I'm getting quite cross about how the local community who 'identify' as LGB are supposedly reacting.
Why should they feel more vulnerable? Because some people believe that being gay/gay acts are a sin? This is hardly news folks. The ones there that should be really 'vulnerable' over this issue are, for example, lesbian and gay kids with muslim parents. Or gay muslims ostracized by their community, or somesuch. Not random adults who look as if they are being made to feel 'vulnerable' because someone disagrees with them and has the audacity to say so. In fact, if I were in Birmingham I'd feel obliged to support the parent protests (even though I fundamentally disagree with what they are saying). Because those who are actually effected by this don't have a voice, and those kids need to hear at school at least (if not everywhere else) that actually not everyone thinks being gay is a sin, or that some people they already know (like that nice girls parents) are actually gay. But they can't hear that because those who aren't directly effected by it are getting people's backs up, by acting as if it concerned muslim parents are going out queer-bashing after the demo. Unless the demo are suggesting exactly that, or that gay people deserve to be thrown off buildings (yes, we know about that!) saying, I think being gay is a sin and I don't want my kids to be exposed to that whilst so young that is a legitimate religious belief, and parenting choice, however much I may disagree with it.
Okay, some people think gay sex is unnatural and disgusting. I think straight sex is pretty damn weird, but as regards unnatural, well you really need to look at what slugs get up to! If you want to argue 'unnatural' with me, then bring it on, and we can discuss bonobos. I'd rather have a conversation and respectfully disagree. But linking a group of muslim parents protesting to gay-bashing, and claiming that what they are doing came 'very close' to a crime (and it sounding more like a thought-crime rather than actual violent or threatening protest tactics), is not helping anyone, least of all the lesbian and gay kids growing up in muslim households that ought to be part of our main concern here. Although I will agree that I would not extend the lesbian and gay kids to be kids this young BTW, before anyone misinterprets me, At this age, what more do we need than 'other kids have different parent(s) and different styles of family, you should be respectful, not wary of anyone who just happens to be a bit different to you. Although the very reaction to this protest is sending totally the opposite message, the muslim parents are not being respected, and they know it! Because they see their religion being dismissed as wrongthink.