Gay Pride Events in the South West

So the other Saturday there was a 'Gay Pride' event in Truro. Not long before that Torquay hosted something similar. Now I'm not on the inside track when it comes to 'Gay Pride Festivals' and don't really understand how they came about. I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong) that they have been organised to enable gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people to meet up and celebrate their sexual orientation and to also welcome 'straight' men and women into their community.

As a heterosexual I have to say that I have no problem at all with gays or lesbians. I just treat people as I find them and the fact that their sexual preferences are different to mine doesn't cross my mind if I'm in conversation with such a person for instance. Yes I feel uncomfortable with the thought of two grown men kissing each other but where I live I don't see such manifestations of affection. Without doubt the increasingly open acceptance of homosexuality in society is one of the greatest changes to have occurred in my lifetime; there just aren't so many folk who will take their cue from some obscure verses in the Bible and consider that anyone who is gay will be cast into outer darkness when the Day of Judgement comes. I'm pleased in a funny way that some of our leading politicians are gay in that this minority of the electorate does need some representation.

What I find a little odd to say the least is this determination by gay people to highlight the fact they are different to heterosexuals. I would have thought they would have taken the opposite sort of approach. But as I hinted before I don't really comprehend the mindset on this. One particular facet of the Torquay event worth mentioning is that it seems to have been organised to attract people from all over the country so would have generated some much needed and useful income for businesses in 'The Bay'. A real plus there then.

New way to go to Brixham from Torquay

A new way to go to Brixham from Torquay? Well not quite yet. But bus company 'Stagecoach' have come up with an intriguing idea to speed folk between Torquay and Brixham. The proposal is to instigate a regular passenger ferry service running 365 days a year between the two towns. The firm would use catamarans or trimarans with a capacity for 144 people. It would be a direct service so wouldn't stop at Paignton. Of course there could be the rare occasion when a bad easterly gale would prohibit it from running but these times should be very infrequent in the summer at least when traffic jams in Torbay are at their worst.

An interesting point has been raised regarding the free bus fares available to senior citizens and registered disabled. Would they be able to use this facility on the ferry? Logic says they should but things don't always work by logic it has to be said.

I've long thought that fast passenger ferries over relatively modest distances have not been used enough in this country. So this plan is something I will follow with a great deal of interest.