From September 2013 gay bars throughout the UK are to be allowed to conduct ordinations in line with equal opportunities and to address the Government’s call for recognising diversity. Licenses will be available to any club, bar or sauna that wishes to offer the service, however those who wish to decline on personal or moral grounds will not be penalised.
Speaking from St Paul’s Cathedral yesterday, the newly-elected Archbishop of Canterbury used his first public comments to welcome the move. “I fully support the gay community’s enlightened position on this and welcome the opportunity for individuals to be consecrated in their local gay bar if they choose to do so. The Church will be right behind them.”
However there has been opposition from some members of the gay community who have sent letters of vitriolic abuse to MPs for failing to speak out against the proposals. Some have even received poison pen letters and sickening invitations to Shirley Bassey’s next concert tour.
“Drag night is strictly on Saturdays”, said one disgruntled leather bar owner from Hull. “We don’t want men in frocks parading around the place on any old day of the week; it puts some of the other punters off. And we don’t want any of that incense floating about the place either; we’ve got our own range of room fragrances from Liquid Gold through to Red Bolt thank you very much.”
But, despite this opposition, the move has gained the support from a majority of venues.
“We must not discriminate against those who wish to be ordained in a gay bar”, said Maxim Steadman, owner of The Priest Hole in Bangor on Dee. “This is the 21st Century and we must not persecute people for their religious beliefs. Besides, the rites and ceremonies of the ordination process like kneeling before your leader and the laying on of hands fit in so well with our own ethos.”
