Brody's Scribbles... Plymouth - Gay Storm in UK Youth Parliament Teacup

By Tim Trent (Dartmouth, England) DEC 17 | Don't you wonder, sometimes about people, and especially parents? A Plymouth member of the UK Youth Parliament has been suspended after images purporting to be of him appeared on a pornographic website. The pictures, allegedly of Reace Mcdonnell, appeared on a porn networking site, on a page allegedly created by Mr Mcdonnell.

There are so many things wrong about this, something I picked up in This Is Plymouth, the online edition of the Plymouth Herald. Let's take a look at this pointlessness:

• Whatever he may or may not do in his private life is irrelevant to whatever Reace Mcdonnell does in his public life
• The whole article, and the suspension, is based on allegations
• Reace Mcdonnell is 19. He can be naked lawfully anywhere in print he chooses to be, and he can post naked pictures, if he has done, anywhere he likes

Then I looked at the Chief Executive, Andy Hamflett. I've still no idea what a Youth Parliament is, but it's obviously 'important' enough for this statement by him:

"Our primary concern is for the safety of all the young people we work with and we are taking these allegations very seriously."

What safety issues can we identify here? Are we upset about pictures of willies and bottoms? Or is it the fact that someone has alleged that Reace McDonnell has put his bits on display for all to see? How does that endanger anyone? Well, with the exception of Reace Mcdonnell, that is. He looks in danger right now, because his reputation is being destroyed. And all by inuendo and allegations from 'The mother of a Plymouth teenager':

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "I am concerned as a mother for my child. He has recently 'come out' as gay and has been following the out youth in Plymouth."

What do you suppose she is worried about? I can tell her that her son is like any other boy. He masturbates and he will, as often as he can, masturbate while looking at pictures of the objects of his desires. Is she worried, perhaps, about her own areas of disgust? Perhaps she doesn't like to think that her child is enamoured of willies and quite possibly of bottoms?

It is quite difficult to realise that one's child is a sexual being, with sexual wants, needs, desires, hopes, fears and actions. I suppose it's more difficult to realise that the boy child you have raised as a happy heterosexual isn't at all, and tends to adore and revere gentlemen's paraphernalia.

And look how the local politicos jump on the bandwagon:

Councilor Joan Watkins, the city's Cabinet member responsible for children and young people, said: "If this is true I would view it with great disappointment. We want young people to be involved in democracy and the life of the city but you have to bring certain characteristics to the role."

They've all got mileage out of it now. All except Reace Mcdonnell. Isn't it odd how thinly veiled the homophobia is in the article. You can smell it, sense it, but not quite touch it or feel it. But oh how prurient it is.

Reace Mcdonnell  Photo From Facebook 

Reace has commented, according to PinkNews, on his Facebook page:

“I would like to remind people NOT to believe everything you read in the papers.

“I think its really quite pathetic that you should infringe on my life like this, not only at this pivotal stage, but at all, considering I'm an adult.

“My statement is that the allegation is not based on fact and should be discredited and ignored by all who read it.”

Seems to me he has a damned good point. And, you know what? I don't care whether he's posted explicit pictures or not. If you've got it, flaunt it! This has nothing to do with whether he's suitable for the public role he has.