Why I can't get angry about Jeremy Corbyn's LGBT blunder
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Version 0 of 1. There are things that I admire about Jeremy Corbyn, but there’s a huge list of things that grate. I particularly find his ability to put his foot in his mouth and sometimes even stuff several feet in there all at once, tiresome. And so, to the launch of LGBT history month, at which Corbyn said that nobody should ever be persecuted because they “chose” to be gay or lesbian. It is an unfortunate turn of phrase to use at the end of an otherwise eloquent speech. It is more than unfortunate, in fact, because it’s not merely a flubbed line, but an error of speech that aligns with a damaging and discredited ideology used to persecute and oppress LGBT communities for generations: the idea that being gay or trans is somehow a lifestyle choice. People misspeak often, but some instances are more serious than others. Of all the errors one could make speaking at an LGBT history month event, this is one of the worst. Corbyn’s team have since stressed that the Labour leader does not believe being LGBT is a choice. I do not think Corbyn believes this either. And, actually, from a personal point of view, in regards to my own – to use a talent-show cliche - journey, I have considered this question. I don’t believe it should be off-limits for individuals to explore their own sexual feelings and ponder how they come about, and there has in fact been some interesting journalism from within the community addressing it. But the fact remains that the idea that one “chooses” to be gay or bi or whatever their sexual or gender preference is, rather than, you know, just having certain feelings in their loins and brains, is one that is used to denigrate non-heterosexual and cisgender people and underpins extremely damaging and unethical practices such as conversion therapy. I think the fairest interpretation of Corbyn’s words would be that he meant that no gay or lesbian person should be persecuted for choosing to live openly gay, or choosing to identify themselves a certain way, which is a sentiment we can all agree with. But here’s the thing: in a world that feels like the political equivalent of drinking bleach, we really can’t afford to be focusing our energies on berating Corbyn – a clear LGBT ally – for this misstep, when there are rumours that Donald Trump, hitherto seemingly vaguely accepting of LGBT people (egregious abuse of Rosie O’Donnell aside), is to sign an executive order asserting that “marriage is or should be recognised as the union of one man and one woman [and] sexual relations are properly reserved for such a marriage”. Not to mention Mike Pence, or the global gag rule which will impact LGBT people around the world. Sure, Corbyn needs to go, but kicking up too much of a fuss over this one comment, when he was standing alongside LGBT people before it was fashionable or safe to do so, is futile. We need to remember that section 28 was passed only in 1988 and repealed only in 2003. Prime minister Theresa May has a chequered history on same-sex legislation and Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron abstained on the same-sex marriage bill. So while Corbyn often has his foot in his mouth, at least on LGBT rights he put his money there too, and a long time ago. The real sin that Corbyn commits against LGBT people is not this error, which is just another example of his incompetence, but his record of supporting regimes that are systematically homophobic. His hero-worship of Fidel Castro, for instance, a man who referred to gay men as “worms”. It was galling to hear Corbyn say in his speech that we should push back against countries where homosexuality is punishable by death when he has previously embraced such regimes. One thing is for sure: people aren’t choosing to fall in love with someone of the same sex when that reality could mean execution. That said, however you feel about him, Corbyn is not a homophobe. It takes a lot for me to defend Corbyn. But this latest leftist tweetstorm of internecine pedantry has done it. |