Moyles and homophobia

25 Mar 09 | Uncategorized

Interesting article by Zoe Williams in the Guardian today on Ofcom’s censuring of DJ Chris Moyles for negative gay stereotyping of singer Will Young on the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show.

‘…banning offensive words here and there is pointless. Trying to persuade children, or Moyles, that using “gay” as an insult is unacceptable will just give the whole business more fizz. It never worked for “slag”, which is as current today as it was before feminism was invented (though I believe has been updated from “strumpet”). The more you outlaw words, the more power you give them. It makes you look afeard, and then you’re done for.’

This comes against the background of the defeat in the Commons last night of David Taylor MP’s attempt to insert a ‘free speech proviso’ in current laws on incitement to homophobic hatred. Taylor expressed concern that ‘discussion or criticism of sexual conduct is not caught by the homophobia law’.

As we noted yesterday, Lib Dem MP Evan Harris believes there is already sufficient protection for free expression in homophobic hatred legislation.