After last nights council meeting I was called to a meeting with two other councillors present.
Concerns were raised about my Birthday Celebrations.
I visited two bars in Leicester both owned by a man who's family reside in Rutland.
During the evening photographs were taken and placed on my blog.
For placing these photographs on my blog, I am accused of hypocrisy and bringing the public position of a councillor into disrepute.
When I took on the role of Councillor I did not know, I would not be able to celebrate my birthday with friends.
Neither did I know it was unacceptable to photograph a drag artist at the Dover Castle Leicester.
The drag artist was described by bigots who had complained as Transgender.
I explained there was a difference and those bigots who complained should know better. For those who do not know the difference here is a brief explanation.
A drag queen is a person, usually a man, who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining or performing. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in movies to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and can vary even within the same city. Although many drag queens are presumed to be gay men or transgender people, there are drag artists of all genders and sexualities who do drag for various reasons.
Transgender is the state of one's "gender identity" (self-identification as woman, man, neither or both) not matching one's "assigned sex" (identification by others as male, female or intersex based on physical/genetic sex). "Transgender" does not imply any specific form of sexual orientation; transgender people may identify as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, or asexual; some may consider conventional sexual orientation labels inadequate or inapplicable to them. The precise definition for transgender remains in flux, but includes:
I was photographed sharing a £19.00 bottle of Champagne with friends at the Rainbow Dove, Leicester.
The people who complained said it was a disgusting way to behave, because of my past complaints relating to a councillors conduct whilst drunk.
My behaviour on Saturday 3rd April was not unacceptable, I was asked to consider how I conduct myself in the future, I consider this request homophobic.
As a gay a man and a Councillor, I can not find any rule that states I can not celebrate my birthday in any respectable venue of my choice.
For these reason I have decided to make a complaint to standards committee against the two councillors who attended last nights meeting.
