From Struggle to Near Full Equality

“Homosexuality is not just about sex, It's also about love and emotions.” This is the ultimate message that Peter Tatchell, Britain's leading gay rights activist, and indeed one of its leading human rights activists, has for those who still fear gay love. Tatchell has devoted much of his life to advocating for equality in society for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people, including himself. At the age of 17, Tatchell realised he was gay and was soon “inspired by the struggles of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King,” applying their philosophy and tactics to what emerged as his struggle for gay freedom and equitable rights in society.

At 61, the Australian-born Tatchell can be credited for many of the achievements LGBT people have had in the United Kingdom, including the gay marriage bill recently passed by the House of Lords and approved by the Queen. Gay couples in the UK are expected to marry from next year. In his activism, Tatchell has also put the spotlight on persecution and discrimination against the LGBT community in other countries across the world, including in Iran. Here is our interview with Tatchell, examining the politics and history of this struggle:

There are people in Iran who say homosexuality is a "perversion" from normality, that nature dictates only men and women can have sex, that there's no such thing as gay gene, that even animals don't engage in gay sex, that they search in science for proof. How do you respond to such thinking?

Homosexuality has existed in every society in every epoch in history. In many of these societies, like Ancient Greece and Ancient Persia, it was accepted. Same-sex relations exist in every animal species that has been studied, from dolphins to lions, kestrels, monkeys and penguins. The Nazis tried to exterminate homosexuality. They failed. Biologists and psychologists now say that homosexuality is part of the natural spectrum of human sexuality. Around 10% of the population will have same-sex relations for all or part of their lives. It is totally normal - otherwise it would not be so common and universal.

Is there any evidence of homosexuality in Iranian history?

Much ancient Persian and Islamic literature refers to homosexuality in a natural, matter-of-fact way. It extols the beauty, honour and pleasure of same-sex relations.

What do you say to people who say homosexuality undermines procreation, as homosexual couples can't produce children?

In a world that is heading for over-population, it is a positive attribute that many gay people don't have children. Given that we live on a planet with finite resources, we need to stop rapid population growth. Most LGBT people don't have children and thereby contribute to stabilising the global population. But some same-sex couples do have children from previous heterosexual marriages where they felt compelled to marry to fulfill family and social pressures. Some lesbians have kids using artificial insemination by donor, where a male friend donates his sperm. They are raising happy same-sex families.

And there are people who say homosexuality is unethical...

Consenting same-sex relations between adults harm no one. If two people of the same-sex love each other, it is no one else's business. Live and let live. You may not approve of homosexuality but you have no right to deny others the right to fall in love with a person of the same-sex and have a happy life.

There are parents in Iran who say the honour of the family is more important than accepting their child's sexual orientation, and as a result, they tell their gay children that they should keep quiet. What do you a dutiful gay son or lesbian daughter should do in such a situation?

The right to love a person of one's choice is one of the most important human rights. No one chooses to be gay. Given that LGBT people are persecuted in most of the world, no one would choose to be gay. Human sexuality - both homosexuality and heterosexuality - is mostly caused by a combination of genetic inheritance from our parents and hormonal influences in the womb during pregnancy. To blame gay people for being homosexual - or to refuse to accept them - is irrational and inhuman.

In Iran, being active in a gay relationship is usually something people are proud of, where as passive gays are looked down upon. Was this ever an issue in Britain?

This attitude is related to old-fashioned sexism and machismo. It is about sexual domination and is offensive. It implies that passive gay men are inferior. They are not. They just enjoy a different - equally valid - way of having sex. Most gay people today are sexually adaptable and flexible. They enjoy both penetrating and being penetrated. They are very lucky - even privileged to be able to enjoy both aspects of the sexual act. If your partner knows how to do it right, anal intercourse is an ecstatic pleasure for the person being penetrated. Some gay men can have an orgasm while receiving penetration. This is the reason so many gays like anal sex. It is immensely pleasurable for both the giver and receiver.

Some political activists in Iran tell LGBT Iranians that there are more important issues to worry about, like the compulsory hijab, or rights of political prisoners, and that LGBT issues in Iran are not a priority. What are your thoughts on this attitude?

Human rights are universal. Any infringement of human rights - for whatever reason - is wrong. It is possible to oppose the persecution of LGBT people and to also oppose political, ethnic and religious persecution. The two are not mutually exclusive. Embracing LGBT rights is a way to mobilise LGBT people to support the wider struggle for democracy and human rights for all. This strengthens the quest for freedom.

Most of the focus in Iran around LGBT people is on their sexual activities, and there's a lack of attention to the emotional side. How much do you think the focus on emotional life of LGBT people helped activists in the West?

Homosexuality is not just about sex. It is also about love and emotions. I have gay friends who have been together as a couple for 50 years. Their love is just as real and strong as the love of any married man and woman. The battle to legalise same-sex marriage in the UK has been very positive. It has helped make heterosexual people aware of the emotional / love side of same-sex relationships.

You have had a significant role in bringing about Britain's most significant LGBT achievements, including the latest marriage bill. What have been the biggest challenges you faced in LGBT activism in the UK?

In terms of the law, LGBT people in Britain now have almost equal legal rights. There are only a few minor areas of discrimination. But of the 5,000 professional footballers in Britain, none are openly gay. Very few top business people are out about their homosexuality. Half of all LGBT pupils in schools experience homophobic bullying. One-third of LGBT people have been victims of hate crimes. So we still have work to do to change public attitudes.

Why do gay people want to marry? Why is it so important for you to urge governments for gay marriage?

Banning same-sex couples from marrying is homophobic discrimination. In a democratic society, everyone should be equal before the law. This means giving gay couples the right to marry, if they wish to do so. Gay partners want to marry for the same reasons that straight couples want to marry: they love each other.

How has the world changed since when you were 21? What was the role of activism in this change?

LGBT activism - and heterosexual support - has won us near equality in the UK. It took us almost 50 years. That's quite fast, given that we had to overturn centuries of taken-for-granted homophobic attitudes and laws. Worldwide, there is huge progress too. United Nations leaders like Ban Ki Moon and Navi Pillay officially support LGBT human rights and speak out against homophobic and transphobic persecution.

How gay-friendly is the world now?

Over 80 countries still criminalise homosexuality in all circumstances, with penalties ranging from a few years in jail right up to life imprisonment and even execution.

Which nations/countries are the least gay-friendly, which are the most welcoming?

The most gay-friendly countries tend to western ones but also South Africa and some Latin American states like Argentina and Uruguay - both of which have legalised same-sex marriage. The least gay-friendly countries are in parts of African and the Middle East.

What about the Muslim world?

Homophobic persecution is very bad in many Muslim countries. Several have the death penalty for homosexuality. However, Muslim-majority countries like Lebanon and Morocco to varying degrees accept / tolerate LGBT people. They have semi-open LGBT organisations and events. Prosecutions are rare.

If a parent has just found that his or her son or daughter is LGBT, what is your advice to them?

Accept your child. They haven't changed. They are the same child as before - except that you now know one thing about them that you didn't know before. But otherwise, they are the same child as before. Your child did not wilfully choose to be gay. It is wrong to blame your son or daughter for an aspect of themselves over which they had no conscious control. Judge your child based on their character, not their sexuality. The same principles apply to any LGBT person who is struggling to accept their sexual orientation. Love yourself and who you are. There are hundreds of millions of LGBT people worldwide. They - and you - deserve equality, respect and love.