Gay Belfast News in 2010

How I was driven to brink of suicide by the ignorance about HIV (01 December 2010)

A Northern Ireland actor has revealed in the Belfast Telegraph how he was driven to the brink of suicide by the abuse he received after he discovered he was HIV positive. To mark World Aids Day today, 21-year-old Matthew Cavan has bravely decided to tackle head-on the stigma of the virus. Despite enduring years of distressing homophobic bullying during his teens, Matthew describes how the last year, since his diagnosis in September 2009, was the most difficult of his life.

The misery that forced him to the point where he felt life wasn’t worth living was not caused by the shock of facing life as an HIV-positive man, but was as a direct result of the terrible shame which is still associated with the disease. “Having to live with the stigma has forced more HIV-positive people to die because of suicide than of any aspect of the disease,” said Matthew. Especially disturbing for Matthew was the response from the gay community in Belfast. As word spread of his condition, he found himself increasingly isolated, and on one occasion was stunned to be asked to leave one of his favourite gay bars.

Management explained that they feared he could infect others if they were to drink from the glass he had used. “It was a real insight for me into the extent of the ignorance and the stigma which still exists,” he said. “In a way those people have done me a huge favour, they have made me strong enough to stand up and talk about my experience and try to do something positive to help people with HIV and their families.” No longer the death sentence it once was, the development of antiretroviral drugs has meant that HIV patients can now live a full life. Despite millions being spent on public awareness campaigns, it seems that fear of the virus still exists. Coming to terms with his diagnosis was just the latest in a series of shocks for Matthew’s loving family, who have supported him through many traumatic years as he dealt with his sexuality. Matthew is the youngest of four in a devout Christian family in Carrickfergus, where the church is very much the focus of their lives — his mother Kathy was an elder and his sisters Sarah and Vicky were Sunday school teachers in the former Downshire Presbyterian Church.

Matthew was only nine when he first suspected he might be gay. More interested in the arts and drama than PE and football at school, he became the victim of intense bullying throughout his teenage years. “I would say from first year to fifth year there wasn’t a single day when I wasn’t taunted and called names such as ‘gay boy’, ‘faggot’, ‘queer’ or ‘poof’. “I also got death letters written in blood and threats sent over the internet. It was so bad that it made me feel that being gay must be the worst thing in the world, and it made me feel horrible and dirty.” It was at 16 that he finally found the courage to tell his family and was immediately relieved by their acceptance of his sexuality. “I was very scared about how they would react,” recalls Matthew. “I told my brother David first and it was so hard, but he was brilliant and supported me in telling my parents and my sisters, who were all fantastic about it,” he said. As he went on to live his life openly gay Matthew was always cautious about his sexual health, so much so that he had regular screenings for diseases and tests for HIV. He knows the exact night that he contracted the virus, which came after he had taken alcohol and visited a gay bar in Belfast.

The shock of his diagnosis is something he will never forget: “I instantly felt dirty. It was almost as if I could feel the virus pumping through my body.” Once again his family was there to support him through the worst of it and his lowest point in August when despair drove him to consider suicide. “I had finished a two-month run with a play in London and had no real goal, and I think that’s when it really hit me. “I was going down and down and had turned slightly mental for a while, seeing things and hearing voices. I wrote a suicide note, but must have had a sane moment when I rang Lifeline. “I’ve had a lot of help from the crisis response team at Holywell Hospital, which has helped get me to this point where I feel strong enough to talk about it and want to share my experience.” Matthew has now decided to focus on raising money to help fund projects to support people with HIV and their families in Northern Ireland. “If people are told they have cancer or diabetes they wouldn’t be embarrassed to tell someone, so why should people with HIV be embarrassed? “I have been shocked by the ignorance and more than anything I want people to be aware of HIV so that we can remove the stigma. “I was diagnosed a year ago and if anything I am a better person now because of it, I am still Matthew and still a son, brother, uncle and friend, nothing has changed there. “It hasn’t made me a dirty person or a sick person.”

Matthew is staging a charity event called HIV Variety Performance in the Crescent Arts Centre today to help fund a new service for instant HIV testing by the Belfast Rainbow Centre. Tickets are available at the door. Doors open at 7.30pm and the show starts at 8pm.

The Pansy Project is a concept dreamed up by artist Paul Harfleet five years ago to mark the sites of homophobic abuse. It is part art installation, part guerrilla gardening project, part memorial: Harfleet plants a single pansy in the nearest soil to the spot where the abuse occurred, takes a photo, and names it after whatever abuse was thrown. But what started as a small 'gesture of quiet resistance’ for the artist and campaigner has since grown into an award-winning international project. The Pansy Project’s visit to Northern Ireland links in with the new joint campaign ENOUGH, from the Rainbow Project and Unite Against Hate, whose aim is to raise awareness of homophobic abuse and persuade more people to report these crimes. In a society like Northern Ireland, where prominent politicians find it acceptable to call homosexuality an ‘abomination’ on the radio, and where many gay people unsurprisingly still don’t feel able to come out, The Pansy Project undoubtedly has an important role to play in fighting discrimination. is accepting suggestions of locations for plantings in Northern Ireland via his blog thepansyproject.blogspot.com. You can report any homophobic abuse to the ENOUGH campaign at www.uniteagainsthate.org.uk.

A Belfast based gay rights activist has said it takes courage to “come out” in Northern Ireland after a new survey revealed the region has the lowest proportion of gays and lesbians in the UK. PA Mag Lochlainn, president of the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association, was speaking after information was collected as part of the new Integrated Household Survey (IHS) and figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Respondents were asked whether they would describe themselves as heterosexual, straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or other. Only 0.9% of Northern Ireland respondents said they were gay, lesbian or bisexual — the lowest percentage in the UK.

London polled the highest percentage with 2.2% saying they were gay, lesbian or bisexual. Paradoxically, the survey also revealed that Northern Ireland has the lowest percentage of heterosexual people at 92.4%. This is because 5.3% of people said they did not know their sexual orientation or refused to answer question, 1% offered no response and a further 0.4% defined themselves as ‘other’. North East England held the highest percentage of declared heterosexuals at 96.7%. Responding to the survey, PA Mag Lochlainn said he did not trust the accuracy of the report. He told the Belfast Telegraph: “If you were to ask this survey in secret you would get a very different picture. It is like asking people here about their political opinion, people are reluctant to say how they really feel. “People in Northern Ireland are definitely more religiously concerned here than in the rest of the UK and this seems to be an aspect to people ‘coming out’.

“It takes more courage to come out in Northern Ireland.” Mr Lochlainn said the local gay scene is thriving and said he believes attitudes are improving yearly. He said: “The gay and lesbian culture in Northern Ireland is definitely more enjoyable and brighter. I would say prejudice is falling here, but there is a high level of fear out there. “A lot of people in Northern Ireland think their neighbours are more bigoted than they actually are. “Meanwhile, protesters persist to think they represent the majority when they clearly do not. “Up to 10,000 people marched during gay pride this year — there were only 30 protesters.” The IHS is the largest social survey ever produced by the ONS and contains information provided by nearly 450,000 people.

Basil McCrea the Ulster Unionist leadership candidate has vowed to change the UUP outdated views. Regarded as a liberal within the UUP, McCrea amassed a large number of supporters at his campaign launch in Belfast's Merchant Hotel today. Among those backing him for the UUP leadership was the former British Lion and Irish rugby international Trevor Ringland and the veteran Northern Ireland gay rights campaigner Jeff Dudgeon. McCrea criticised the remarks of his only rival, Tom Elliot, who said last week that he would not attend a Gaelic sports match or a gay rights rally. McCrea has done both, and said he would continue to engage with both the gay community and nationalists in Northern Ireland. He said he would like to open dialogue with the independent MP Lady Sylvia Hermon, who left the UUP over its decision to forge an alliance with the Tories. At the time she was the UUP's only MP at Westminster, and was re-elected with a huge majority in North Down at the general election.

A contender for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party has said he would not attend gay pride marches or GAA games. Tom Elliott told the Belfast Telegraph: "I have indicated at party meetings that whilst some members of our party would go to gay pride marches or GAA matches, I wouldn't go. "That's a personal issue, but I hold no issue with any of those who would." He added: "It was just me saying that I never have and it's certainly not my intention to go to any of them." Mr Elliott, an Assembly member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, announced his candidacy last month and expects to win the support of senior party members. His statement on pride marches was seen as an attempt to differentiate himself from the other candidate, Basil McCrea, who is considered more liberal. Mr McCrea has spoken of enjoying GAA matches and attended a pride march in Belfast in 2008. The UUP failed to win a seat in this year's general election despite an alliance with the Conservative Party. In April, an Assembly member was barred from standing for a seat in South Antrim after being accused of homophobia. Adrian Watson, the mayor of Antrim, said in 2006 that he would not allow gay and lesbian couples to stay at his guest house. Mr Watson denied being homophobic but said that he had been barred from standing for the seat because he was not a politically correct "Cameron cutie". UUP members will vote for their new leader on September 22nd.

Londonderry was alive with colour as its first ever Gay Pride parade wound through the Derry City streets. Thousands turned out to take part or watch the event, which followed the route of the 1968 civil rights march. It travelled from Waterside Railway Station to the city's Guildhall. Colour and fun were the themes of the day, as many dressed up for the occasion. Mayor of Derry Colum Eastwood joined the march along with numerous local politicians standing in solidarity with the city’s gay community. SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan paid tribute to the founders, volunteers and supporters of Pride for their “courage and inspiration”. Speaking about homophobic attacks and insults, Mr Durkan said: “As a community we can show our solidarity with those who suffer this awful prejudice — both the latent homophobia of prejudiced remarks and the blatant homophobia of violent attacks — by attending and supporting this week’s events and this important parade.” Since the beginning of the year, gay people in the city have fallen victim to at least 20 attacks, compared with nine such incidents in all of 2009. Police have yet to determine an explanation for the surge.

More than 100 Irish athletes took part in the Gay Games in Cologne, joined by their partners and supporters IF YOU GO down to Cologne today you’re in for a big surprise: more than 10,000 men and women from 70 countries, and thousands more supporters, celebrating the closing of the 2010 Gay Games. From swimming to badminton, sailing to bridge, the games have been the leading sporting event in the gay community since they were founded in San Francisco in 1982. Now in their eighth edition, this year’s Gay Games Cologne marked a strong showing for Ireland with over 100 athletes taking part, joined by their partners and supporters. With 3,000 participants, host nation Germany comprised the biggest team, followed by 2,200 athletes from the US.

The biggest sport represented this year in Cologne was soccer, with around 1,000 participants in men’s and women’s teams. Events kicked off last Saturday with a huge opening ceremony at the RheinEnergie Stadium in Cologne. Trailing national and rainbow flags behind them, beaming athletes streamed into the stadium to enthusiastic applause: the Irish strutted out proudly alongside British colleagues bearing pink Union Jacks. Giving the opening ceremony a touch of glamour were Thai athletes dressed up as ladyboys in full drag while 1980s diva Taylor Dayne got the stadium rocking with her hit Tell it to My Heart before singing the Gay Games anthem, Facing a Miracle. Openly gay foreign minister Guido Westerwelle was patron of the games, but as he began his welcome speech he was loudly booed. Westerwelle, it seems, has more than just friends in Germany’s gay community. Nevertheless the politician won over the audience with a speech recalling how homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people still face repression around the world. “In more than 75 countries there are laws stopping consenting adults from being with the man or the woman they love,” he said, accompanied by his partner Michael Mronz. “In at least seven countries, gays and lesbians must fear the death sentence. These countries use religion as a pretext to turn prejudice and hatred into law. No religion can ever justify murder. Killing and torturing minorities can not be justified by culture. This is not culture, this is exactly the opposite.”

Managing Team Ireland was Frank Kelly, who two years ago set up Out in Ireland as an umbrella organisation bringing together gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people with an interest in sport. Outinireland.net allows people to connect with others in the LGBT community who share their interests. The group already has networks for tennis, badminton, rowing and squash and is growing all the time. He hopes the Gay Games will increase the visibility of gay athletes. “When people think about the gay community, a lot of it revolves around the gay scene and Gay Pride,” says Kelly. “The Gay Games gives people a chance to do the sport they enjoy without having to look around them.” Kelly says Donal Óg Cusack coming out last year was momentous for GAA and for Ireland. “It was probably a seminal moment in Irish gay history. He really made people aware there are gay people playing sport and broke through a lot of preconceptions.” Although Kelly admits a queue of others waiting to come out has yet to form behind the Cork hurler. “For the next person who comes out it won’t be as big an issue and probably won’t make the headlines. It’s always an individual decision, the most important thing in any sports club is that the environment is tolerant and accepting.”

The Irish team was sponsored by Ryanair and Tourism Ireland and, on their wishes, athletes sported special “Team Ireland” t-shirts with the slogan: “I’m not the only reason to visit Ireland.” Waterford swimmer Nick Flanagan matched his five-medal record from the last Gay Games in Copenhagen. Badminton player Joe Ruddy is going for gold in doubles with his match partner Shaun Doyle early this morning after losing in the singles quarter finals. Ruddy praises the Gay Games for encouraging a “personal best” philosophy that allows all age groups and skill levels to compete with each other. “A lot of people are playing at a social level who wouldn’t normally play in competition. But at the top level in all disciplines there are serious sports people who would be at home in any regular competition,” said Ruddy, who works at Martyn Evans Sports in Dublin’s Fitzwilliam Tennis Club. “At the top level it’s hard-fought and people want to win. But in general the atmosphere is less contentious, more friendly and there is a strong element of fair play and sportsmanship.” That’s a view shared by tennis player David McCrystal, a 35-year-old bank official from Belfast. “We’re not playing gay tennis here,” he said. “I play tennis competitively as do a lot of people here. This tournament motivates me to train and get fit. But it’s great to be here, see all the countries represented and see the flags everywhere. We’ve taken over the city!” With Germany’s largest gay community, Cologne is a fairly gay place at the best of times. Irish team spies report some younger players burning the candle at both ends early in the week before a collision of hangovers and early competition starts brought them back on the straight and narrow, so to speak.

At a reception organised for the Irish team by the Irish embassy, the recent passing of the civil partnership legislation was on everyone’s lips. “I know that many of you have been waiting for this for a long time,” said Irish ambassador Dan Mulhall, joined by his wife Greta. “I am delighted for you and for Ireland that this legislation is nearing completion. It is yet another reason to celebrate here today.” Cologne’s deputy mayor Angela Spizig got the biggest cheer of the evening when she congratulated the Irish team on the partnership legislation. Referring to it by its official title – “Houses of the Oireachtas Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010” – she added wryly: “I hope that’s more fun than it sounds.”

England rugby union star and gay icon Ben Cohen has given his support to this year's Gay Sports Day. The day, organised by GMFA, the gay men’s health charity, will be held in London on August 30th. Events will include the drag relay, the handbag throw and the 50m mince. Cohen said: “I am happy to support this year’s GMFA/RVT Gay Sports Day. Sport is an important part of my life and it’s great to see a community come together and enjoy sport in such a fun and accessible way. Plus it raises vital funds for the important work carried out by GMFA and the other charities which will benefit from the day. Weblink: www.gmfa.org.uk/sportsday.

MindWise, the leading local mental health charity is encouraging the public to become aware of mental illness and to protect their own mental health through a programme of awareness raising activities at community events across the province including attending the Belfast Pride Parade on 31st July 2010.The charity which has been offering support to local people affected by severe mental illness and mental health difficulties for over 30 years, also maintains a dedicated public affairs function which campaigns to raise awareness of mental illness and to help educate the general public on how to protect their own mental health.

Volunteers from the charity lead by MindWise Volunteer Coordinator, Claire Eakin will be attending a range of community events over the year to take the message of mental health awareness to people in an entertaining way by hosting ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Parties’ at the events. At the Tea Parties, members of the public can make customise their very own ‘Mad Hat’ to wear with pride to show their support for the cause and to help challenge the stigma and prejudice that often surrounds this major health issue which affects as many as 1 in 4 of the local population at any one time.

X Factor winner Joe McElderry announces he is gay after Twitter prank (31 July 2010 )

X Factor winner Joe McElderry has come out as gay just weeks after he claimed that he was straight. Earlier this month, pranksters hacked into his Twitter account and posted messages including: "It's been difficult living a lie for so many years…" Despite denying publicly that he was gay, the incident prompted him to come out to his mother.

His official website, he said: 'I have always been a very honest person and so it is important for me to continue to be honest. "It has been the most amazing year so far and I feel so privileged. It’s also been a time of real self realisation and I feel as if I have grown up so much in these few months. There has been speculation about my sexuality in the past and I have always been honest at the time I have been asked. Over the past few weeks I have really had time to reflect and to realise who I am. I spoke to my friends and family about this in the last few days and it was important to do the same for you all as you have been so supportive. I have had nothing but support from you and many of you have been very open in saying that you will continue to support me whatever my sexuality. It is important to me to let you know first, so that you know the stories in the papers are true. I made the choice to speak openly about this.'

He added: "Everything is going well and I’m really happy to be able to move forward from here. He told The Sun that the Twitter incident was the catalyst for him to realise he is gay: "I think the Twitter thing was the point when I realised I was gay. I'm feeling good about it, it's liberating. Now I can just get on with my life." McElderry had a girlfriend while at school but was the target of homophobic bullies. "Actually, my feelings have changed," he said. "This is how I feel now." X Factor judge Simon Cowell has offered McElderry his full support. McElderry follows in the footsteps of Will Young who came out as gay immediately after winning the precursor to the X Factor, Pop Idol.

Around 17,000 people took to the streets of Belfast on Saturday afternoon for the annual Pride parade. The event, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, began at Custom House Square at noon before winding its way through the city. Organisers said they went to great lengths to make this year's parade family friendly. There were a number of small religious protests along the route but some clergy also participated in the parade. Presbyterian minister, Reverend Chris Hudson said that he wanted to show solidarity with the gay and lesbian community. He added: "I want to say to them, particularly those of a Christian faith, that it is ok to be gay and a Christian and do not let anyone tell you otherwise." Those protesting believe that homosexuality is incompatible with biblical scripture. The organisers say that the Belfast event is now the biggest Pride event in Ireland. It is the culmination of Pride week which has been running since last Saturday.

According to Irish Senator David Norris, Ireland, north and south, is “nearly there” in terms of achieving equality for gay people. Senator Norris, a prominent human rights campaigner in the Republic of Ireland, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in Ireland, was speaking ahead of the Amnesty International Belfast Pride lecture on Monday evening. Norris has recently indicated his intention to stand for the Irish Presidency. Senator Norris said: “The recent passage of the Civil Partnership Bill by the Oireachtas in Dublin represents a very significant advance. “It was a victory, not for gay people, but rather a victory for decency and for this country as a whole. “It is clear that we are very nearly there in terms of the accomplishment of full human and civil rights of gay people in Ireland, both north and south. But we are not there yet. “Despite such victories, sadly there is still prejudice against the gay community – including among those active in public life in Northern Ireland. We must continue to work to ensure human rights for all people and to educate others that equality is a right not a threat. “It is crucial that we do not shed our concerns for others throughout the world who live in less favourable circumstances and whose sexual orientation places them every day in danger of being murdered, either by members of the public or by their governments.” Amnesty International recently campaigned on behalf of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, a couple in Malawi who were arrested and sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour after having an engagement celebration ahead of their planned wedding. Amnesty International will be asking people throughout Belfast to support its ‘Love is a Human Right’ campaign during Belfast Pride week which starts this weekend. The Amnesty International Belfast Pride Lecture, presented by Amnesty International as part of the 2010 Belfast Pride Festival, will take place at 6:30pm on tonight (Monday 26 July) at the Europa Hotel, Belfast. The event is free of charge.

Wimbledon 2010 winner Rafael Nadal has come out as the sexiest male tennis player in the world, according to a new poll by Gaydar Radio. The hunky Spaniard beat fellow tennis players Tomas Berdych and Novak Djokovic to the top spot with a massive 52 per cent of the vote. Meanwhile, Andy Murray came in joint third with 9 per cent. Described as “chicken-faced” and “violently unattractive”, by listeners, he failed to impress.

Stunning Nadal pulled in over half the gay male votes, beating Novak Djokovic by a landslide, who only managed to score 13 per cent. Andy Murray and Roger Federer came in way behind with 9 per cent each. Surprisingly, Wimbledon runner-up, Tomas Berdych came in last with only 4 per cent of the votes. “Pure Prime Pecs!” said Gaydar Radio breakfast co-host, Neil Sexton, when describing Nadal. “He has the perfect body. He’s right up there with Beckham and Ronaldo on my ‘to-do list’”. Commenting on the BBC Wimbledon coverage, Breakfast show presenters Neil and Debbie said: “Whoever is working the cameras this year, we want to say a huge thank you! The slow motion shots of Nadal peeling his shirt off made our Wimbledon. Hell, we’d pay our licence fee for that alone!”

The 20th Anniversary Gay Pride Dinner on Saturday 26th June was a resounding success, and everyone had a great time. Some of the comments received from the attendees. “I had a great night. Seemed like a great success from where I was sitting.
Good luck for the festivities ahead and I’ll be at a few events myself no doubt.” GRAEME FARROW

” This was a thoroughly enjoyable event. It is still relatively rare, outside of Pride Week, for our communities to take over a public space for ourselves. Thanks to Unison and NIC-ICTU for sponsoring two tables! It was great to see so many friends (and friendly faces) in one place. This was a superbly well organised event and I hope it becomes an annual date in our diaries.” BARRY FITZPATRICK

“The Strabane & Lifford LGBT Group had a wonderful night at the Hilton and the 20th Pride anniversary dinner. The food and wine was delicious and it was great to meet all our colleagues throughout the province. As the group are relatively new it was a great opportunity to meet with other LGBT activists and supporters throughout Northern Ireland, many of whom we hadn’t seen in years. The launch of the Belfast Pride Programme was an extremely inspiring and motivating experience for the group and encouraged us to feel included and part of something bigger.

Winning the Community Group of the Year Award was a wonderful surprise and a proud moment for all our Group. At times we forget to celebrate our achievements and congratulate ourselves on good work done, receiving this award allowed us time to reflect and acknowledge how far the group has come and indeed how far we can go.

The members, committee, volunteers and staff of Strabane & Lifford LGBT Group would like to extend a big warm thank you to everyone at Belfast Pride for an exceptionally enjoyable and memorable night and we look forward to seeing everyone in July”. GINA GALLAGHER

“The Belfast Pride 20th Anniversary Dinner last night was wonderful. It was a privilege to attend an LGBT black tie affair in Belfast and a very memorable experience for me.

I enjoyed sitting with the Newry men and they were so sweet to me (one told me that they were on their best behaviour). I would love to see a picture of their awarding winning float. I imagine it may be over the top?

It is so evident that the Belfast Pride committee has devoted countless hours to making this year an experience to remember. I am excited about the upcoming Belfast Pride events and I have started filling my calendar with the scheduled events. Thank you for the Belfast Pride Guide.” MARGARET FINE

The Belfast Pride Committee send their thanks to everyone who helped in any way with the Dinner, particularly the staff in the Hilton Hotel in Belfast who made us feel so welcome. Thanks also to Perfect Strangers who were fantastic – we can’t wait to see you on the stage at Party in the Square!

A community-led project aimed at better protection for NI's gay community has been revealed today. Police in South and East Belfast, in partnership with The Rainbow Project, the NI Housing Executive, Community Safety Partnership and Belfast City Council Good Relations Unit have launched an Advocacy Scheme for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community. It is said to be building on the success of the two previously launched Advocacy Schemes – the Bi-lingual Advocates working with the Chinese and Polish communities and the Hate Crime Advocate. The new project involves the appointment of an Advocate to work closely with the LGBT community in areas such as Hate Crime, domestic abuse, homelessness and other issues of concern. The main objectives are to encourage reporting, reduce crime, enhance crime investigations, improve clearance rates for hate crimes, provide support for victims including housing support and reduce anti-social behaviour towards members of the LGBT community. The advocate will be based within the offices of the Rainbow Project in Belfast. A spokesman said: "Police are aware that members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities do not always fully engage with them when it comes to reporting crime, anti-social behaviour or giving information. "The Advocacy scheme is aimed at building trust and confidence within these communities, as well as providing practical support and assistance when coming in contact with their local police and statutory agencies," he said in a statement. Officers in South and East Belfast are confident that the LGBT Advocate will become an invaluable tool in addressing the underreporting of crime by the LGBT community as well as in instilling a sense of equality. It is also hoped that in time, members of the LGBT community will consider the Police Service as a career option and thus help the Police Service become even more representative of the entire community. Speaking at today's launch, B District Deputy Commander, Superintendent Chris Noble said that building trust and promoting diversity were key priorities in today's policing environment. "Attacks on people with a different sexual orientation or gender identity highlight the necessity to ensure that as a society we stamp out hate crime once and for all. "We are working tirelessly with our partners to do this. Our 'Policing a Shared Future Strategy' outlines the need to ensure that everything we do is underpinned by fairness and respect towards all members of our community. "This includes ensuring equality for all, improving relations between different groups in our society by promoting diversity and building confidence in the police. "I believe that the appointment of the LGBT Advocate will be a tremendous step in that direction," he said. Last year, the Rainbow Project carried out research into the levels of homophobic hate crime in Northern Ireland and found that of the 1,143 people who were surveyed, one fifth had been the victim of a hate crime in the previous three years. It also showed that under-reporting was a serious issue with 64% of these incidents never being reported to the PSNI. Director of The Rainbow Project John O'Doherty said: "The Rainbow Project is very excited about this new project. "Over the last number of years The Rainbow Project has been working in partnership with the PSNI and other agencies to tackle homophobic and transphobic hate crime. "We have developed a number of key partnership protocols to make it easier for people to report and therefore increase the reporting of hate crime. The appointment of an LGBT Advocate is an exciting addition to this ongoing work."

A Lithuanian immigrant tried to cut his own wrists after being taken down from the dock after being jailed for 20 years for the horrific homophobic murder of Shaun Fitzpatrick. Andrius Dunauskas had just been sentenced along with fellow killer Ramunas Balseris when he jumped to his feet in the dock of Belfast Crown Court, shouting and pointing his finger at Mr Justice Hart. Prison staff had to wrestle the 23-year-old former martial arts trainee to the ground after he refused to be handcuffed, before dragging him off to the cells. While in the cells he cut himself with a razor blade and was taken to hospital for treatment before being taken back to Maghaberry prison. The Prison Service said he had been fully searched before leaving prison. The Dungannon Crown Court judge, sitting in Belfast, had just told he and Balseris (26) he would recommended their deportation after they'd served at least 20 years of their life sentences. The pair, Dunauskas of Lisnahull Road and Balseris of Altmore Drive, Dungannon, were convicted in March of murdering the supermarket boss, beaten so badly paramedics thought he'd been shot in the head. They ambushed the “inoffensive” shop manager simply because he was gay, initially felling him with a high karate kick to the head, before dragging him up an alleyway and subjecting him to “vicious and prolonged attack”. Later both blamed each other for the murder in the the early hours of March 23, 2008.

Peter Robinson, the beleaguered First Minister of Northern Ireland, dramatically lost his Commons seat after months of political and personal controversy. Mr Robinson, who had held Belfast East since 1979, was ousted by the Alliance Party, which won a 22.9 per cent swing in support. The victory for Naomi Long, the lord mayor of Belfast, left Mr Robinson’s Democratic Unionist Party supporters gasping in disbelief.

The defeat came after Mr Robinson returned to power having stepped aside for six weeks following a string of damaging disclosures about him and his wife Iris. It was alleged Mrs Robinson had obtained £50,000 from two property developers for a teenager with whom she was having an affair, and did not inform the relevant authorities. Mr and Mrs Robinson had also faced severe criticism over their use of parliamentary expenses in the previous year including £1,644.90 for a new bed and luxury goods such as a £300 Mont Blanc fountain pen. Together the couple (locally known as 'Swish Family Robinson') have come under scrutiny for their financial affairs before, and were estimated to be earning almost £600,000 a year in salaries and expenses. Mrs Robinson earned £63,291 for her position as an MP, £24,296 as an Assembly member and as chairwoman of its health and social services committee and £9,550 as a councillor for the Castlereagh borough in Northern Ireland. Mr Robinson takes home £63,291 as MP for East Belfast, £71,434 for his role as First Minister plus a third of the £43,101 salary for being an Assembly member because he is also an MP. They also claimed more than £150,000 a year for the salaries of their staff with Mr Robinson employing their daughter Rebekah as office manager and private secretary and son Gareth as parliamentary assistant. Mrs Robinson employed their other son Jonathan as office manager and daughter-in-law Ellen Robinson as part-time secretary. Despite his defeat, Mr Robinson said he would stay on in Stormont, adding: “It is vital for the sake of Northern Ireland we continue the momentum moving forward.” Speaking after the announcement of his loss, Mr Robinson went on: “I have a job to do, and have a mandate to do a job in the Assembly of Northern Ireland. “I will always do my best to get the best deal for the people of Northern Ireland.”

Naomi Long has been widely praised for her hard work, sound principles, unvarnished good humour and easy articulacy. Most unusually for a politician, Long really is loved. But while there had been whispers that she could topple the DUP’s Peter Robinson in East Belfast, and the odd tentative bet placed, few believed she could really do it – especially given the large loyalist electorate. It’s not natural Alliance Party territory. The new MP for East Belfast, who becomes the first member of her party to be elected to the Commons, first took political office in 2001, when she was elected to Belfast City Council. An East Belfast seat in the Assembly followed in 2003, and in 2006 she became Alliance’s deputy leader. She is currently Lord Mayor of Belfast. She’s only the second woman to take the role, and Long is proud of the fact that both she and Grace Bannister, the first female lord mayor of the city, are past pupils of Bloomfield Collegiate, the East Belfast all-girls school. Long is passionate about the awkward charms of her native city, whether cheerfully strumming a guitar in support of the Nashville songwriters’ festival, or officially opening the first Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgendered centre in Belfast. She’s also been praised for her behind-the-scenes work in supporting asylum seekers. orn in 1971, Long grew up in the heart of East Belfast, later taking a Masters in Civil Engineering at Queen’s University. Her husband, Michael Long, is also an Alliance politician, serving on Castlereagh Borough Council. In a recent interview with a blogger, Long said she and her husband, both Presbyterians, had debated whether to stay in the North or leave: “We decided we wanted to stay here, but that we wanted to make a difference. And we ended up joining Alliance because we saw in Alliance a kind of microcosm of what society could be like and that you had people from all different backgrounds . . . locked in around the same ideals and vision, and for us that was kind of a hopeful thing.” Long says the real satisfaction, for her, is dealing with the problems of constituents. “That’s the bit of the job I still enjoy most because it makes the most tangible difference to people who come through the door of the office. If you can get the problems solved, if you can cut down the bureaucracy, get between them and some of the statutory agencies, and deal with the issues quickly for them, it makes a huge difference.”

THE Conservative Party candidate who founded a church that tried to “cure” gay people by driving out demons failed in her attempt to become an MP. Philippa Stroud, the high-flying Tory hopeful who was tipped to take Sutton and Cheam from the Liberal Democrat Paul Burstow, was narrowly beaten into second place in a 73 per cent turnout. The Observer newspaper reported that Ms Stroud, executive director of Conservative think tank the Centre for Social Justice, had set up an evangelical church in Bedford where homosexuality, according to ex-members, was ascribed to demonic influence. Despite David Cameron’s apology last year for section 28 (a Thatcher law that banned local authorities from portraying homosexuality in a positive light) and his recent claims that his party had “been on a journey” in its attitude to gay rights, successive polls by PinkNews.co.uk, Europe’s largest gay news site, found Tory allegiance among its readers down from 39 per cent last June to 9 per cent days before the election. Comments by Chris Grayling, the shadow home secretary, that he had sympathy for BB owners who turn away gay customers, provoked a fall from 25 per cent to 20 per cent. Several Tory candidates accused of homophobia during the campaign did less well than hoped in their constituencies. Mr Grayling held his seat in Epsom and Ewell despite a 2.1 per cent swing to the Lib Dems. In North Ayrshire and Arran, Philip Lardner, who was suspended from his party after opining on his website that homosexuality was “not normal”, came third with a 2.7 per cent fall in his vote from 2005. And in Wallasey, the Tories were kept at bay after a Wirral councillor Denis Knowles was suspended for writing on Facebook about “limp-wristed” boys leafleting in his area. Labour’s Angela Eagle, a lesbian, increased her vote to win with a 8,507 majority. Gay trust for Cameron personally also fell, according to the site’s polls. A week ago, 74 per cent of a 1,000-strong sample said they did not believe Cameron’s gay-friendly rhetoric. Following the Observer article, that number rose to 81 per cent. However, Tory Margot James became Britain’s second openly lesbian MP after her convincing victory in Stourbridge. James Hargreaves, a 22-year-old gay man from Scarborough, said: “I was going to vote Tory. But the final blow came with the Philippa Stroud story. The three out gay men in David Cameron's shadow cabinet have held on to their seats. Nick Herbert, Alan Duncan and Greg Barker were all returned to Westminster. Mr Duncan and Mr Barker saw a slight drop in their majorities to the Liberal Democrats. Other out gay candidates who won were Iain Stewart for Milton Keynes South and Stuart Andrew for Pudsey. The party has 20 out gay MPs, although only 11 were happy to be named in the media.

An advertising campaign aimed at encouraging the reporting and awareness of hate crimes and incidents is being launched by the Police Service. PSNI Launch of anti-hate crime campaign

The advertisements carry a simple message ‘nobody deserves this and nobody deserves to get away with it’ with photographic images representing the six areas of hate crime - racist, homophobic, transphobic, sectarian, religion and crimes against people with disabilities. The advertisements will appear on billboards, adshels, washroom posters and online for the next month and will feature primarily in areas of high reporting. In the past year there were 671 racist hate crimes, 108 homophobic hate crimes, 27 faith/religion related hate crimes, 1200 sectarian hate crimes, 4 transphobic hate crimes and 63 disability related hate crimes reported in Northern Ireland. Over the same period in 2008-2009 there were 771 racist hate crimes, 134 homophobic hate crimes, 35 faith/religion related hate crimes, 1,017 sectarian hate crimes, 2 transphobic hate crimes and 28 disability related hate crimes. Speaking about the campaign, Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr believes that there is still under-reporting and thus this is once again the main focus of the campaign. He said: “I want to encourage people, whether they are victims of a crime or witnesses to an incident to report it to police. There are a number of methods available to make reports; these are in person, telephone or online reporting. “As a Police Service we are fully committed to playing our role in preventing such dreadful crimes occurring. We all have a part to play in dealing with hate crime; the police alone cannot solve what is a wider societal issue. We all have a responsibility to unite against hate.” “The advertisements put the issue in clear and simple terms - hate crime is unacceptable, no one deserves it and no one deserves to get away with it; to stop it, report it.” To report a hate crime or to find out further information visit the PSNI Website.

Two men have been found guilty of murdering a County Tyrone supermarket manager almost two years ago. Shaun Fitzpatrick, 32, was found dead in an alleyway off the Donaghmore Road in Dungannon early on 23 March 2008. Andrius Dunauskas, 23, of Lisnahull Road, and Raminas Balseris, 26, of Altmore Drive, were found guilty at Dungannon Crown Court. The pair, originally from Lithuania, killed him because he was gay. He was attacked on his way home from a bar. Mr Fitzpatrick was so badly beaten that police initially thought he may have been shot. Mr Justice Hart said it must have been "an unpleasant experience" for the jury "having to listen to the terrible injuries inflicted on Mr Fitzpatrick by these two men for no other reason than contempt for his sexuality". He said murder carried a mandatory life sentence, and next month he would determine the minimum term they must serve. During the trial, both men admitted being present during the attack but blamed each other. Dunauskas admitted punching Mr Fitzpatrick once in the face, a blow which forced him to the ground. He claimed he agreed to help Balseris out of drunken aggression. However, Balseris claimed that it was Dunauskas who began the assault with a martial arts kick to the head.

Balseris alleged Dunauskas continued to kick and stamp on the defenceless victim. He further claimed Dunauskas told him Mr Fitzpatrick had to die because if he were left alive he would be able to identify him as his attacker. After the guilty verdicts, Mr Fitzpatrick's sister, Stacy McNally, read a statement on behalf of the family. She said that they "pray that these evil men never walk the streets of Northern Ireland again, because our Shaun won't". Mr Fitzpatrick was described as was "a loving son, a great brother, wonderful uncle, fun-loving, hard-working, soft-hearted, kind and inoffensive". She said that when he died, "part of us died with him". Detective Superintendent David McConville said Mr Fitzpatrick's family had "shown remarkable dignity throughout this harrowing ordeal". He said police were "greatly encouraged" by the help offered by the local community. "The two men that carried out this shockingly violent attack are originally from Lithuania, however they do not represent the law-abiding members of the Lithuanian community living in Dungannon, who can expect the same level of support from the police service as everyone else in Northern Ireland," he said. "This case shows that no-one in the community is above the law, regardless of their background or ethnicity."

Adrian Watson has been chosen by his Ulster Unionist constituency association to represent South Antrim in May. The Mayor of Antrim caused offence after saying he would not allow gay and lesbian couples to stay at his bed and breakfast. “The difficulty would arise because of the logistics of the bed and breakfast — if it was a same sex couple — and because my wife has strong Christian views, she felt it was difficult to facilitate that,” he said on the Stephen Nolan show. However, speaking to the Belfast Telegraph this week, Mr Watson claimed his remarks had been misinterpreted. “I have never called anybody a ‘homo’ in my life,” he said. “I have no issue with the gay community or with gay people and I have always made that clear. I would dissociate myself from the comment. I treat every member of the community with respect irrespective of their class, colour, creed or sexuality. I believe in equality and rights for everyone.” Mr Watson is no stranger to controversy. In 2005 he described members of the Travelling community at a local halting point as “scumbags” and the “scum of the earth”, and in 2008 risked prosecution after tackling a burglar at his own home with a baseball bat.

The decision by the South Antrim Ulster Unionist Association to select Mr Watson was made in the same week the Tories launched a national programme promoting gay equality, prompting campaigners to urge David Cameron to reject his nomination. Jeffrey Peel, a member of the Conservative Party in Northern Ireland, said he agreed with the gay rights campaigners. “I don’t know the guy but if he genuinely doesn’t welcome people into his bed and breakfast because of their sexual orientation, then I would be in absolute agreement with the gay rights campaigners on this case. “I am not sure that the Conservative Party should be endorsing such a candidate.” Last night a spokesman for the Conservatives stressed that Mr Watson was not yet a Tory candidate. “He has not yet been selected so I can’t prejudice that process,” he said. The Ulster Unionists said they were committed to equality, a spokesperson said: “The Ulster Unionist Party has a strong commitment to a tolerant and inclusive Northern Ireland within the UK. “This is illustrated by our 2007 Assembly manifesto commitment: ‘Ulster Unionists are proud of Northern Ireland's place in the diverse, pluralist, modern United Kingdom. We believe in a culturally diverse Northern Ireland in which the rights of all are secured within the Union. At the core of Ulster Unionist values is the conviction that all in Northern Ireland, irrespective of class, gender, religious belief, political opinion, sexual orientation, colours or race should share in the cherished position of equal citizenship in the United Kingdom.” The final nomination process has yet to be completed and although Mr Watson has tried to distance himself from the controversial comments made on radio in 2006, the Conservatives may decide to veto his nomination when he appears before the joint committee of senior officials next month.

A psychiatrist who worked with shamed former MP Iris Robinson has been reported to the General Medical Council for his work in trying to “cure” gay people. Dr Paul Miller, who has a private practice in south Belfast, was the therapist referred to by Mrs Robinson when she made her now-infamous remarks about gay people in June 2008. Speaking after a gay man was beaten up in Northern Ireland, she said she knew a “lovely psychiatrist” who worked with her and was able to turn gays straight. Dr Miller runs the Abeo umbrella organisation for therapists who try to cure homosexuality, believes that “same-sex attraction” in men stems from “core un-met needs” such as the lack of a father figure. He worked with Mrs Robinson as a part-time advisor when she was chair of the Health Committee at Stormont. He was exposed last month when gay journalist Patrick Strudwick went undercover to receive treatment from him. Mr Strudwick had two webcam therapy sessions with Dr Miller, in which the psychiatrist encouraged him to become aroused and spoke about his own struggles to fight attraction to men. The methods were condemned by Professor Michael King, a psychiatrist from University College and Dominic Davies, the founder and director of Soho-based Pink Therapy. Following the experience, which he wrote about in the Independent, Mr Strudwick reported Dr Miller to the General Medical Council. Mr Strudwick told the BBC: “It was very disturbing because I was acutely aware during the sessions of the effect this would be having on a vulnerable young person had I been genuinely seeking treatment. I felt disgusted and abused by his inappropriate sexual remarks during the sessions. To hear this from a psychiatrist during a session, it was like being sexually assaulted.” He added that he wanted to see the psychiatrist struck off. Dr Miller would not comment and instead gave a statement to the BBC saying: “I am currently responding to a complaint made to the GMC and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment at this time.” The General Medical Council is expected to discuss his case next month.

Gay campaigners in Belfast began a weekend of protests last night against an international conference in Belfast which promotes the controversial claim that homosexuality can be "cured" using psychotherapy and prayer. The conference is organised by Core Issues, an evangelical Christian group in Northern Ireland which promotes so-called "conversion therapy" and claims to have "saved" numerous homosexual Christians. The 'star' speaker is the Rev Mario Bergner, a Canadian-born “ex-gay” Chicago-based Anglican preacher and leading proponent of conversion therapy, who claims to have been cured of Aids and homosexuality through prayer. In response, a coalition of protesters has begun picketing Ballynahinch Baptist Church, where the conference began last night. The protests are being organised by the Queer Youth Network and the Stop Conversion Therapy Taskforce (SCOTT), a new lobby group set up by gay journalist Patrick Strudwick from the Independent. To support Patrick visit his Facebook site.

Dungannon Crown Court has heard the extent of the injuries suffered by a gay man who was murdered last Easter Sunday. Shaun Fitzpatrick, 32, was found dead on March 23rd 2008 in an alleyway in Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. This week, the Court was told that the shopkeeper had 52 injuries separate injuries, with 36 of them to his head. Deputy state pathologist Dr Alistair Bentley said Fitzpatrick's injuries included a broken nose, two broken teeth and bruising and cuts to his head, neck, mouth and parts of his upper body. Two men, Andrius Dunauskas, 23, and Raminas Balseris, 26, are being tried for his murder. Both blame the other for the killing. They had been drinking at the same bar as Fitzpatrick on the night of the killing and Dunauskas had allegedly tried to hit the deceased but was stopped by friends. The pair later walked home together and spotted Fitzpatrick walking ahead of them. Balseris claims that Dunauskas carried out the attack because he "didn't like gays". Dunauskas admits punching Fitzpatrick, but claims Balseris kicked the dead man in the head. Balseris denies taking part in the attack.

Northern Ireland Bishop Pat Buckley has postponed his civil partnership after his fiance got "stressed out" with the media attention. Bishop Buckley, who is not officially a bishop, announced his plans to wed chef Eduardo Yango earlier this month. The pair were set to tie the knot yesterday but the ceremony reportedly descended into chaos when Mr Yango became publicity-shy. The Belfast Telegraph reports that around half a dozen journalists and photographers gathered outside Larne Borough Council's offices but as the scheduled time for the ceremony passed, the happy couple did not materialise. Instead, a receptionist came outside to tell the small crowd the ceremony was off. Bishop Buckley later told reporters: “Eduardo has found the last ten to 14 days really overwhelming. We decided that we’d postpone things on Sunday night because he is totally and utterly stressed out.”

Mr Yango, who is from the Philippines, had been shocked to see so many global news headlines about himself, the bishop said. Bishop Buckley added: "Culturally speaking, the Philippines is where Ireland was 30 or 40 years ago. So from a cultural, religious and stress point of view, he’s just been finding things very difficult." But he said that the civil partnership would take place soon. Bishop Buckley was ordained as a Catholic diocesan priest in 1976. He set up an independent ministry in 1986 and was subsequently excommunicated when he was ordained as an episcopal bishop in 1998. He now offers wedding ceremonies for divorcees and mixed-religion couples along with blessings for gays and lesbians, styling himself as an "unofficial chaplain to disaffected and alienated Catholics and Christians".

Playgirl magazine chase Iris Robinson's lover for racy photoshoot (19 January 2010)

Kirk McCambley, the toyboy lover of homophobic Iris Robinson is being pursued by Playgirl magazine. The US publication, which famously featured Levi Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin's grandchild, has said it wants Kirk McCambley to agree to a racy photoshoot. The magazine has a strong following of gay men, as well as women. Playgirl's director of marketing Daniel Nardicio told the Belfast Telegraph that McCambley was "very attractive". He said: "He's Irish, he's good-looking and the toppling of a political dynasty is just great. "We re-launched the magazine last December with the Levi Johnston shoot. Kirk McCambley would be a great follow up to that. It's a fantastic story, it's interesting and he is very attractive. He fits into what we are trying to do with Playgirl." Nardico would not disclose how much money McCambley could earn from the shoot but said it would be "a fair bit". McCambley has already been offered the chance to appear on the cover of UK gay magazine Attitude. He has not responded to the offer. It is also reported that US chatshow queen Oprah Winfrey is keen to have Robinson tell her side of the story. McCambley, appeared on a BBC Northern Ireland Spotlight programme earlier this month when he revealed details of the affair. It took place in the summer of 2008, when Robinson was 59. She has faced accusations of financial impropriety with allegations that she procured a loan for him to start a business without declaring her interest. She has not commented on the relationship and has not been seen in public for weeks. Robinson is receiving psyciatric treatment in a Belfast hospital.

Gay magazine Attitude is offering Iris Robinson's 21-year-old toyboy a chance to appear on its cover. Kirk McCambley was 19 when he had an affair with the 60-year-old Northern Ireland MP.

Iris Robinson, a devout Christian, embarked on the extra-marital affair in the summer of 2008 while making a series of homophobic comments in the media. She caused outrage in the gay community by declaring homosexuality was an ‘abomination’ and said it was ‘comparable’ to paedophilia. She also said: "Just as murderers can receive God’s forgiveness by receiving the blood of Christ, so can homosexuals." Attitude editor Matthew Todd said his magazine had tried to contact Kirk McCambley without success. He said: "Kirk is incredibly hot and we’d love to see him on the cover of Attitude. We think our readers would go as wild for him as Iris obviously did. We’d love for him to get in touch. We’ve put in a few calls to the Lockkeeper’s Inn but no one has answered the phone." London PR guru Max Clifford, who brokered the story on David Beckham’s affair with Rebecca Loos — which also infamously involved a series of text messages — has said Kirk could earn a six figure sum for telling his story. While Kirk is unafraid of talking to journalists at the moment, he has not yet spoken in detail about his affair with Mrs Robinson. “It really all depends on what the lad wants to do,” Mr Clifford told the Sunday Life. “But if he wanted to talk and provide details on his story, we’d be talking hundreds of thousands for different deals. “Everyone wants to know everything about Kirk’s story at the minute and we’d be talking huge sums for it.”

Homophobic MP, Iris Robinson, the 60-year-old wife of Northern Ireland's First Minister was having an affair with a teenager, it was revealed last night. Iris Robinsons Toyboy Kirk McCambley

Iris Robinson earlier this week admitted cheating on her husband, Peter, leader of the hardline Unionist DUP. She also said she had tried to kill herself after the affair. Last night the BBC Northern Ireland documentary 'Spotlight' revealed her lover's name to be Kirk McCambley - and they said he was 19 when the pair became involved 18 months ago. They apparently met in March 2008 at the funeral of Mr McCambley's father, a friend of Mrs Robinson. The young man, now 21, owns the Lock Keeper's Inn in south Belfast. Details of the affair were revealed by the BBC in an interview with her husband. Last night it was claimed that Mrs Robinson organised a £50,000 loan to help her toyboy lover set up the restaurant business. She secured the money from two family friend developers but faces claims that she did not declare an interest in the business, despite sitting on the local council that awarded the tender to Mr McCambley. The BBC further alleges that her husband became aware of the situation but did not take steps to alert the authorities. If the claims made by the BBC Spotlight investigation are true, they would represent clear breaches of parliamentary rules. Mrs Robinson and Mr McCambley's affair lasted for around five months, ending after they allegedly rowed over the repayment of the money. Four months later, in March last year, the MP attempted to take her own life. Mr Robinson yesterday stated in an emotional TV appearance he would stand by his wife and continue in his post. His wife, MP for Strangford as well as a member of the Northern Ireland assembly, admitted on Wednesday to having the affair and battling depression. The announcement came nine days after she declared she was quitting politics. In her statement she said: 'Everyone is paying a heavy price for my actions... I am so, so sorry. It had no emotional or lasting meaning, but my actions have devastated my life, and the lives of those around me.' Her name will bring to mind the fictional Mrs Robinson, played by Anne Bancroft who had an affair with a man half her age, played by Dustin Hoffman, in the 1967 film The Graduate.

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