Lunchtime On 4 with David Harvey

Homosexuals, gays, fags or fairies - We talk to Senator David Norris about the language we use to describe sexual orientation, the fine line between slang and offence and we ask - what makes a word acceptable in one community, but taboo in another?

Clich here for intervew. (scroll down to bottom ‘Listen again, click Monday at about 16 mins in on interview)

Some of Norris’s statements:

On fairy reference: ‘It all depends on who says it’ … ‘I don’t think it’s likely to be affectionate’

‘He has single-mindedly opposed every social or civil rights advancement for gay and lesbian people…’

”another put down to gay people…Unchristian behaviour, as he is always banging on about being Christian’

‘He has come out against gay people’s right to adopt their own children, when he says he wants to protect the rights of children’

‘Upholds the rights of the Church to discriminate against gay people…opposed posters about anti-bullying being put in schools’

‘trying to be patronising…putting people like me into second-class citizenship’