ch3.org.uk

Dear Sir

I write to take issue with Friday's Leader in the politics section
(http://politics.guardian.co.uk/libdems/comment/0,,1695901,00.html).

Mr Hughes is not "a gay politician". He, like myself, and many of my friends, is bisexual. You, together with many UK journalists, may consider it "convenient" to include the term "bisexual" under the umbrella term "gay", but I, and many in the LGBT community find this trivialisation of our sexual identity extremely insulting. I am bisexual; I am not "gay". I am not "recovering" from homosexuality or in denial about it; I am confident in this identity and would expect the media to recognise me as such.

As it happens, while I am a member of the Liberal Democrats I bear no great affection for Simon Hughes or his politics, but I feel that he, the party and the LGBT community deserve appropriate recognition. Mr Hughes did not lie when he stated that he was not gay; if the journalist interviewing him was too lax to ask the obvious follow-up question then it is not Mr Hughes' integrity that should be in doubt.

Of course, I am also appalled that a person's sexuality should be seen to have any relevance to his or her political capabilities, but that is a larger and separate issue.

Richard George,
London

Nipping out for cheap sushi tonight before my voucher runs out.

ETA: (only two hour's delay on that post, then...)

I've just started reading Gödel, Escher, Bach. It may be some time before I reappear...