Quote:
Originally Posted by Toy Soldier
There's still parts of every UK city where you'll get verbal abuse for being openly gay, and then physically assaulted if you say anything back. OK, yes, it's mainly pubs/bars that I personally wouldn't ever be in by choice anyway ... but the fact remains, I *could* go to those places openly with my wife and be perfectly safe, whereas my friend definitely could not go there with his husband. Not as an obvious couple. They've been together 10 years and married for four, and I've seen them have to pretend to just be friends in public depending on the area, not because something would "definitely" happen but because enough has happened in the past for it not to be worth the hassle. It makes me equal parts sad and very angry.
I'm not saying it's not a hell of a lot better in the UK than in many other countries, the vast majority of places you would ever actually WANT to go are safe, but it's certainly not 100% "fine to be gay in the UK" quite yet.
Also you said "the West" not just the UK and there are huge parts of the US that are still heavily blinkered hardcore Christian and being openly gay would not be the most comfortable life.
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Also
you put it better than I could have