An e-mail I sent to Channel 4:
Dear Channel 4,
I watched “The Truth about
Gay
Animals” and frankly I was appalled. I’m a gay man in my late twenties
and I
was actually looking forward to the program, but it turned out to be
the
worst kind of rubbish I’d ever seen. It completely disgusted me. The
fact is
that there’s a really important issue there. It’s all to do with
whether or
not homosexuality is perceived as something that happens in nature or
whether it’s a purely human thing – a thing of choice, of ‘morality’
rather
than something that happens cross-species.
It may be a facetious thing to have to argue, but a lot of people
around the
world still believe that homosexuality is an unnatural practice
perpetrated
by the godless and the evil. Whether or not there is any evidence for
different sexualities in other species cuts over issues of sexuality,
issues
of morality, issues of genetics, issues of society, prejudices of
science.
Etc. Etc. Etc.
Scott Capuro in my eyes looked all the way through it like he was bored
and
frustrated out of his mind and spent a good proportion of his time
being
cruel to people from previous generations who were taught that gay
people
were disgusting and evil. The people he was being cruel to – although I
think personally that they should probably know better – were
nonetheless
clearly trying to be as nice as they could, even though they clearly
felt
uncomfortable.
I was actually EXCITED by the prospect of this program, that it was on
at
all! I thought it would be an interesting insight into scientific
prejudice,
origins of sexuality and the like AND have a few laughs in it. All in
all
the best kind of documentary. But in the end, I turned off about 2/3rds
of
the way through in disgust. There was NOTHING to redeem it in the parts
I
saw. And I was essentially offended by it. I have even written to
Channel 4
to complain! I mean – I love Channel Four!
But this made Channel 5 look enlightened.