Disappointing to see that some forum members have such an ill-informed and backward looking attitude to homosexuality.

Some of the posts on here make absolutely clear the essential need for the role Sir Ian McKellen is undertaking.

Homosexuality is not learned, there is nothing "wrong" or "abnormal" about it, and it is not "perverted". The fact it doesn't agree with some peoples' own prejudiced view is a matter for them to deal with, and not a matter for others to have to / try to conform to such narrow views.

Such terms are easy to bandy around when one believes one knows what is right, normal and moral - except one has self-determined the remit of those terms in doing so.

There is a rather unpleasant element of such trenchant prejudice being exhibited currently in Tory backbenches and, as so often, the good old Church of England. I am sorely disappointed that either group are seen by some as having any moral authority on such matters.

I'm a bit old-fashioned. All this public 'tittle-tattle' talk about people's sexuality is sadly getting overplayed. Common sense tells me that if 2 consenting adults want to be in a serious 'relationship' of whatever 'flavour' then that's ok. But I do not favour the projects the like's of which Sir Ian has embarked upon.

"My point is the even more may be tempted to experiment because of the message being sent out these days. Children will emulate role models and as more and more story lines appear around homosexual characters and more "camp" presenters appear this is surely an unacceptable risk."

So what if some young people are "tempted to experiment" - what's wrong with that?

"as more and more story lines appear around homosexual characters and more "camp" presenters appear this is surely an unacceptable risk."**

An unacceptable risk of what?

I'm finding it more and more difficult to grasp the fact that in the 21st century there are still people around who are so prejudiced and ignorant that they actually believe there's something wrong with being gay, and that there's an 'unacceptable risk' attached to educating schoolchildren about the facts, rather than allowing them to develop the same appalling prejudices.