I was going through BBC archives and picked one at random and found this stream on homosexuals in 1965. A
s being a proud hetro and not homophobic it interesting what they had to go through back then risking everything not sure I agree with expert views on this.

Link Andrew?

www.bbc.co.uk/archive/gay_rights/12003.shtml

Sorry guys.

Andrew thanks for posting this. I had downloaded and bookmarked some of the videos in that archive to watch, but had just had to completely reinstall my operating system and lost lots of stuff.

Things were indeed bleak in the 60s if those films are anything to go by. They weren't exactly rosy in the 80s either, with the emergence of AIDS and the rampant anti-gay stories in the gutter press. That's also the time I got thrown out by my parents for something I had no choice over.

Decades later I am thankfully good friends with my now elderly parents and all is well, but it hurt like hell at the time.

From a proud gay man to a 'proud hetero', thanks for posting this. Good man.

Hi David
It's a pleasure and thought it had to be raised on this site and most posters on here are gay/bi and remember the 60's and 80's paranoia I remember John Hurt Aids PIF very well.
I still like to watch Victim and get a copy when I can afford it Bogarde was terrific in Death in Venice someone else who struggled with terms.

While being "gay" has become more acceptable as an identity, sex is still regarded as being something dirty; something that must be kept behind closed doors and away from children lest they be scarred for life. Many taboos are still alive and the current ones are very rarely challenged. Many people are afraid to defend pornography even though almost everyone consumes it. The debate has been taken over by hypocrites who defend a morality that virtually no one lives by, not even the ones professing it.

But we are being told that we are now free of the irrationality of the past and now is the the time to embrace conformity and become part of this so-called civil society either as a homosexual or a heterosexual. To challenge what has already been laid down is either criminal or sick. There are people who are still risking everything.

I love the tale that when the The Wolfenden committee began that eventually recommended legalisation, that Lord Wolfenden told his son it may be prudent that he didn't turn up at the House wearing all his make-up as was his wont.