CHARLIE CONDOU CONFIDENTIAL: CHARLIE CONDOU

T-QUESTION

Charliecondou: Does anyone know where Keith Urban gets his tshirts from on #americanidol ?
RGE_McC

RGE_McC: @Charliecondou Here ya go! http://amesbrosshop.com/

Charliecondou: @RGE_McC thank you!!
Simon Kaston

simonfromgosh: @Charliecondou nicole buys then for him

Charliecondou: @simonfromgosh I forgot to email you back!! Not around this coming week but should be the week after x

QUESTION TIME
COMING SOON TO BRIGHTON

studentpride: #ff our @AttitudeMag question time panel @MrMatthewTodd @ParisLees @elly_barnes @Charliecondou @jameswharton @MatthewCainC4 @LizBinghamEY

jameswharton: @MatthewCainC4 totes being sisters in Brighton!

Charliecondou: @jameswharton @MatthewCainC4 all sisters together!

jameswharton: @Charliecondou @matthewcainc4 #SisterlySisters... Is Cam joining you? X

Charliecondou: @jameswharton @matthewcainc4 at the moment but we're having childcare issues so I may come alone just for the panel. Unless we all come

MatthewCainC4: @Charliecondou @jameswharton Oh please all come - for maximum sisterlyness xx #SisterlySisters

jameswharton: @Charliecondou @matthewcainc4 you must stay for the club night!

MatthewCainC4: @jameswharton @charliecondou I'll come dancing with you sister xx

jameswharton: @MatthewCainC4 @charliecondou there's a chance Thom night have to go home and leave me! :(

CoopRespectLGBT: @Charliecondou @jameswharton @matthewcainc4 We'll be seeing you boys down @studentpride too We'll save you some Co-op chocolate :-)

jameswharton: @CoopRespectLGBT @charliecondou @matthewcainc4 @studentpride
WHOOP!! That'll be fab! X

MatthewCainC4: @CoopRespectLGBT @charliecondou @jameswharton @studentpride Oh yes please! Dark for me! So sisterly x

CoopRespectLGBT: @MatthewCainC4 @charliecondou @jameswharton @studentpride Very demanding. We'll make sure we bring dark too. Truly Irresistible of course x

UKPositiveLad: Have been invited to @studentpride along with my lovely friends @MrMatthewTodd @elly_barnes and @Charliecondou - be fab to see them all.

MrMatthewTodd: @UKPositiveLad @studentpride @elly_barnes @charliecondou hooray!!

UKPositiveLad: @MrMatthewTodd @studentpride @elly_barnes @Charliecondou I best pick out a new blouse for the drinks!

studentpride: RT @UKPositiveLad: Have been invited to @studentpride along with my lovely friends @MrMatthewTodd @elly_barnes and @Charliecondou - be fab to see them all.

REPLY TO MP'S HATE SPEECH

Charliecondou: David Jones' comments on gay parents are hate speech, by @charliecondou http://gu.com/p/3dpvn/tw via @guardian

streetworker01: @Charliecondou @guardian Well said, Charlie. What a sorry example of public office he sets. x

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David Jones' comments on gay parents are hate speech

I was shocked to hear a minister say that families like mine aren't 'safe' environments for children. Cameron must act now.

Charlie Condou

guardian.co.uk, Friday 15 February 2013

Today was a pretty average day in the life of my family: I was at home, playing with my son. My daughter was upstairs, having a nap, giving me some peace. My partner, Cameron, was out and about. Between bouts of trying to stop my son eating his toy I glanced at Twitter to see reports of cabinet minister David Jones claiming families like mine "clearly" could not provide a "warm and safe environment" to raise children.

Hang on a second. We have our ups and downs. We have tantrums and tears as well as a lot of fun and some amazing moments. But not "warm and safe"? I was astounded.

What David Jones has said makes me sad and angry. It's particularly upsetting so soon after the vote on equal marriage, which I judged to be a turning point for a Conservative party many gay people still regard as "nasty". He's attempted some damage limitation – saying that he isn't "in any sense opposed to stable and committed same-sex partnerships". But sometimes it feels like acceptance of equal rights takes a step forward only to then take two steps back.

I would like to know just what David Jones is basing his remarks on. There has been so much evidence that same sex couples are able to provide a warm and caring environment for children – I've seen it with my own eyes, and adoption agencies, whose first responsibility is to the child, agree. And if there is an extra burden on non-traditional families like mine, it's exactly comments like this that make it harder. Overt, sweary homophobia is one thing, but a disparaging of our ability to behave like normal, loving people is just as bad. We should be giving non-traditional families extra support, not demonising them.

It's outrageous that there's someone at a senior level of government who can say such things. To my mind it's hate speech. If David Cameron wants to prove that the right wing has abandoned its nasty side, he needs to react strongly to this. I can't see how David Jones can remain in a senior position and I don't think he should. Whether the prime minister has the resolve to do anything about it remains to be seen.

The irony is that same-sex couples think really hard about having kids. They go over every possible scenario for a long time, weighing up whether it's the right time and the right thing to do. Partly for this reason, they can be among the most committed and responsible parents.

Part of me doesn't really care about what pundits or politicians say, of course. While I'm here with my kids trying to stop them falling of the sofa and making sure they're fed, I don't have time to worry about what Tory MPs think. I'm too busy trying to be a parent and produce happy, content members of society. But I'm also outraged that a voice like this has to be heard, particularly as it may put off same-sex parents considering having children.

In any case I don't think David Jones' remarks reflect what most sensible people think. The attitudes we've encountered at school gates have been overwhelmingly positive. We've had no trouble arranging playdates and getting on with other parents on an equal footing. Society has changed for the better, it seems. As for David Jones – he seems only to be looking backwards. Well Mr Jones, my family and I are going to keep looking forward. For the sake of our children.

The complete original article can be found HERE

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jonnygforce: @Charliecondou @guardian Charlie, YOU should be Prime Minister :-)

Charliecondou: @jonnygforce @guardian well OBVIOUSLY

m1ckeyjoe: @Charliecondou @jonnygforce @guardian seconded! Fab article x

Charliecondou: @m1ckeyjoe ta love

SonikBoomBoy: @Charliecondou a very well written and pointed article pal!

Charliecondou: @SonikBoomBoy ta duck x

labourpress: Charlie Condou has made his views about David Jones' comments known: http://t.co/vWrKDuHo via @guardian

Charliecondou: @labourpress thanks
IJMO1

IJMO1: @labourpress @guardian Who is Charlie Condou?

Charliecondou: @IJMO1 I am

Charliecondou: RT @southbankcentre: Have you read @Charliecondou's piece on gay parenting? On Tues we’re celebrating alternative families http://t.co/o3IPTt0y

RichardWhale: David Jones' comments on gay parents are hate speech | Charlie Condou http://t.co/KzhRzF6R via @guardian

Charliecondou: @RichardWhale thanks

Entorien: @Charliecondou You have my thanks. As one half of a female same-sex couple planning children, you've given me some confidence. :-)

Charliecondou: @Entorien thank you

OPEN LETTER TO MP

Charliecondou: RT @DawnHFoster An open letter to the Tory MP who thinks gay couples can't raise kids. It did me no harm, so jog on. http://bit.ly/ZfuU9I

BOOTIFULTING

Charliecondou: Good luck to everyone @BeautThing #BeautifulThing - a lovely gay play celebrating it's #20thAnniversary this yr #BeautLaunch check it out!

beautthing: RT @Charliecondou: Good luck to everyone @BeautThing #BeautifulThing - a lovely gay play celebrating it's #20thAnniversary this yr #BeautLaunch check it out!

tomocopro: Thank you all for your support today with #BeautLaunch @stephenfry @hughbon @therealgokwan @Charliecondou @leemeadofficial @Gerard_McCarthy

robbie comes out

Charliecondou: RT @rucomingout: Former Leeds and USA midfielder Robbie Rogers reveals he is gay http://t.co/l680Fc3S

RIDICULOUS JAMIE EAST

Charliecondou: RT @mrjamieeast: To those in London looking for a ridiculous night out on sat, I’m hosting the @FiiL_Club. Will be v drunken and shouty.

alexander will be pleased

Charliecondou: I love Alexandra @XanderArmstrong RT @dennis_les: Best quiz on TV is Pointless. Alexandra and Richard are a great team. #pointless

XanderArmstrong: @Charliecondou you just made me laugh SO much. Lor luv you Charlie xxxxxx

BOYCOTT

Charliecondou: RT @suzanne_moore: @rupertmurdoch The Sun's front page has hit a new low. Lechery over a corpse. A woman just murdered? I hope mass boycott #thesunnews

GAMU GOLD