Homophobia Still Rife In Public Life

July 21, 2010

Lord Browne of Madingley, the former BP chief executive has revealed that gays and lesbians feel pressure to stay in the closet if they want to succeed in business and other walks of life.

David Laws

Lord Browne, himself the victim of a media smear campaign that revealed his sexuality, has in the wake of the resignation of David Laws, the former Chief Secretary to the Treasury, highlighted the pressure gay men and women feel to hide their sexuality.

Mr Laws, who recently resigned over expenses claimed for his male partner, according to Lord Browne, ‘suggests that public figures continue to feel they have no choice but to cover up their sexuality.’

He added: "Let's be clear: if he (David) was indeed concealing the fact that he was claiming money for a partner, then he was doing something wrong.

"But it is a great shame that a public figure, a generation younger than me, still feels the need to hide his sexuality."

Lord Browne further said he found business in general ‘more intolerant of open homosexuality’ and that the fact that there wasn’t a single openly out sports star ‘extraordinary.’
 

Image source: David Spender