to blows about whether gay couples should be allowed to adopt."

So what we really have here is a children's TV programme, scripted by adults, with at least one young person championing the prejudices of bigots.

A new Tracy Beaker spin-off called The Dumping Ground will begin its first transmission run this Friday on the CBBC channel at 4.30pm

Apparently the series will at some point include "a same-sex couple that would like to foster one of the young residents." Characters will, I'm told, debate the topic and address the prejudices surrounding the issue.

The following is taken from "Portrayal of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People" published by the BBC in late 2012:

Is religion good for children? That's the topic for discussion on next Sunday's The Big Questions on BBC One at 10am.

Last week it was revealed that the Catholic Education Service had been in touch with Catholic schools in England and Wales, advising them of a duty “to do all we can to ensure that the true meaning of marriage is not lost for future generations.” The duty is a reference to a letter by two archbishops, which was read out in Catholic churches on 11th March 2012.

St Philomena’s Catholic High School for Girls in Carshalton acted on the "duty" by suggesting pupils could sign a petition against marriage equality.

So why was this story ignored by Newsround?

Recall Newsround's 40th anniversary survey, and the spurious finding that kids these days are twice as likely to say religion is important than they were in 1972.

Newsround recently reported on human rights, but when it comes to secular and LGBT human rights there is a wealth of evidence that the BBC, and in particular BBC children's TV, is still mired in old-fashioned religious intolerance.