With the removal of questions about gayness and transgender status in the Census, we really stand to lose a lot of the progress that has been made, and certainly not to make further progress. In order to have a fair system, you need a system you can measure.
All socio-political phenomena in the U.K. come laden with the baggage of a class-based theory or two attached to them. In the case of gay Tories, there is one particularly silly variant of the category, which asserts that gayness is bred in public schools and thus fits with Conservatism like hand in glove.
So often gay characters, particular those portrayed in an era where gayness was something of a taboo and a statement about 'who I am and no one's going to trample me down,' are more colourful and interesting - and for an actor, that's enticing.
In the mid-1980s, there wasn't a representation of gayness on television. Our glitter and our goofiness and our great costumes made in Vegas; the cheekiness and campiness of the show, it turns out little boys who were gay coveted our act.
Being an openly gay black man, unfortunately I've had experiences working with individuals who've tried to exploit my blackness or my gayness in a way that doesn't make me feel comfortable, or they try to manipulate me into being a caricature of myself.
My gayness became quietly accepted and, shock of all shocks, life went on.
My name is Steven Crowder, and I happen to find blatant gayness funny. I mean really funny.
