With the country miles up Shit Creek without a paddle, I was in desperate need of some good news. And today we had some. Allow me to quote a tweet from the leader of the hardline DUP Arlene Foster after she heard about the arrival of Ruth Davidson’s baby: “New life is wonderful. We can all remember our first cuddle. Many congratulations.” That’s the leader of the DUP congratulating the gay Protestant leader of the Scottish Tory Party on the birth of her son with her Irish Catholic partner.
I have to acknowledge that the DUP is not exactly the most progressive and forward thinking political party. They are largely illiberal, pro Brexit, anti-abortion, anti-equal (gay) marriage, climate change deniers, yet for some reason Ruth Davidson’s happy event seems to have melted their hearts.
I struggle to see why anyone would have a problem with a gay woman having a baby. We all know the technical difficulties of a gay woman having a baby and we know how Ms Davidson and her partner got round it. Speaking personally, I am very happy for her, but in passing on my best wishes, I know that really it’s none of my business to have a view.
It is certainly not appropriate for folk to complain in any way about Davidson’s baby because there are good old fashioned libertarian reasons. I always say, for example, that if you don’t agree with gay marriage, then don’t marry a gay person. If you don’t agree with gay sex, then don’t have sex with a gay person. If you don’t agree with abortion, then don’t have an abortion. By all means have an opinion because whether we agree with these things or not, no one should be denied their own view. However, just because people don’t agree with these things does not mean they have any business in trying to deny rights and freedoms to others.
Rather than have a pop at Foster and her DUP friends, why not keep your fingers crossed that they might be having a change of heart? There would be nothing consistent, would there, in warmly congratulating Ms Davidson and the next day attacking another gay person for having a baby?
In these ugly, fearful times, isn’t it enough to celebrate diversity, allowing people to be who and what they are?
