Homophobia: Get A Grip

A self-confessed Telegraph journalist attends a rugby match and overhears another fan slagging off out referee, Nigel Owens, and using the word 'gay' as an insult.

Thus proving - and I shit you not - that 'Britain remains in the grip of homophobia'!

Bravely, and seemingly without a thought for his own safety, our valiant hack turns round and tells him off.

First they came for the gay rugby referees...

Those who use racist, homophobic or sexist language may try to brush off those who would hold them to account by crying “PC!”. But this has nothing to do with political correctness. It’s about exercising basic respect for each other and the identities none of us should feel ashamed about. At school my hair was even redder than it is now and I was teased relentlessly. I ended up peroxiding it at university and then, during my years as a BBC presenter, shaving it, influenced in part perhaps by the insults. But you can’t peroxide your sexuality [Eh?]

It may be easy if you haven’t been bullied or experienced life as a minority to fail in your empathy for those who have. But we should all aspire to live in a world where decent values aren’t just upheld by the law but by each and every one of us.

So brave.

The Telegraph is the last place you expect to read wanky 'bleedin' heart' liberal patronising guff like this.

Truly, the times they are a-changin'.

Though not necessarily for the best.