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House of Lords Kills Sex at 16 Again |
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By Rex Wockner
International News Report
For the second time in nine months Britain's unelected House of
Lords April 13 killed a measure to lower the age of consent for
gay sex from 18 to 16, in line with that for heterosexual sex.
The vote was 222 to 146. The 1998 vote had been 290 to 122. The House of Commons, Britain's elected house of Parliament, passed the newer measure in January by a vote of 313 to 130. Baroness Janet Young of Farnsworth led the charge against sex at 16. "This is a very important matter of social policy -- there is no human right to commit buggery," she said. "This bill is just one more nail in the coffin of family life. ... Good parents do not want their sons to be encouraged to take up homosexual relationships at such an early age."
"It is quite clear that the Lords are completely out of touch with modern Britain," commented Angela Mason, head of the main gay lobby group, Stonewall. "All those concerned with the welfare of young people supported this bill. We hoped that the Lords would listen not only to the experts but also to medical opinion, to the elected house and to two-thirds of public opinion -- all supporting this bill." |
