Southampton Labour Briefing no. 6

AND SOCIALISM # /

GAY LIBERATION

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The motion from St.Llukes, together with the Charter of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality, contain a few modest proposals for fighting the oppression of Gay people. A significant minority of the population, perhaps 5-10%, consistently prefer partners of their own sex, while a further section have occasional Gay contacts. This pattern crosses all boundaries of age, gender, rece, occupation and social class, and hence in Britain affects several million, the overwhelming majority of whom hide or refuse to recognise their sexual orientation.

The 1967 Sexual Offences Act has not truly legalised Gay relationships. Consenting adults in private are no longer prosecuted, but members of the armed forces and merchant navy, as well as men under 21 can still face criminal charges. The police harass Gay clubs, and can dep— ort Gay non-citizens, while employers often discriminate, especially in work involving’ contact with children.

their care. There does not seem to be any reason to suppose this is trve ~ indeed 4 of assaults on children are made by heterosexual men.

Lesbians are doubly oppressed. Not only does the family unit not support them (consider for exemple the likely living standard of a Lesbian couple with children) but there is « widespread disbelief that female sexualisty can exist in the absence of a man. Paradoxically they are then often denied custody of their children. Some of these questions are now being teken up in the Women's Liberation Movement, though less so in the Gey Movement, which remains very much male-orientated.

In the fight for Gay Liberation, Gay people will be in the forefront, assert ing Gay pride and initiating political campaigns. But while individual “coming out" will remain important, the aim must be to change the society that oppresses Gay men and women under capitelism - a

The CHE Charter demands ean end to thesetesk that can only be achieved by the

forms of discrimination, but it also demands that society takes a positive avtitude to Gay men and women, as real

people with en equal contribution to make. p 1

With the rise of capitalism the nuclear family has been firmly established as the model of social relations. Gay people reject this model, and have come under ferocious attack, culminating in the Victorion notion of homosexuality as a dis— eases Socialists should vigorously resist any such notion, and the conclusions it leads to. It is clear that Gay relation-— ships have occurred at all times, and in) ell places in human history, and are in fact part of the normal scope of human experience. : The image of sickness is evident in attitudes to the age of consent, and in work with children, The very high age of consent for Gay men (21) assumes that young men need to be protected, and in the absence of Gay contacts would be sure to grow up heterosexual. This denics the validity of Gay preferences , and ignores tho fact thot most people heve « fairly clearly defined preference at a much carlicr age. Similarly the assumption is thet a Gay person will damage the devel opment of (or even assault) children in

orgenised strength of the working class, who form the majority of the population, and therefore the majority of Gay people. This.means wa.must, desrite the difficultjes, fight. for.the Trade Unions to cdopt the struggle for Gay. Liberation.

The isolation of Gay people as odd and sick poisons their lives with guilt and shame. Meny withdraw into the stifling "Gay Community", while others deny their sexuality completely. True liberation therefore demands morethen legal tolerance. - it demands @ positive acceptence of a Gay lifestyle as © valid alterncative. The arrivel of a socialist society will offer all men end women an important new freedom —- the freedom to fall in love without any concern for gender.

Richard Correll

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CND Dayschool s— Building CniD in the Workplace.

Agenda includes speakers and

workshops en arms and jobs ctc.

‘ Saturday 16 April from 10 am — 3.30 pm at TGWU offices, London Rd Registretion fee 50p

The debate on the Campaign for Lebour Party Democracy + John Denham replies to Gareth Narbed's article last month.

In last month's Southampton Labour Briefing there was in intemperate attack on Southampton Labour Left and the way individual members voted at the CLPD AGM. I'm grateful for the chence to reply.

1. SLLF does not have a policy of its own so these are personel views. 2. I voted for CLFD to register because I am in favour of Party democracy, and in particular, the sovreignty of confer— enec. This must include the right of conference to take decisions, not only on policy, but also on the way the internal affeirs of the Party are conducted. This includes the right of the conference to take decisions we on the left disagree with. (I opposed &roups registering before the conference.) — 3. CLPD has been succesful because it has been eble to unite a whole section of the Farty behind democratic demands. If the left decides democracy is just a tactic to be used when it suits them we will never win. (It doesn't bode well for socialism either!)

Unfortunately there wes a classic example of this at the Labour CND AGH. It voted for unilateralism to be'in the manifesto because it was passed by conf~ erence. It also voted apainst registretion because it doesn't like it! The whole thrust of the peace campaign is jeopardised by such unprincipled antics.

The same problem came up at CLPD. After campaigning for NEC control of the manifesto for years, the AGM voted against it this year, because it does

not like the current NEC. : i, There is no doubt about my opposition

to witch-hunts. I believe CLFs should refuse to recognise expulsions (because the NEC has gone way beyond the confer— ence decision) until the individuals have at least been able to appeal to conference.

But the key question is how do we reverse the witch—hunts? The trade union vote is the vital factor. I bel-= ieve it is very unlikely that the TUs will reverse their position completely at this years conference. Hence the left should campaign to take control of the register out of the hands of the NEC and to place strong sefeguards on the rights of groups to orgenise. This is a winneble position if those opposed to witch-hunts unite on it.

5e Although opposed to all expulsions I do believe party membors heve the right to full informetion about frOupSs operat ing within the Party. The secretive, sometimes downright dishonest, orgenis— etion of some Trotskyist groups has nothing to do with democratic socialism, and, without it, it is unlikely that the with-hunt would have got as i has.

John Denhem

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SCUTHAMPTON LABOUR BRIEFING and SOCIALIST ACTION

Southampton Labour Briefing has now been produced for six months. Bach month we have tricd to cover both local end national issues of importance to Party activists. SLB has been produced by members of Southampton Labour Party in general agreement with the views of the weekly newspaper Socialist Challenge.

Socialist Challenge ceased publication lest month. Some of those involved in

its production hove started a new paper, Socialist Action, edited by Alen Freeman. This paper aims to be a revolutionary socialist voice in the Labour Party, ; the trade unions and the peace movement , and anongst youth. It is an open paver, opening its columns to all those fighting egeinst the Tories end their friends,

‘open to ell those fighting for « Labour

government committed to socialist policies.

SLB has decided to support the new paper, and Jill be selling it at the GC, ward meetings, and in local trade union branches. We think its views and its policies will be of interest to all Labour Party members.

Socialist Action can also be obtained from October Books, 4 Onslow Road, or from like Tucker by phoning Southampton 39651. Further details of discussion meetings organised by us can also be obteined from the above number.

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MAY DAY 1983

There will be a festival and social organised by Southampton Trades Corneil involving exhibitions, stalls, films, games end speakers, including Reg Race et 6.30, and the PPCs., In the evening there will be a live band and a disco.

Venues: Mountbatten Theatre Sunday Ist May, 3 = 11 pm Tickets £1.70, and £1 unweged (includes food). Children free.