Leading UK Conservative to enter into gay civil partnership

[financeguy]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=/portal/2008/03/05/ftduncan105.xml

For Duncan it is a joyous end to a journey that began 16 years ago when he entered Parliament following a lucrative career as an oil trader. His first years as an MP saw John Major's government assailed by allegations of sleaze, often involving sexual misconduct of some kind or another. Duncan managed to keep a lid on a private life that might have crippled his career, if uncovered at that time.

"I knew that one day I would have to say something, because I believed honesty to be the best policy. But I wanted to do it when I was sufficiently well-established as an MP for it not to be my only label thereafter. I didn't want to be known just as 'the gay MP Alan Duncan'. To me, I'm an MP who happens to be gay."

"I voted in favour of gay adoption but I would never contemplate doing it myself. I have serious qualms about it. I'm seriously uneasy about a gay couple making a baby by someone else. "

The above quote is interesting, similar comments made by a hetero would attract shouts of 'homophobe' from the extremist wing of the gay rights movement.

It occurs to me that the UK Conservative party has been a broader church than many realise.

Even in the 1980's there was a libertarian tinge as represented by the maverick MP Jerry Hayes, while Stephen Fry once wrote in his newspaper column that a Young Conservatives conference was just about the only place where it was possible to see a banner promoting 'LEGALISE CANABIS' alongside a banner saying 'DEPORT IMMIGRANTS NOW'.

 

[Irvine511]

[
The above quote is interesting, similar comments made by a hetero would attract shouts of 'homophobe' from the extremist wing of the gay rights movement.

homophobe.

 

[DrTeeth]

I enjoy it when people live the life they want to lead, and when they have the freedom to do so.

 

[BVS]

I'm seriously uneasy about a gay couple making a baby by someone else.

Can someone explain what this means? Making a baby by someone else

 

[yolland]

Yeah, it sounds almost more like he had surrogate parenting in mind there.

As far as his opinion on adoption by gay couples, it sounds like the bottom line is that he voted in favor of it.

 

[phillyfan26]

I'm fine with that quote. In fact, I think that quote is an ideal. Personal disagreement is fine, but it shouldn't restrict others. And he voted that way.

 

[BVS]

Yeah, it sounds almost more like he had surrogate parenting in mind there.

As far as his opinion on adoption by gay couples, it sounds like the bottom line is that he voted in favor of it.

That's what I thought, I was just trying to make sure it wasn't an expression I didn't quite understand.

So if it's about surragate parents or sperm donating, etc. That's not exactly adoption, and many straight folks have issues with this as well. So I don't really think this is a case of double standards, i.e. if he were straight he'd be called a homophobe.