How castles have changed!

I love my river walks to work. Each building tells a fascinating story, some tell multiple stories over centuries. Today the castle caught my attention with a pretty bold statement, one that may not have been possible when it was constructed… The same decade the Normans invaded Dublin and the earliest record of the making of Cheddar Cheese.

Thanks Wikipedia.

The castle is currently flying a rainbow flag. This no doubt is in support of the Northern Pride, the largest LGBT festival in the North East of England.

I kept walking but my mind was trying to go back to the 1170’s, the time of construction. If there was a flag to represent the acceptance or pride in the LGBT community, how long before it would be taken down? In the early 1100’s, the Council of London reformed the clergy and prohibited homosexuality.

Thanks Wikipedia.

Newcastle may have been a completely different world to London back then, however with the rainbow flag causing such offence in many 21st Century cultures, I cannot see the two cities having differing tolerances.  The castle wasn’t built to defend against homosexuality, but it still fascinates me to look up and see the flag flying. Times change and with that, opinions, awareness and tolerance. Like an abandoned concentration camp being used as a hospital, a previous place of war promoting peace and healing. That kind of transformation can only be a good thing.

I never understood forcing gay people into heterosexual relationships. As I have said before, the last thing I want as a heterosexual male is the little chance I have lowered by increased and unnecessary competition.

Who is great at talking to women? Gay guys. Who is terrible at it?

This guy.