Plans to clear undergrowth from gay sex spot branded discriminatory

cnredd · #1 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Bristol City Council wants to prune bushes and remove cover from an area known as the Downs to improve the landscape and encourage rare wildlife.

But its own gay rights group has opposed the move, claiming that cutting back the bushes was "discriminating" to homosexual men who used the area for late night outdoor sex known as dogging.

Work on the beauty spot has been temporarily delayed while talks with gay rights groups take place to try and break the deadlock.

The area of the Downs sits at the top of the Avon Gorge, in the upmarket Clifton suburb of Bristol and is home to various species of rare plants and wildlife.

But councillors said it had become overgrown over the past 20 years.

Thick bushes cover the secluded area next to a street known Circular Road which has become a mecca for gay men and couples cruising for sex.

The area hit the headlines last year when four firemen who disturbed an outdoor gay sex session were reprimanded and fined after they shone torches into the undergrowth.

The Downs Committee commissioned a report as part of ongoing improvements to the shrubland and have proposed cutting back a lot of the undergrowth.

The move was strongly backed by local residents who complained about "inappropriate sexual activity" and safety concerns in the area.

But during the consultation period last year "equality" concerns were raised by the council's Rainbow Group - an action group of lesbian, gay and bisexual council employees - about the threat to gay rights.

Apparently, "gay rights" now include the government NOT take away their public sex areas...

tristanrobin · #2 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 04:10 PM

the entire idea that there are talks to discuss whether illegal activity should be given a specific area in which to take place seems kind of absurd to me.

unless, in U.K. public sex isn't illegal?

dga · #3 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 04:41 PM

This does not only happen in the UK. I saw this article earlier...

Fort Lauderdale mayor makes controversial comments on radio show

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Fort Lauderdale's mayor is no stranger to controversy. Jim Naugle's comments about the gay community have attracted national attention in the past, and now he's at it again.

Naugle spoke about the two gay mayoral candidates vying for his position Thursday morning on an AM radio talk show, on 850 WFTL, offending more people with what some of them are calling more anti-gay comments.

The radio host asked Naugle about the protests he inspired last year when he said public restrooms needed to have a timing device that unlock to deter gays from using them as places for sexual relations. "Do you want to be remembered as the guy who said no gay sex in public restrooms?" the radio host asked. Naugle instead said that he wanted to be remembered as the mayor who rallied against political correctness.

Naugle also said City Commissioner Dean Trantalis and newcomer Earl Rynerson, both openly gay candidates running for his position at the end of his term in 2009, might have a chance if "they were responsible homosexuals running for office that reject that kind of activity, recognizing that promiscuous activity has a heavy cost on human life and dollars. Then I think they would have a chance.''

Miami News, Fort Lauderdale News, Florida News & Weather Channel 7 Fox Miami WSVN-TV - Local News - Fort Lauderdale mayor makes controversial comments on radio show

I'm not aware of any previous comments from this man, and while it seems he must have a reputation for anti-gay remarks, it does not seem like he is advocating anything that does not go against common decency.

foundit66 · #4 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 04:42 PM

I tried googling the "rainbow group" and came up with nothing relevant other than a web-site repeating this article.
Probably just a few of the local area gays complaining and hoping to make noise.
Same crap takes place for every other group.

Cut the brush and let them whine. People should be able to figure out for themselves that their complaint is nonsense.

foundit66 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dga

I'm not aware of any previous comments from this man, and while it seems he must have a reputation for anti-gay remarks, it does not seem like he is advocating anything that does not go against common decency.

I would say the issue there is more the fixated focus, at the tax-payer's expense, which distinguishes it from the "British" issue.

He wants to spend tax-payers money on a stupid idea.
While I support preventing public sex in the restrooms, his approach was not only extreme, but his statements showed more than a normal fixation on the issue.

"Cutting back the brush" is a quick fix that barely costs anything.
Paying some group to create what he was asking for, which would also create problems for anybody who takes a crap that lasts longer than a few minutes, is ridiculous.

dga · #6 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foundit66

I would say the issue there is more the fixated focus, at the tax-payer's expense, which distinguishes it from the "British" issue.

He wants to spend tax-payers money on a stupid idea.
While I support preventing public sex in the restrooms, his approach was not only extreme, but his statements showed more than a normal fixation on the issue.

"Cutting back the brush" is a quick fix that barely costs anything.
Paying some group to create what he was asking for, which would also create problems for anybody who takes a crap that lasts longer than a few minutes, is ridiculous.

Oh, undoubtedly the man is a homophobe... kinda like the guy who says he likes babies, but then you hand him one and he holds it like a muddy football.

But I don't think public restrooms are a place for sexual activity and I can't help but wonder if people would applaud him if these were prostitutes or heterosexual couples. Maybe in this case it is the messenger.

crazyflamingos · #7 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dga

This does not only happen in the UK. I saw this article earlier...

Fort Lauderdale mayor makes controversial comments on radio show

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Fort Lauderdale's mayor is no stranger to controversy. Jim Naugle's comments about the gay community have attracted national attention in the past, and now he's at it again.

Naugle spoke about the two gay mayoral candidates vying for his position Thursday morning on an AM radio talk show, on 850 WFTL, offending more people with what some of them are calling more anti-gay comments.

The radio host asked Naugle about the protests he inspired last year when he said public restrooms needed to have a timing device that unlock to deter gays from using them as places for sexual relations. "Do you want to be remembered as the guy who said no gay sex in public restrooms?" the radio host asked. Naugle instead said that he wanted to be remembered as the mayor who rallied against political correctness.

Naugle also said City Commissioner Dean Trantalis and newcomer Earl Rynerson, both openly gay candidates running for his position at the end of his term in 2009, might have a chance if "they were responsible homosexuals running for office that reject that kind of activity, recognizing that promiscuous activity has a heavy cost on human life and dollars. Then I think they would have a chance.''

Miami News, Fort Lauderdale News, Florida News & Weather Channel 7 Fox Miami WSVN-TV - Local News - Fort Lauderdale mayor makes controversial comments on radio show

I'm not aware of any previous comments from this man, and while it seems he must have a reputation for anti-gay remarks, it does not seem like he is advocating anything that does not go against common decency.

I read about this last year when it happened.

Part of the problem seems to have been that even his own police department says that there is not a significant problem with gays having sex in the restrooms that the mayor was wanting to replace.

The rest rooms in question were on public property. And the doors with timers are exorbitantly expensive.

So Mayor Naugle wants to spend a large chunk of taxpayer monies to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

Mikeyy · #8 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 07:02 PM

There just ain't nothin more entertaining then people.

tristanrobin · #9 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyflamingos

Part of the problem seems to have been that even his own police department says that there is not a significant problem with gays having sex in the restrooms that the mayor was wanting to replace.

The rest rooms in question were on public property. And the doors with timers are exorbitantly expensive.

So Mayor Naugle wants to spend a large chunk of taxpayer monies to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

Yep - I remember when this happened too. The police chief and others were on CNN saying that they didn't HAVE a problem with that and they had received ZERO complaints about it. They didn't have a clue what the mayor was trying to get at.

I think he was just trying to get some national coverage and acknowledgment as a serious anti-gay politician, and using the old "protect the children" mantra to create a needless outrage.

Idealogically Promiscuous · #10 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tristanrobin

Yep - I remember when this happened too. The police chief and others were on CNN saying that they didn't HAVE a problem with that and they had received ZERO complaints about it. They didn't have a clue what the mayor was trying to get at.

I think he was just trying to get some national coverage and acknowledgment as a serious anti-gay politician, and using the old "protect the children" mantra to create a needless outrage.

Dollars to donuts that one day we'll find out he WAS the problem he was complaining about and we'll have a fabulous Larry Craig type scandal in the papers.

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