If you don’t like it get off your backside and do something

I recently attended a meeting of local gay business people. I say people but it was actually men, which made me rather sad as a balance of gay women would have been, in my view, rather desirable. I was a guest, not a member, so I kept a rather lower profile than usual until the end, when I was asked if there was anything I would like to say.

It was a fascinating meeting and one that enforced some of my own views on the state of the city at this time. High on everyone’s list was the issue of safety. It’s high on mine too, but I was shocked and dismayed to hear that nationally Brighton is not considered to be a safe gay resort. How awful is that? But to be truthful, having been attacked myself in the last year, just minutes from home, I was not surprised. Only last week a friend of a friend had his leg broken in an unprovoked attack.

The question was raised, how can we change this perception of our city, and in particular of what has come to be known as the gay village? The truth is, that to change that perception we have to change the fact – and make the city safe!

That’s not so easy. Right now there seems to be a rising element, hell bent on violent disruption of our beautiful home. The police of course have to address the problem, not only by good PR and the existence of Gay Liaison Officers, but more importantly by action. But the problem can not be laid solely at their door. There are things that could be done to make things better that we as a community could all help with.

I’ll start with lobbying. Yes, get off your backside and lobby your local MP and councillor, that’s what they’re there for. Raise the issue in writing or at surgeries and local meetings. You have a voice so use it.

Immediate issues must be street lighting or the lack of it and surveillance cameras. No street should be dingy after dark or gloomy after midnight.

Secondly, get involved. By that I don’t mean start some sort of vigilante group, far from it. The job of policing needs to be left to the police. Perhaps we could have volunteer street wardens, not there to police but to advise. Friendly voices to show you the way, help people who are in distress, lost or simply worried. Maybe they could even advise those who have had a few too many to get themselves home and safe? I know, I know, it all takes a lot of organisation and leadership, but we need it so much.

In terms of light, perhaps businesses could be persuaded to leave shop window lights on for longer to dispel the gloom? That brings me to my final thought. And why not create a safe route and advise people to use it?

It’s fabulous that gay business people gather in this way to look at ways of improving things. But I would hope that after years of fighting for equality we could be all inclusive in this of all cities. It will take more than just the gay businesses to make things work, it will take us all working together towards a better city.

“Reclaim our streets by caring for them – and the people that use them”

I remember as a kid my grandparents had a shop as well as a home. Each day my grandmother would wash the front step and the pavement in front of the house, as did all the neighbours. My grandfather did the same at the shop as did the other shop keepers. They took charge of the street in that way and as a consequence it always looked great. There is a very simple lesson to be learned from that. Reclaim our streets by caring for them – and the people that use them.