Beyond parody...

A debate on gay conversion therapy will be held in a Parliamentary committee room tomorrow.

Entitled “Sexual reorientation therapy: Freedom to change?”, the event has been organised by two right-wing Christian organisations: Christian Concern and Core Issues (“God’s heart in sexual and relational brokenness”).

Speakers include Core Issues director and “ex-gay” campaigner Dr Mike Davidson (who was stripped of his professional credentials in 2012) and Dr Joseph Berger, a consultant psychiatrist from Canada who denies the existence of trans people and advocates child abuse.

They will be debating “the legitimacy and freedom to offer sexual reorientation” with Professor Michael King of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

The debate will be followed by an afternoon programme of talks from a variety of other middle-aged white men, including American evangelical preacher Professor Dale Kuehne and international litigation specialist Paul Coleman.

Both events are intended to critique the growing level of opposition to conversion (or “reparative”) therapy from professional bodies. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK Council of Psychotherapy, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and British Psychological Society have all condemned therapies aimed at “curing” same-gender attraction.

The very fact that these events are being held in the House of Commons is worrying. The implication is that the “ex-gay” lobby has support from MPs.

Lesbilicious talked to Dr Lyndsey Moon, chair of the British Psychological Society’s Psychology of Sexualities section, who shared our concerns. “I think we need to find out who gave it the go-ahead and who made those requests,” he said.

“I don’t know how such a meeting with such high-profile figures who seem to have all been mobilised so many months ahead has happened in a public arena without us knowing about it.”

It is also disturbing that the organisers are keen to portray conversion therapy as a “free speech” issue. Core Issues in particular are keen to hijack the language of liberation, defending their right to “support” individuals who “voluntarily seek change”.

This kind of argument can only hold up in a world that is a moral free-for-all: a libertarian world of relativistic values, in which it’s okay to be queer but it’s also okay to regard us as abhorrent. A world that is not truly safe for all.

It is important therefore that we fight for active acceptance of LGBT people within public life. And whilst Mike Davidson has every right to be an ex-gay, he does not deserve the right to promote intolerance in the House of Commons.

During the long wait for Lip Service fans to hear whether the BBC was planning to recommission the show for a third series, I caught up with actress Valerie Edmond who plays Jo Glass in the much-loved drama.

Lucy: Hi Valerie, thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions. A lot of Lesbilicious readers will know you for playing Jo Glass in BBC3 series Lip Service…how did you get involved in the show?

Valerie: Hi Lucy, interestingly, I was in L.A. finishing our album and completely missed the first series but I heard through the grape vine over there that there was this really cool show happening on BBC3. The fact it was set in Glasgow too and
about the lives of lesbians living there just seemed like a cool idea. I caught up with it online and just dug the whole vibe from the acting talent to the high production values to the storylines of these really compelling characters, so I was delighted when my agents called up and told me that Kudos (the production company who make Lip Service) wanted to meet me for the second series.

L: How do you view the character of Jo? Do you think she was aware that Lauren was…less than faithful shall we say!

V: You know when I met the team we had a conversation about how comfortable I was with some of the more graphic sequences and how did I feel about them. And my response was that I wasn’t a huge fan of them but I get how it might be viewed by others as important…it’s just not my thing really. So I was pleased with Jo Glass because she was just a woman doing a job, in a relationship, living her life as a gay woman. We didn’t need to see her demonstrate that she was ‘a lesbian’ if you know what I mean…she just was and I really liked that low- key representation. Neve (the actress playing Lauren) is such a talented, proper actress that it was great to establish their relationship and where it was at and crucially, that it’s not because of your partner that you have an affair, it’s because of you.

In answer to your question was Jo aware of Lauren’s affair…There was no actual scripted indication but like any intimate relationship signals are picked up on quickly and I think that by the last episode, at the dinner party, there’s definitely a sense
that something is not right. We all felt that would have been an interesting dynamic had we moved it to a 3rd series…to see what the aftermath of Sadie’s actions might have been. She wrecked Jo’s relationship and her gallery. How would Lauren and Jo make it back from that…or not?

L: Yes I agree, I think that would be really interesting to see. Would you like to do a third series if the opportunity was there?

V: Yes. I think it’s an important show for the BBC…gay women make up a percentage of the license fee and where do they find themselves represented? This was a show that was on its way to really exploring a lot of aspects of a world that people who are not part of, can have a lot of misconceptions about…and Lip Service was demystifying that. Put it this way…regardless of whether the writers/producers/powers that be decided that there wasn’t a future for the character Jo Glass…I would wholeheartedly support the need for a third series.

L: That’s good to hear! You mentioned your album earlier, is music your first love or do you prefer acting?

V: Both equally, so long as they’re telling an interesting truth.

L: Thanks Valerie, it’s been a pleasure to talk to you.

Shortly after I caught up with Valerie, the BBC confirmed that Lip Service was disappointingly not going to be recommissioned for a third series. I went back to Valerie, who has been a huge supporter of the campaign for a third series, to get her feelings on the announcement…

V: I was on set in Law and Order last week with the director Jill Robertson who directed half of the last series of Lip Service, and we were saying it’s just a massive shame. I do wonder though if Kudos are free to take the show to another channel like say E4 or Channel 4 or Sky (who seem to be quite directional with their drama right now). This happens in the U.S. occasionally (recently with Cougar Town). If that was something Kudos wanted to explore, I can imagine they’d have massive support from Lip Servants urging a new channel to take it. I really hope the story of these fascinating gay women and their lives doesn’t end here. It simply deserves to be told.

You can catch Valerie on Twitter with her band, The Souls: @wearethesouls

In the last year or so I’ve noticed that LGBT characters have had some kind of baby boom and bred their way into the media. Now, being a teenager, I do love to watch TV. Factor in that I’m a lesbian and you get me, a little expert on what’s good to watch if you want to see some good LGBT TV. I’ve racked my brain, been to Narnia and back and I’ve come up with my top five TV shows that I would highly recommend to anyone.

The New Normal

I’m going to keep this one short and sweet; the new normal has just started airing over in the UK on E4, from the creators of Glee this whacky new comedy following the lives of a wealthy gay couple and their surrogate is definitely one to watch.

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Rizzoli and Isles

TNT American crime drama, Rizzoli and Isles has become an instant hit in America since it first aired two years ago. Rizzoli and Isles follows the lives of Detective Jane Rizzoli and Medical Examiner Dr Maura Isles as they solve murders in the city of Boston. Of course, having two female leads is a potent mix and just asking for the LGBT community to fall in love with them. I should point out that they are not in fact a couple but my god they act like one. The show itself has dealt with Transgender and coming out issues. You can catch Rizzoli and Isles on Alibi on UK television. I highly recommend it.

South of Nowhere

South of Nowhere is a US teen drama series, following the lives of the Carlin family after their life changing move from Ohio to LA. The show deals with issues such as homophobia, racism, abortion and drug abuse, to name a few. It has a similar feel to Skins, mixing realistic drama with light hearted comedy moments. I promise you each episode will leave you wanting more. If not for the storyline, for the amazingly good looking actors.

Glee

This show deserves a mention purely for the fact that there are probably more gay characters than there are straight ones. Set in an American high school Glee is all about being a misfit and about accepting yourself, not only that, the songs are pretty catchy too.

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Grey’s Anatomy

Until recently I hadn’t even heard of Grey’s Anatomy, a medical drama following the struggles of medical interns and their mentors as they attempt to juggle their personal lives with their stressful jobs. The main LGBT aspect comes in the form of lesbian couple Callie and Arizona, two female doctors working in the hospital in which the show is set. The show is excellently written and will have you in stitches one minute and crying uncontrollably the next.

Around this time of year there are hundreds of ‘end of year/start of year’ lists about what to watch out for or what was the best voted by such and such.  Well, we thought give you a little breathing space before bringing you our collection of absolutely stunning up and coming artists who are destined for some awesome things in 2013.

Sometimes when I grab my iPod I find it difficult to know who to listen to due to the overwhelming choice of great music we’re blessed with.  As an editor of AltSounds.com and the owner of my own creative company specialising in the music industry, I’m lucky enough to find myself lost in a sea of talent, and picking my favourites is just like being a kid in a sweet shop!

So without further ado, here are our picks for 2013, an eclectic anthology of strong, talented ladies who are just sensational.  Whether you’re a fan of rock, electro, acoustic or grime, we’ve got it all!

Who: Heads Hearts

What: Electro Soul Bangers

Where: London

Why: These are one of the most exciting bands I’ve listened to for a while.  Their passion pulses through their electro soul that is doused in atmospheric nuance and cloaked in haunting yet seductive vocals.  If you’re looking for someone who can put on a show, write dense , addictive tunes that packs a punch, then you must check out Heads Hearts, or trust me, you’ll be missing out.

Who: Amplify Dot

What: Grime/Hip Hop

Where: London

Why: Amplify Dot is a 24 year old who’s been bubbling under the surface and been making some waves in the underground scene for years.  With props from the likes of Ms Dynamite, Mista Jam, Zane Lowe, Kano and a whole heap more, 2013 is set to be the year she’s going to break through and master the mainstream.  Amplify Dot is a gifted and artistic lyricist, who’s stunning rhymes are utterly spellbinding! Watch this space.

Who: AMiTY

What: Acoustic, Folk, Alternative

Where: Wolverhampton/Brighton

Why: AMiTY is an incredibly impressive artist, with a fantastic arsenal of anthems at the ready, 2013 is looking bright for this Brighton based lady.  She’s got an amazing personality, and a loyal following that’s destined to grow and grow due to the immaculate folk tunes that are sophisticated, exciting and endearing.

Who: RoxXxan

What: Grime/Hip Hop/Urban

Where: Birmingham

Why: You know that someone’s worth a listen when they’ve got three x’s in their name! Probably one of the highest scoring Scrabble names (if you could use names, I’m aware of the rules).  RoxXxan is a fiery lady with an arsenal of brilliant tracks and is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in the grime scene and beyond. She’s already got the backing of the Streets’ very own Mike Skinner, and with her crude yet addictive lyrics drenched in some slamming beats and dazzling synths, RoxXxan is ready to make some noise in the music scene in 2013! Also, she’s Stooshe’s Karis’ beau!

Who: Christina Novelli

What: Pop/Dance/Acoustic

Where: London

Why: Christina Novelli has shot into the limelight after her luscious voice was used in one of last summer’s biggest dance tracks ‘Concrete Angel’ by Gareth Emery.  Not only was Christina’s voice a galvanising force that flowed through the entire piece beautifully, she also co-wrote the original track (the acoustic version is a haunting testimate to ballads) with producer Dee Adam! Christina was also a familiar face on Channel 5’s Candy Bar Girls, where she also showed her singing talents.  If you’re a fan of raw, gutsy and highly contagious pop with passion and attitude coursing through each track, then Christina Novelli needs to be on your playlists!

Who: Red N Pink

What: Electro/Soul/Alternative

Where: London

Why: Red N Pink are proving to be an almighty force to be reckoned with! Last week the girls won a fantastic competition to perform with the likes of Professor Green, Misha B and Chip all due to their talent and incredible uniqueness as well as their fantastic fan base that has proven to be a tremendous asset to the girls.  With an album rumoured to surface this year that promises tantalising electronic soul cocktails with an alternative edge, it’s definitely one to keep an eye out for.

Who: Hunter Valentine

What: Alternative/Rock

Where: Toronto/New York/LA

Why: Hunter Valentine are a hard working rock group with raspy vocals and pulsating melodies that promises to satisfy your craving for penatrative rock bangers.  It’s safe to say that having a dominant role in the latest series of the Real L Word has given them an excellent platform to showcase their electrifying, dense music, although their latest album Collide and Conquer is a testament of their sensational power rock capabilities.

Who: Kenelis

What: Rock/Alternative

Where: Brighton

Why: Kenelis are one of the most underrated rock groups I’ve had the honour of coming across over the past couple of years.  What I admire the most is their incredible hard working attitude and their commitment to providing excellent rock anthems that are laced with assertiveness, energy and vibrancy.  Their caffeine fuelled tracks are dazzlingly brilliant and offer the perfect recipe for a fantastic live performance.  Make sure you catch them this year!

In late spring of 2001 I was working in Vancouver’s notorious downtown east side where drug addiction, alcoholism, prostitution and poverty is rife. One day I rode to work with my then-supervisor. As we made our way toward work, a man sitting upright on a bench a few feet in front of us passed out and fell forward onto the sidewalk where his head met the pavement with a horrible ‘thunk’.

I immediately stopped and checked to see if he was conscious and told my supervisor to call for an ambulance.

My supervisor had continued on without stopping. I called after her and her response to me was, ‘we’re going to be late for work’. I was stunned by her lack of caring, empathy, consideration and basic humanity.

In January 2011 I fell and broke my right ankle.

In December 2012 a woman on a bus in New Delhi was viciously gang raped and beaten unconscious.

I don’t know if the man on the bench lived or died because another person stopped, called for an ambulance and was able to stay with him until help arrived. I did not die from the injuries I sustained when I fell. The woman in New Delhi died from her injuries.

One small yet significant common thread tie these events together: onlookers.

The day I broke my ankle, the bus was full and after raining all day, the windows were steamed up. I had a book in my hand and reading glasses on the end of my nose as I made my way home from work. At the time, I was working as a victim support worker with women and children experiencing domestic violence. It was a job I loved which gave me both a sense of social responsibility and purpose. I was assisting in the empowerment of women.

When I reached my stop I stepped off the bus while simultaneously removing my reading glasses and when I looked up I was nearly at the corner where the sidewalk turns. A large hedge ran the perimeter of the sidewalk and came to an abrupt end just before the sidewalk turned left. A small crowd of young people were rounding the corner as I was approaching. At the end of the hedge line I took a step to my left to avoid a collision with the crowd and lost my footing in a sudden 3- or 4-inch drop in the sidewalk’s structure.

A 3’ x 4’ cut-out in the sidewalk was hidden just beyond the sightline of the hedge and I twisted my ankle from the drop. My balance was thrown, my left ankle was sprained and in trying to catch myself from falling completely, my right ankle slipped as well and I heard the crack of a bone and found myself flat down on the ground, both ankles rendered useless.

One of the crowd of young people glanced briefly over their shoulder at me on the ground but didn’t stop. I was next to a busy road with cars going past at one- or two-second intervals and not one of them stopped. Bus after bus came by and not one driver, nor any disembarking passengers, asked if I was okay.

My body was going into shock; I could feel the swirling pain mixed with dizziness begin to take over. My fear of being ‘stepped over’ whilst unconscious on a busy street corner in south Vancouver was more powerful than my awareness that my body had given up on me.
Nobody stopped to care.

Onlookers: people unable or unwilling to step out of their own lives and help to ease the pain of another human being. It is a devastating feeling which reminds you rather painfully of your own insignificance.

The man who fell off the bench onto the sidewalk in the worst part of Vancouver in 2001 was filthy, smelly and was most likely homeless and an alcoholic. Two people immediately stopped to help him.

I was dressed professionally on my way home from work in 2011 in what was a decent neighbourhood. In the approximately 30 minutes I sat there awaiting the ambulance, nobody stopped for me.

The woman in New Delhi in 2012 was on a bus on her way to university and had a friend with her. There were people everywhere. For the two hours she was on the bus, and the 20-25 minutes she was on the ground, naked and bleeding profusely from her wounds, nobody intervened.

When the entire incident made headlines around the world, people stepped outside of their lives to lobby for change and to state what a horrific experience this was for such a bright young woman. The woman eventually died and people upped their petitions and took even more ‘affirmative action’.

The simple fact of the matter is: she didn’t need them after it was over and she was dead. She needed them as the group of men got onto the bus and picked her for their attack. She needed them when those men took from her what she was not offering. She needed them throughout the entire ordeal and nobody went to her aid. Only in death did she become significant.

Is this the world we now live in? If so, next stop, please.

Despite a well-intentioned attempt to petition the BBC to save the series, fans were left disappointed this weekend when it was announced that Glasgow-set lesbian drama Lip Service had been cancelled.

Don't worry Cat, your character was killed off anyway

BBC3′s budget cuts meant its future was always going to be a bit uncertain, particularly as it was announced in April that fellow BBC3 drama The Fades had been axed despite strong viewing figures.

I reviewed both series of Lip Service, firstly on my own website, then for Lesbilicious. At first I thought it was terrible. The characterization was flat and central couple Cat and Frankie were a terrible match with virtually no chemistry whatsoever.

Their ‘climactic’ sex scene at the end of series one was like watching a whippet attempt to mate with a dead swan, all obscene buttock clenching, jutting bones and pale flesh. I vowed I’d never watch it again, despite the fact it was the only lesbian drama on UK TV.

However, when I was asked to review series two for Lesbilicious I went back on my vow, girded my loins and prepared to take one for the team (so to speak). Then, something strange happened…

I started to enjoy it.

Sadie: everyone’s favourite love child of Holly from Red Dwarf and a Cockney barrow boy.

Not at first, of course. The addition of faux butch footballing characters called Fin, Tigger, Badger, Pooh and Piglet (ok, I may have made a few of those up) was poor to say the least.

The first series of Lip Service had been crying out for some boyish totty, but Glasgow isn’t West Hollywood and the (largely English) cast were so skinny and femme they look like they’d escaped from a Boots ‘Here Come The Girls’ advert. They were representative of precisely 1% of the UK lesbian community, and approximately 0% of Glaswegians.

However, although welcome in theory, Tigger and the rest of the bois were the worst bunch of stereotypes I’ve encountered outside a Julie Birchill column. They were football watching, lager guzzling dullards who looked like they’d escaped from the Top Gear studio audience.

Thankfully Fin and her cohorts were quickly sent packing by Tess, and although no other butch characters emerged to fill the gap they left we were content with the utterly fantastic Sadie (Natasha O’Keeffe). Yes, it turned out that what Lip Service really needed was a gravel-voiced, cockney Cleopatra lookalike with a penchant for petty theft and noisy sex.

What it also needed was a bit of cast pruning, notably Cat and Frankie. Cat was pruned by a speeding Vauxhall Corsa in a scene that saw Lip Service temporarily morph into an episode of Casualty, complete with unpleasant, bone crunching sound effects.

Of course, Frankie couldn’t stick around after losing her ‘soulmate’ so she packed and headed off to New York. This left new characters Sadie and Australian doctor Lexy (Anna Skellern) free to grow and expand without being constantly put off their stride by a moping skeleton who looked like the ghost of Princess Diana.

It's entirely a coincidence that her name rhymes with sexy

Dr Lexy really was fantastic. Funny, charming and sexy, she gave Tess (one of the few original characters who were actually entertaining) someone to moon over, while in turn Lexy mooned over the recently bereaved Sam, aka the thinking women’s crumpet, Heather Peace.

This fun, gossipy love triangle gave the second half of series two a great hook. At the same time, the programme stopped taking itself too seriously and suddenly became genuinely funny, at least in part due to another new character: Tess’s bitter, divorced actor colleague Hugh who was so amusing he deserves his own spin off.

I was genuinely sad when series two came to an end, and I’m equally sad to hear there won’t be a series three. It’s a real shame to kill off Lip Service just as it had started to find its feet and display real potential. Also, lesbian dramas are very thin on the ground at the moment. Nothing has really emerged to fill the void left by The L Word and the excellent Sugar Rush is now a distant memory.

There’s a small chance that another channel might wake up, smell the coffee and take it off the BBC’s hands. After all, it worked for Big Brother. So let’s keep those petitions coming and in the meantime, here’s a picture of Anna Skellern at the British Independent Film Awards to keep you going.

As the fall-out from Julie Burchill’s transphobic polemic in The Observer continues, Nathan Gale offers us his personal and heart-wrenching thoughts on the matter.

Julie Burchill's transphobic rant in The Observer was taken down and an apology issued by the editor, but her words have made a lasting impact

Dear Julie,

It’s four o’clock in the morning and I’m awake. And sobbing. As a trans disabled person in a same sex relationship with another disabled guy I’m used to hearing offensive comments. I’m used to the stares, and the prejudice, and being patronised and discriminated against. But the impact of your rant is on a whole other level, this is deeply painful. I’m not usually awake at this time but I woke because I was having an awful dream. In it I was telling the one person in my life who doesn’t know about my trans history, someone I love very much, that I’m trans. And he told me that I was disgusting, and that he hated me. He confirmed my worst fear, that I would never be the father figure that I have been to him for most of his life again. When you’ve not experienced gender dysphoria or the prejudice which comes with being trans, you can’t imagine the self-loathing that it invokes. Or how long it takes to begin to move on from those feelings and believe that you are worthy of happiness.

In case you’re interested, which the evidence would suggest you’re not (but in for a penny in for a pound!), I was getting there. I’ve got a good job and a wonderful husband. I’m lucky to have a family who loves me and an extremely supportive group of friends. But your tirade of hate has set me back.

As I said to begin with, I’ve had to develop a thick skin. Most of the time my partner and I can laugh about the prejudice we encounter. Sometimes we get angry, but even then we can take that anger and do something creative with it. I’ve been the victim of a transphobic physical assault and, in some ways, the hurt that your words have caused me is worse because what feels like an assault has occurred on a national platform, for everyone to see, and there’s nothing I can do about it. And to make matters worse all the majority of the media can say is that I’m being overly sensitive, or that I want to be offended.

I don’t by the way. I’d really just like to get on with my job, fighting for equality and human rights for other trans people. But instead I’ve spent every waking moment since reading your diatribe early on Sunday morning dealing with these feelings. The slurs you used so hurtfully attack my identity. They are the words I always fear that people are secretly thinking about me. They make me feel worthless, and ashamed, and want to hurt myself.

After reading the article my dad, who because you seem to think it adds validity to an argument is from a working class background and not the least political (he’s a photocopier engineer), sent me a text me to tell me that he loved me and that as always, I had his support. I want you to consider how you would feel if you had to send a similar message to your son or daughter because a respected journalist used a national newspaper to hurl hateful comments mocking and ridiculing their very identity.

And now, I’m going to try and get back to work.

Roll down the red carpet and party like you just won an Oscar, Jodie Foster has ‘come out’. Okay so we already know that Jodie is part of ‘our’ community, it is one of those facts that is not generally discussed but is universally accepted (much like gravity). Still, her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes was breathtaking. There seems a real sense of respect and admiration for one of Hollywood’s lifelong leading ladies. Jodie Foster is show business and show business has accepted her.

Of course Jodie has previously mentioned her then partner, Cydney Bernard, in a previous awards ceremony. But that didn’t quite have the scale of the Globes, and certainly the words ‘coming out’ were never used. That said, Jodie does tell us that this isn’t a ‘coming out’ speech as such…

“I hope you’re not disappointed that there won’t be a big coming-out speech tonight because I already did my coming out about a thousand years ago back in the Stone Age.”

(So maybe it is laziness that we are calling this a ‘coming out speech’ at all? In fact I have issue with the term in general, are we not ‘proper’ lgbt people unless we have struggled through this rite of passage? But I will refrain from delving into it here… moving on…)

Moving and engaging

No one seemed surprised by her speech (I wonder if people had been forewarned) but the A-List audience did appear suitably moved and engaged.

The most shocking statement about her entire speech was that she is fifty? How did that happen? She certainly looked beautiful, statuesque even, embodying all of the glamour and razzmatazz of Hollywood stardom. In simple terms, Jodie looked, as always, like the consummate professional and her speech reflected this.

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I like many things about this speech. I really like that she did not thank everyone in the world who has ever ‘come out’ before her, or all of the great lgbt advocates for all of their great work; I like the fact that it didn’t seem painful for her, none of it, that this seemed as straightforward and silky smooth as I don’t know, eating ice cream; I love the fact that she did it in her voice, in her way and that she kept her speech about her as an individual. It was a personal moment full of style and grace.

Criticism

Unfortunately, there is always someone who has to rain on my parade. You can do a search for yourself if you would like to read the hounds at bay criticising Jodie Foster for not coming out so publicly earlier. Perhaps this should be a fairer piece of writing and I should go on to analyse the critiques and come back to you with something less biased, but I’m not going to. Not just because I have always been a massive fan of Jodie but because sometimes I worry the lgbt community can’t simply just celebrate something and enjoy it without bitterness… As Jodie said in her speech,

“But now I’m told, apparently, that every celebrity is expected to honor the details of their private life with a press conference, a fragrance and a prime-time reality show. You know, you guys might be surprised, but I am not Honey Boo Boo Child. No, I’m sorry, that’s just not me. It never was and it never will be.”

Our stories our way…

Here is my pennies worth. LGBT people are individuals. It is up to us to decide when, how, if we say anything at all regardless of how far along the rainbow lexicon we identify. Not every star has to be an advocate. In fact the thing I have always admired most about Jodie is her ability to keep her private life private. She chose the time, she was in charge of her own coming out story and that is how it should be for each end every one of us. It’s still a shame that we have to do it at all. So let’s enjoy this happy moment and celebrate being individuals. Celebrate telling our stories in our way. Let us enjoy Jodie’s speech in all of its wonder.

Jodie Foster, thank you for not compromising, thank you for being in charge of your own life, and thank you for being an inspiration.

Julie Burchill’s bizarrely vitriolic attack on trans people raises a couple of important questions. Firstly, why is it that some lesbian and bisexual women find it so hard to comprehend the oppression of others? And secondly, why is it that The Guardian continues to offer a platform for such vile hate speech?

Gotta love that transsexual lobby

Fun with bigotry

Burchill’s article doesn’t pull any punches. It draws upon a wide variety of slurs (“shemale”, “shim”, “bunch of bed-wetters in bad wigs”), makes frequent, nasty references to genital surgery, and repeatedly asserts that trans women are “really” men:

“To have your cock cut off and then plead special privileges as women – above natural-born women, who don’t know the meaning of suffering, apparently – is a bit like the old definition of chutzpah”.

So what led Burchill to produce this unrelenting stream of bile? The answer lies in what could have been just a small social media spat, as a number of people objected to an article in the New Statesman by Suzanne Moore, who is also regularly published in the Guardian.

In her piece – a powerful, largely well-argued polemic about the importance of women’s anger – Moore caused offence by suggesting that the “ideal body shape” is that of “a Brazilian transsexual”.

This throwaway comment was not only a sweeping generalisation, but in pretty poor taste given the exceptionally high rate of murder for trans women in Brazil. Moore only fuelled the controversy when she responded rudely and dismissively to criticism, both on Twitter and in an article for the Guardian.

“People can just fuck off really. Cut their dicks off and be more feminist than me. Good for them.”

This isn’t just an issue of transphobia. A number of people will inevitably claim that a similar article “would not have been published if it was about black people”: an attitude that ignores the racist attitudes displayed by both Burchill and Moore.

When asked to clarify her “Brazilian transsexual” comments, Moore explained, “I deliberately used the word Brazilian transexual as ideal shape small hips and big T and A”. This implies that she is making some pretty sweeping generalisations not only about trans women, but about the entire population of Brazil. Burchill dismisses any criticism of this as “semantic”, and goes on to suggest that we should “join [Moore] in decrying the idea that every broad should aim to look like an oven-ready porn star”.

No diversity here

Taking responsibility

It’s easy to see this kind of controversy as relatively minor: ultimately, it consists of little more than a whole bunch of people arguing on the Internet. However, the impact will be widely felt.

Writers such as Moore, Burchill, and Julie Bindel – who also pitched in via social media – are widely respected for their work, particularly within LGB and feminist circles. The Guardian has a readership of thousands, meaning that Burchill’s piece in particular will be widely read.

Anyone who denies the power of the media in shaping attitudes is kidding themselves. Burchill’s article reinforces the idea that it’s okay to indulge in a bit of casual racism whilst viciously mocking trans people and dismissing their concerns. She reinforces the idea that “trans” and “transsexual” necessarily refer to trans women, and that trans men and individuals with non-binary gender identities do not exist. She even reinforces the idea that trans women face relatively few challenges compared to cis women.

You only need to look at some of the stories that have come out of the #transdocfail hashtag on Twitter in the last week to see the very real challenges faced by trans people in the UK. A vast epidemic of medical mispractice and negligence is both erased and perpetuated by the writings of Burchill, Moore and Bindel.

This is particularly disappointing when such writing comes from lesbian, bisexual and/or feminist writers. You’d think that women who have experienced sexism and homophobia might have some level of empathy for others who face prejudice, harassment and threats of violence on a regular basis. You’d think that they might understand that this isn’t just about the “other”, but members of their own community: trans women who happen to be gay, bisexual or queer; trans people who happen to be feminists.

It is also disappointing to see such articles in the Guardian, a publication known for its somewhat smug allegiance to “right-on” left-wing politics. Burchill and Moore should be able to say whatever they want (and, of course, everyone else should have the right to object) but they hardly have the right to be offered a platform for hate speech by a popular newspaper.

The Guardian’s editors could have easily chosen not to pay for their transphobic diatribes. You have to wonder if the decision to do so was based on incredible stupidity or deliberate malice.

An intersectional approach

The concept of intersectionality probably offers us the best possible way out of this mess. It’s been somewhat savaged by Burchill and Moore (and studiously ignored by Bindel) during this particular debate, as they argue that it’s an unnecessarily complex, academic idea. But intersectionality doesn’t have to be complicated.

Intersectionality is, at its core, the idea that (aside from a very small number of individuals who are spectacularly well-off or badly-off) we are all oppressed, and all privileged. To use some examples from my own life: I am oppressed as a bisexual trans woman, and privileged to be white, abled and middle-class. It does not make sense to say that I am simply oppressed, or simply privileged.

These oppressions and privileges then intersect. So, for instance, a black trans woman is likely to face somewhat different (and often, more significant) challenges than a white trans woman. It is for this reason that the public spokespeople for any given minority group are more likely to be privileged in certain ways: as can be seen in the predominance of high-profile white cis feminists.

Burchill, Moore and Bindel all attempt to rank the oppression of women against the oppression of trans people, suggesting that the former have it harder than the latter. This simply doesn’t make any sense, as both women and trans people are oppressed, and some women are trans.

Similarly, Burchill points to the writers’ respective working-class backgrounds, and suggests that trans complainants on the Internet are largely privileged in terms of both class and education. This is not only inaccurate, but entirely missing the point: even a middle-class trans woman has class privilege, she is still oppressed: because she’s trans, and because she’s a woman.

Intersectionality doesn’t mean that we can’t speak about the oppressions faced by others. It just means that we should respect and acknowledge difference, and listen carefully to those who are oppressed in ways that we are not. We can arguably make more of a meaningful difference in the world if we don’t assume that everyone who matters has the same experience as us.

I believe that bigoted writers from marginalised backgrounds and media editors would both do well to adopt a more intersectional approach. It’s therefore quite possible that the writers and editors responsible for the recent prejudiced articles are simply acting from ignorance.

Or, of course, they could just be horrible people.

A petition calling for an apology from the Guardian can be found here.

To contact the Observer reader’s editor, Stephen Pritchard: [email protected]

A note on the use of “Guardian” in this article: Burchill’s article was published by the Observer newspaper, which has a different editorial team to the Guardian, but is also owned by the Guardian Media Group. It was posted online to ‘Comment Is Free‘ on the Guardian/Observer website.

Last year I decided to set myself a task of watching as many ‘lesbian’ films as I could; good or bad, I was just going to plough my way through them, writes Anna Llewellyn.

Actually it hasn’t taken me that long; there are depressingly few films that seem to have lesbians as lead characters. Well there are depressingly few films that have strong female leads, though that’s a different discussion for another time.

I found some movies I loved (Kiss Me); some which very much made me smile (Debs); some which made me cry (Aimee and Jaguar) and some which me think – very, very hard (Mulholland Drive).

Embracing the whole of the lesbian film genre was a whole new experience to me; previously I wanted to watch films because they were good, not because they had lesbians as main characters.

If I am looking to identify with a character, surely being a ‘lesbian’ is not the priority; identity is about much more than sexuality.

But I guess I am looking to find a space on film that is sadly missing. I want to see women falling in love with each other and I want to see this written as normal and not as problematic. I guess that is what you search for as a minority – films, books, plays and TV that talk about you.

So I decided that I wanted to share some of these films I’ve recently found and love.

Kiss Me and Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same

In January and February 2013 I am putting on a season of films at the fabulous Star and Shadow community cinema in Newcastle where I volunteer.

It’s an excuse to give two of my favourites a wider audience – Kiss Me (“Kyss Mig” in its native Swedish, also known by its American title “With Every Heartbeat”) and Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same.

The first film, Kiss Me, is by far my favourite lesbian ‘falling in love’ story – beautiful cinematography, beautiful acting, beautiful woman and beautiful (and quite realistic) sex scenes. It is a very common story arc (see ‘Imagine Me and You’ or ‘Saving Face’) but the direction overcomes this (and hey, ‘falling in love’ is just soppy.)

The second film, Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same is just funny. I laughed from frame one and did not stop; the dance scene being my particular favourite (wait until you see it).

Both are small scale films, written, produced and directed by women with passion and with a story to tell. Both are shot on ridiculously tiny budgets. Both stress the trials and tribulations of looking for love. Both are hopeful.

Weekend and North Sea Texas

After much deliberation I decided to add two excellent gay male films to the season too, to strengthen the film season – Weekend and North Sea Texas. I think it is fair to say that there are more strong gay films than there are lesbian, which is reflective of the film industries treatment of men and women in general.

So the film season has become a gay lesbian, bisexual, pansexual sort of queer thing – and after much deliberation I think I found a suitable title to reflect this: ‘Straight as a Rainbow’: Hopeful Romantics.

I am still in two minds whether I should have put some ‘straight’ romance films in there, so gay and straight can live happily together, that way gay becomes normal – doesn’t it?

Maybe that will happen in the future, though currently I think there is a need to prioritise ‘non straight’ films and give them the bigger audience they deserve. All of us, straight and gay and everyone in-between, need safe, supportive spaces that show these types of films.

Watch the trailer for Kiss Me:

‘Straight as a Rainbow’ Film Season: hopeful romantics: 13 Jan – 3 Feb 2013, Newcastle upon Tyne

• KISS ME (2011): Sunday 13th January 2013
• WEEKEND (2011): Thursday 17th January 2013
• CODEPENDENT LESBIAN SPACE ALIEN SEEKS SAME (2011): Thursday 31st January 2013
• NORTH SEA TEXAS (2011): Sunday 3rd February 2013

Tickets for each film cost £5/£3.50 concessions. All films start at 7.30 pm, doors open at 6.30 pm. For more information and to book see the Star and Shadow website.

Now that the holidays are winding down, it’s time for Americans to amp back up for that other winter holiday that involves too much spending, excitement, and over-eating . . .the Super Bowl.

On February 3^rd, 2013, New Orleans will be host to the 47^th Super Bowl and televisions across America (and of course, internationally) will be blaring the play by plays as well as the entertaining commercials that have become almost as famous as the game itself.

So what’s the controversy that has piqued my LGBT loving ears? Well, it involves television network CBS and one of America’s most lovable gay actors, Neil Patrick Harris. Harris has been out for quite some time and is the star of the very popular CBS series “How I Met Your Mother”, as well as countless films and theater productions. Let’s get serious, this guy is likable and has an insane amount of fans thanks to his acting, his LGBT stance, and his huge internet presence. It’s no wonder CBS has used him for a Super Bowl ad. The commercial shows Neil Patrick Harris wearing eye black with the date “Feb. 3, 2013” printed inside the eye black. This is done in the same style that famous Christian football player Tim Tebow notoriously used to broadcast Bible verses.

So again, what’s the controversy? Apparently some people (specifically conservative writer Joe Kovacs) feel that not only is Neil Patrick Harris mocking Tim Tebow but he is also mocking Christianity. Honestly. The poll submitted by the site clearly shows that Americans find this to be true (and by Americans, I mean the hundreds of readers who apparently read this news site and bother to take the poll). If Harris was sporting a fake Bible verse, or a direct attack against Jesus or Tebow, then I could understand the accusation. But no, he is simply announcing the dates of the 2013 Super Bowl, which makes sense as it is an ad for the 2013 Super Bowl. But wait! That isn’t all! These people are upset because not only did CBS allow someone to mimic Tim Tebow, but they allowed an openly gay actor! Who is gay! And open! This appears to be the real clencher, the hammer driving that mocking nail in, the real reason so many panties are bunched in a wad.

And forgive me for laughing when I saw that almost half the readers are voting to boycott CBS. Something tells me that when it comes down to game time, those same readers might forget their heated and passionate torch waving and might find themselves turning the channel to that evil station just in time for kickoff.

As for me? I’ll be watching the Puppy Bowl.

My first exposure to lesbian life, not that I recognised it as such at the time, was pantomime.

Panto, for puzzled readers from outside of the UK, is a peculiar British theatrical tradition. Pantomime is family-friendly comedy, which re-enacts fairytales on stage.

It’s always performed in winter, and there are essential conventions regardless of the story. The audience hisses at the baddies and shrieks advice at the goodies, there’s always some form of ‘ugly sister’ who is a man in spectacular drag, and the lead male character is always played by a woman.

Pantomime dames may hog the gender-bending spotlight, but as a young tomboy who preferred swords to tiaras, my attention was always on on the principle boy.

There, up on stage, would be a girl hero at the very centre of the adventures, swashbuckling her way to save the lovestruck princess. Six-year-old me stared dumbstruck at this exciting new career path.

Never mind that our hero was always a dullard without the wit or smarts of the more colourful characters, or that her romantic interest was an even more boring girl who was only in peril because she lacked basic feminist notions of self sufficiency.

Never mind either that principle boy was never a very convincing boy to anyone but the sweet but dim princess. In retrospect, perhaps this was what most caught my attention.

At six years old I already knew that you didn’t have to actually be a boy to have fun like a boy, but the unspoken rule was that only kids got to be tomboys, and one day you’d have to grow up and start caring about lipstick. But here was an adult woman, doing what men do, and getting away with it.

Panto doesn’t seem an obvious champion for queer life – after all, one of the central jokes is watching burly men totter around in heels, makeup and a huge wig. A man! Pretending to be a woman! Hilarious!

And yet this great British institution, this gloriously traditional piece of high camp theatre, introduced me and countless other little queerlings to the concept of lesbianism.

So did panto make me gay? Oh yes it did! Oh no it didn’t! (Sorry.)