Summary: <p>A long question sent in by listener Lyn, from Stanton St John, Oxfordshire, England, which Stuart and William examine by exploring if we should actively meet more people that are different to us, should move past labels and just let people live their lives, societal progress and the tendrils of colonialism. Set in the current context and backdrop of the cost of living crisis in the UK, and the perspective that offers.</p> <p>Here’s Lyn’s question: “The 2022 Commonwealth Games, the first with more medals available to women than men. The first with disability sports integrated into the main programme, not having their separate games afterwards. LGBTQ+ competitors could hold the rainbow flag for the first time. The games were billed as the most sustainable ever (though most of the mitigation measures will take decades to off-set - like the mass planting of trees they undertook - will they be looked after and survive?). All good things right, and help to also mitigate the roots of the championships being British colonialism? Or does it? Two thirds of competing nations/territories have laws that make same sex relationships illegal, will the games change that? Nigeria, Pakistan and Brunei still have the death penalty for being gay. Pakistan has a punishment of the death by stoning for being gay, but haven’t used it. By having it does it breed a culture of seeing gay people as mutants. Nigeria recently executed 3 people for being gay. I fear preventing these countries from competing/hosting, isn’t likely to make that bigger impact. These prejudices are ingrained in families/friends/governments and sporting federations. It’s all largely driven by history and British colonialism. This hatred is rooted in laws imposed across the British empire and still exists in some countries. Homophobia has some roots in 300 years of the slave trade. Slave owners encouraged heterosexual sex amongst slaves, as it produced children, a free supply of slaves into the system. There are records of male slaves discovered to be gay, being publically raped by slave owners, to discourage homosexuality. It begs the question that the slave owners might have been gay themselves? There's always hope though, change will happen quicker if driven by love and not taking things away from cultures, like the right to host sporting events. This all makes me sad for humanity. Rainbow flags at these games aren’t enough on their own and could maybe even be seen as rainbow washing? It's a start though, and we need to start somewhere. Flying the flag is important as a sign of hope and change, but we need to progress so we don’t need flags or for people to admit they are gay, we need to allow people to just live their lives. Why punish a gay person just for existing? Finally I saw that the games cost over 800 million pounds to put on, is this a worthwhile expenditure when working people are struggling to survive soaring cost of living figures in the UK?”</p> <p>During this episode Stuart and William discuss the upcoming Environmental Debate Live & Unscripted event, this podcasts format expanded and made more experiential, then set in front of a live audience, and arranged to take place next on May 27th at the former Bothy Vineyard in Oxfordshire 3.30pm to 9pm. To secure your tickets for this event, use the following link: <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807">https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/environmental-debate-live-unscripted-tickets-514832145807</a></p> <p>This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. </p> <p>Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: <a href="https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside">https://linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside</a></p> <p>Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends <a href="https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view">https://podfollow.com/the-peoples-countryside-environmental-debate-podcast/view</a> , support our work through Patreon <a href="https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside">https://www.patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside</a> or just 'follow' to avoid missing any public posts.</p> --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thepeoplescountryside/message
