What is in Kelvin's Head?

St Andrews Debates

21/02/2013

Great night last night in Lower Parliament Hall in St Andrews. I’d been invited to join a panel debate (a bit like Question Time) on LGBT issues at the invitation of the Debating Society and the LGBT Society of St Andrews University.

I like going back to St Andrews, which was where I read theology from 1989 – 1992. I don’t get there terribly often.

There are people who go to university there who never leave. They hang around and can’t get it out of their system. I was never like that but it is still lovely to return. There is still an emotional thrill to be had peeking into St Mary’s Quad and thinking, “I was here, I was here”

So many things about St Andrews never change. However some things do. It was obvious last night that things have changed for gay students. In my time, the LGBT group met behind closed doors in a small room in the Chaplaincy on a Sunday evening. I never went. I would have been frightened to go but do remember walking past the steamed up windows and wondering what was going on inside. (They were probably boiling kettles to make tea, but the steamed up windows did make you wonder).

Now, the LGBT Society is a sub committee of the Union, like the Debating Society. That means that by definition, every student in the University is a member and they are responsible for providing a range of services. They say there are a couple of hundred active members and last night, LGBT and Debates were holding their first joint event. It is almost inconceivable to me that the Debating Soc, which was so macho, testosterone fueled and deeply conservative in my day should be doing this now.

It is quite moving to go back to your alma mater. Last night wasn’t just nostalgia for me though. I could see the real, material changes that have come to students like me. Things have changed, gloriously changed in the last 20 years. I’m proud to have been part of that and proud to have joined a great bunch of students last night for debate and socialising afterwards. (Though I gave up and headed to bed before they did).

7 responses to “Military Reunion Videos”

Susan Sheppard Hedges

25/04/2012

Yes, the first one is a little too well produced.

Such sweet doggies in the second!!!

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agatha

25/04/2012

I’m imagining the cat version: disdainful look; “have you been away? my food bowl’s empty” miaow; walks off.

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Ruth

26/04/2012

Having enjoyed the doggie reunions video very much, Opal the Cat wishes to say that he hasn’t looked at his food dish once since I got back here tonight, nose rubbing, tummy tickling, head butting and general joyous ‘glad to see you’ stuff for a couple of hours, then an interesting video, followed by a companionable sleep on the table – on my hand ….

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Zebadee

26/04/2012

I know someone who ,when he was young, used to get a similar reception from a boxer dog called Tess

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Brother David

29/04/2012

Yes, the first one is neatly packaged, but it appears to be a commercial, not home videos.

Sorry, but it doesn’t take returning from a tour of duty for dogs to act this way, just go to the grocery store for 30 minutes and dogs will behave the same over-the-top way!

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Craig Nelson

30/04/2012

Some of the dogs are bigger than the humans

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Brother David

03/05/2012

In case no one saw it, here’s video number one in real life;
http://lgbtweekly.com/2012/04/26/gay-marine-says-i-do-on-base-a-first/

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