Gay Today: World

British Police College Hides
its Gay Times Magazine

By Rex Wockner
International News Report

Britain's national gay newsmagazine, Gay Times, is being kept inside a folder rather than openly on display with other magazines at the National Police Training Centre's Multicultural Community Information Centre near Coventry, England.

A spokesman for the National Police Training organization said the decision was made because "National Police Training does not wish to create the potential for offense."

"NPT believes this is a measured, pragmatic approach to what is a sensitive issue," the spokesman said.

The college's president called Gay Times, which is similar to The Advocate"salacious and suggestive."

Gay activists and the magazine's publisher denounced the policy.

"If the police were treating ethnic minority publications in this way, there would be an absolute outcry," said activist Peter Tatchell.

Gay Times </b></i>media critic Terry Anderson asked the "How on earth will the recruits be able to go on the frontline and deal with the gay community when in their training the attitude is that there is something salacious, something undesirable and something that has to be hidden about homosexuality?"

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On January 23, about 20 members of the National Union of Students Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Campaign picketed the training center.

"If they are taking steps to keep magazines like Gay Times out of sight, then how are we supposed to have any confidence in them and believe that they will help us with our problems when the time comes?" protester Adrian Bradley asked www.iccoventry.co.uk.