Gibraltar's gay sex debate continues.

Activists in the British territory have taken the government - and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown - to Europe highest human rights committee.

[Activist] Felix Alvarez said today that the question which has been tabled directs itself to the United Kingdom’s responsibility regarding the Gibraltar Government’s failure to respect human rights standards not only in regard of unequal age of consent but across criminal offences such as ‘buggery’ and ‘gross indecency’ which exclusively criminalise gay men.

“The question has been tabled by Lib-Dem MP Mike Hancock, and places British Prime Minister Gordon Brown under additional pressure to ensure the Gibraltar government complies with international law requirements,” Mr. Alvarez said. “It is now seven and a half years since the European Court ruled that age of consent inequality is in violation of the Convention. Compliance is normally required within a maximum 3 to 4 years.”

Gay folk can't have consensual sex until they're eighteen, while the straights can legally stick it at sixteen.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's preparing to lay the smackdown on Gibraltar's unequal age of consent laws.

In a meeting with European Parliamentarian and former actor Michael Cashman, Brown reportedly agreed that Gibraltar, an overseas British territory, should lower the queer sex consent from eighteen to sixteen. Straight couples can fuck at sixteen.

Gordon Brown immediately agreed wholeheartedly with my point of view on the matter.

The Prime Minister has agreed to take this matter up to ensure that steps are taken to end this discriminatory practice, the existence of which, is incompatible with our obligations as an EU member and as a party under the European Convention of Human Rights.

Cashman went on to say the Gibraltar government shouldn't be surprised - they've had plenty of time to "rectify" the situation.

(Cough.)

Gibraltar's under the gay gun again. Activist Peter Tatchell took aim at the overseas territory last week when he blasted their allegedly anti-gay discrimination.

Now, European Parliamentarian Michael Cashman's hoping to strike down Gibraltar's uneven age of consent laws - and plans on bringing in the big names, like England's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown:

I will be raising the issue personally with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is a passionate supporter of equality. We have given the Gibraltarian government long enough - now is the time to change the laws.

Those laws grant 16-year heteros the right to fool around, while homos have to wait until they're 18.

CONTINUED »

Peter Tatchell took a trip to British overseas territory Gibraltar - and he didn't like what he saw.

Speaking during a press conference yesterday, the ever-outspoken activist blasted the government's anti-gay actions:

Many people I have met recalled instances of discrimination, harassment and other abuses. However, they all expressed their unwillingness to report officially or publicly discuss the human rights violations they had suffered, out of fear of retribution from state officials.
…
The people of Gibraltar are wonderful, but the government appears to be drifting towards autocracy… It is failing to respect the human rights of its own citizens, especially gay people, the disabled and immigrants.

It's shocking to hear that Gibraltar, that famous rock over which the Spanish and the Brits have warred, would have backward policy. Spain and Britain are both very gay friendly nations. Perhaps Gibraltar's government's using repression to assert its self-determination: never a good move in the political arena. And tacky, too.