British activist Peter Tatchell makes list of greatest living heroes by readers of The New Statesman.
This is America in 2006: “The Happy Harbor Inn, a popular dockside restaurant in the southern Maryland town of Deale, displayed the sign next to its main entrance as saying, “ATTENTION BIKERS: NO COLOREDS, FAGS, CLUB ATTIRE, (no) EXCEPTIONS,” according to two people who visited the restaurant on May 3.” Since then, the sign has been modified, but not much.
Scott Oak, Missoula, Montana's openly gay police officer whom I posted about last November, is receiving national attention and is becoming the “poster boy for rural communities looking to reach out to the gay community” according to The Missoulian. Police Chief: “It's certainly a different kind of publicity than our department is used to getting. But I honestly don't see it as a bold step for the department. We are here to ensure that police are available to everyone, that's our job, and that's what Scott is doing. On the other hand, Scott obviously extended himself by volunteering for this position, and I think that puts him in a somewhat vulnerable position. It's incredibly brave.”