Sue Carroll: 1953-2011

Sue Carroll: A Born Fighter Who Stood Up For The Underdog

SUE CARROLL always said she had “the hide of a rhino and the claws of a tiger”.
But there was so much more than that to the Daily Mirror columnist who died on Christmas Day, aged only 58...
Sue’s columns tackled a wide range of issues – racism, the NHS, gay rights, royalty, bonkers bureaucracy, bankers, betrayal and celebrity excess. And, when it was needed, she didn’t hold back in puncturing over-inflated egos...

Daily Mirror.

I'll have to take the Mirror's word for it that Sue Carroll championed the gay underdog - I can't recall her doing this, and the Mirror's (admittedly ropey) search engine brings up no gay stories by her.
Nor is she one of the 30something people who have been nominated for Stonewall's Journalist Of The Year since its inception.
So I typed "Sue Carroll Mirror gay" into Google and four stories came up in the first ten pages.

Police Forces Gay-Friendly Recruitment Campaign
"What do they plan to do... trawl Hampstead Heath?"

Gay Law Grossly Unfairy [Sic]
"I'm baffled to learn the Home Office, in a review of sexual offences, proposes to repeal the term 'gross indecency' - making it alright for gay men to cottage and cruise - in other pick up and have sex with men in public lavatories and parks."
[A daft new offence was created of "having sex in a public lavatory" - possibly thanks to Sue, who can say?]

Howay Gays
"NEWCASTLE'S Labour Council has decided to create a special gay quarter in the city because the 'Pink Pound' - the spending power of homosexuals - is all going to Manchester. This can only cause havoc with traditional Geordie culture.
"Can we now expect Lindisfarne's greatest hit to become The Fag On The Tyne and will the Toon Army applaud Alan Queerer while chanting Gaydon Races?
"And what of our famous contributions to television: Bender, I Like Me Lads and Dyker Grove don't have quite the same ring.
"As for our celebrated dish - stotty cake - it doesn't bear thinking about."

Barrymore's Crocodile Tears Make Me Sick - on his coming out in 2001.

Oh dear.