Saudi Arabia and Gays

An item from the Human Rights Watch organisation is a salutary reminder that millions of gay men and women are unfortunate enough to be born in countries where the mere fact of being gay brings the threat of punishment, prison or even death.

Sometimes I forget how lucky some of us are to be living in countries where a more enlightened attitude is enshrined in the law. As Harvey Fierstein said at the opening of the Gay Games in Amsterdam back in 1998:

"The journeys that we made by train, boat and plane to get to Amsterdam were short in comparison with the journeys in our souls to reach this place. We were carried here on the backs of the millions of gays and lesbians that went before us… some of whom paid for the struggle against prejudice with their very lifeblood."

And millions continue today in that struggle.