THREAD

It's been interesting watching Alba supporters freak out about the idea of not criminalising adolescent sexuality, the automatic assumption that this means LGBT+ groups are promoting lowering the age of consent, which is untrue. But here's a wee personal story about AOC.

When I was a teen my first boyfriend & I were both under the age of consent, which was 18 at the time.

We met at a youth group, not unlike the ones offered by LGBT+ Youth Scotland, this one in Glasgow at the Gay and Lesbian Center. He was about to turn 16, and I just turned 17.

We had a very teenager courtship, holding hands for the first time in the cinema watching Beautiful Thing.

He even came on holiday with me & my family, my younger bother and his friend claiming the only twin room and leaving us with the double bed, which we feigned upset about.

Things changed when we stayed at his home, he lived with his dad and the morning after I stayed over his dad barged into the bathroom and found us together, beating us up and throwing us out of the flat. My boyfriend grabbed a rucksack, his bike, and we left, bruised and scared.

We slept rough on the streets of Glasgow for a few nights, it was cold, difficult dragging his bike around, so we stopped in train stations to stay out of the rain. We didn't know what to do, we were both underage which meant we were afraid of the police & being caught together.

Eventually, we called a mutual friend from youth group, who took us in and gave us tea. Not long after arriving the police came to the door, which was instantly terrifying. We could have been charged and placed on the sex offenders register for life, I could have gone to prison.

Instead, they were just worried for my boyfriend's safety, as a child sleeping rough. They got a call from his mum and wanted to make sure he was ok. He went with them, and I made my way back to Falkirk, where my mum was waiting, fearful as the police had called looking for us.

I explained the parts the police hadn't, that his dad beat us and threw us out, I didn't say why, I was still pretending we were "just good friends" and my mum, who clearly knew, asked no more questions. My boyfriend ended up in care until he turned 16 as he couldn't return home.

I share this so people have a chance to learn and understand what it's like being LGBT+ and having your adolescent relationships criminalised and discriminated against by unequal laws, by a society that rejects who we are. That sees LGBT+ love and intimacy as wrong and criminal.

Those from Alba Party so triggered & incensed by discussions of adolescent relationships have no idea of the lived reality of LGBT+ young people across the world, unfairly treated by unequal laws. No young person should be criminalised for consensual experiences with their peers.

The outcry comes from people who have never had their sexuality criminalised unfairly or disproportionately. It stems from ignorance and willful misunderstanding. It stems from fear and mistrust of LGBT+ groups and individuals, that we are a threat and danger to young people.

This is the same old homophobia I faced in the 90s repackaged, with barely a lick of paint to disguise its rotten foundations.

It started with toleration for transphobia & now extends to fear & bigotry directed at the whole LGBT+ community.

It has no place in a modern Scotland.

The Alba Party has been founded on a bedrock of intolerance. If it wants to be taken seriously it would do well to address & rout out the very clear obvious anti-LGBT+ rhetoric being spouted by candidates & supporters.

They likely won't & I hope the voting public takes note.

One final thing.

24% of young homeless people identify as LGBT+. Many thousands of homeless young people sleep rough in the UK each year.

If you can, please do donate to @aktcharity who do essential work supporting LGBT+ homeless young people. https://www.akt.org.uk/donate/donate/6