Parties & People

IN PRAISE OF PETER

January 18, 2012

Sir Ian McKellen
actor

Peter Tatchell thinks with clarity and acts with bravery. He assuages our consciences: the least we can do is support him in whatever way we can. The world needs his passion and needs more like him. Perhaps at 60, he could start to train others to continue his work.

Julian Clary
comedian

Peter Tatchell is brave and bold and selfless. While the rest of us tut and mutter about the injustices and bigotry we hear about, he marches to the front line and flings himself into the line of fire. We owe him more than we realise.

David Hoyle –
avant-garde cabaret artist

I adore Peter. His dedication and single-mindedness I find so attractive. It’s wonderful that he makes us so aware of the struggles around the world. He has written an article about how in 50 years sexuality will no longer be an issue, however, he reminds us that today we still have to put our heads above the parapet to identify our ourselves in order to achieve that goal of equality.

I wonder if his work makes us lazy because we think, “Oh, we don’t need to worry about taking action because Peter’s doing it for us.” Yet when some complain that there is “no gay community” is it not simply because they are not involving themselves? It is not enough to just assume our struggle is being fought for us buy one man. We should follow his example and speak up for ourselves.

It is amazing that Peter has dedicated his life to this cause. If you’re going to fight for something in your life, why not fight for freedom?

Marcelle d’Argy Smith
former Editor of Cosmo

He doesn’t eat enough and has cycled everywhere for years. Peter is charming, calm and well-mannered. You can’t believe he once stopped the Easter Service at Canterbury Cathedral, tried to arrest Robert Mugabee, and is prepared to get bloodied in foreign streets. He has astonishing courage. His mission in life is to point out social injustice and get us to do something about it. He sends almost daily news reports to thousands of followers, works seven days a week and cares not a jot for money or possessions. Peter is piercingly intelligent and articulate. He’s the loner, the outsider. But after all his years of passionate public crusading for Human Rights and a fairer world, it seems that most of Middle England, even hardened journalists and politicians – regards him as hero. To me he’s Pete –the sweetest friend I admire more than anybody I know.

Gill Butler
solicitor

I have had the privilege of working with Peter for the last 10 years as a Trustee of the Peter Tatchell Foundation (formally Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund). Peter has huge courage, both personal and political. His international perspective is unrivalled and his human rights work always stresses the links between various forms of oppression. Peter has personally helped hundreds and hundreds of people at risk of persecution.

He puts in 16 hours day and is a bit like the Duracell bunny that seems to go on and on and on. The Peter Tatchell Foundation exists to promote and support Peter’s work. The best birthday present you can give Peter is a donation to the Foundation! Happy birthday, Peter.

Father Bernard J. Lynch

In Peter’s eyes the difference of social position, of intellect, of culture, which different people exhibit, and on which they so fantastically pin their pride, is so small as practically to vanish. For him, as I see him, all that remains is the common fact that here we are, each of us pent into peculiar difficulties, with which we must struggle by using whatever fortitude and goodness we can summon up.

He is more deeply aware than most of the depths of worth that lay hidden in each person’s life. His exercise of courage in his thirst for justice for all people is transparently credible. If Jesus Christ were alive today, he would be like Peter Tatchell.

Cliff Joannou
QX Editor

I don’t know of many people alive today who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of the world, at the sacrifice of their own needs and desires. Peter is a truly humble and admirable figure in as much as through his eyes, the luxuries that many people take for granted and build their life around are obsolete in comparison to the injustices of the world. He is a truly remarkable man.

Michael Cashman
MEP

Peter is a whirlwind of energy pursuing change with dignified impatience, and total resistance to the power of human rights abusers. He recognises no barriers in the pursuit of human rights, and is a shining example in giving a voice to those who cannot or will not be heard. We have occasionally disagreed, but we have always been united in our commitment to the absolute universality of human rights. I look forward to his next 60 years!