UK Politics: Conservative Party 1979 - Present Day
Thatcher was no longer PM from 28 Nov 1990 after eleven and a half years in power (1979-1990). In 1980, only one year after Thatcher took office, the highest opposition to the EU membership was recorded. After Thatcher, came Major, who was PM for a further six and a half years (1990 [Dec] - 1997 [May]) taking the number of years of Tory power to eighteen and a half years continuously.
Section 28 was introduced by Thatcher's government. Why didn't her successor, John Major, strike off section 28 on becoming PM himself?
Now Conservatives have again been in power for eleven and a half years 2010 (May) - 2021 (present day) with 3 PM's in that time (Cameron, a Thatcherite, who teamed up with LibDem's which is possibly why things were better under Cameron; Theresa May, who teamed up with the ultra-conservative DUP; and Johnson) rather than just the one so it may feel as though we've had different parties governing when we haven't!
UK Politics: Labour Party: 1997-2010
In between the two eras of continuous Conservative power, we had '3rd Way' New Labour, Blair (1997-2007) and then Brown (2007-2010). Yet despite Labour being the main opposition party to the Conservatives, it took Blair 6 years into his premiership (until November 18, 2003) to scrap Section 28 so it was no longer on the statute books. Why? The UK was a longstanding member of the EU (EC) during the time when both the Netherlands (2001) and Belgium (2003) already had same-sex marriage. So advancing gay rights would hardly have been radical for the UK during this time! Indeed, it was Ed Davey (LibDem Deputy Leader at that time) who introduced the clause which would lead to burying Section 28.
So what was the impact of Section 28 on UK children and youth?
Section 28 meant not 'promoting' (whatever that means) homosexuality, essentially in all instances because it covered not only schools but also local councils, who control everything in a particular borough. Schools couldn't teach about same-sex relationships without disciplinary, legal repercussions. Foucault would have had a field day with that one! It also meant there was no gay representation, especially of gay relationships in mainstream media, literature, film, theatre, art, books and even information pamphlets. Sex education was purely heterosexual which no gay person can identify with. Even bisexuals were affected because everything was skewed towards reinforcing ideas about them being with the 'opposite' sex not same sex. More generally, LGBTQIAPD+ education didn't exist. For instance, biology textbooks only taught (and probably still do) that there are only two binary sex categories, female and male, with accompanying drawings of only one way each sex physically should look like. That leaves out not only natural biological variations, but also completely erases intersex people who are very much part of the LGBT+ community. The I in LGBTQIA represents all intersex people, regardless of their gender or sexual identity/identities! As for trans people, they were never discussed or represented anywhere in society either. So fundamentally, Thatcher tried to completely erase the existence of the LGBT+ community and render them some taboo subject.
To put it in perspective, I was already an 'out' gay (lesbian) teenager (just 14) since late 2000. So Section 28 doesn't end until I turn 17 years old and have been 'out' for 3 years! 🌈
Teaching LGBTQ+ inclusivity has been very recently introduced into UK schools, but it hasn't been without opposition and protest demonstrations outside schools. However, despite correcting this blot on UK history, society and politics, the Conservatives are committing other LGBT+ blunders. Although same-sex marriage came into effect in March 2014, nevertheless, there is this contradiction that, despite this, the UK is still allowing the abusive practice of Conversion 'Therapy' for gays, bisexuals, pansexuals, trans, non-binary. This includes intersex people who do not purely identify with the sex they were non-consensually assigned at birth. Thus, the UK still legally allows individuals, groups, religions, the medical profession, psychologists, educational institutions, workplaces and anyone else who feels like it, to harass gay people and gender non-conforming people to change who they are. This is totally illogical and insane and goes against their international human rights and self-determination.
Concluding Remarks:
We need to ensure that history does not repeat itself. Section 28 was introduced on the back of hysteria over the HIV/AIDS pandemic which ended up discriminating against gay people, and especially gay men. It's taken decades (until Summer this year, 2021) for gay and bisexual men to be able to donate blood under the same rules as everybody else. So, we don't want a roll back of LGBTQIA+ rights, or a continuation of LGBTQIA+ discriminatory laws, post C19! Especially since there has simultaneously been a sharp rise in anti-LGBT+ hate crimes, rhetoric and bullying. Or a rollback of any other human rights and freedoms for that matter!
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