Social Issues (1987-1997) Flashcards
What was the attitudes like towards homosexuality by 1987?
Negative attitudes due to AIDS. First case was in (1981), and gay men seemed at risk. Was called gay plague
To what extent did attitudes change towards homosexuality?
Change:
-(1985) government started prevention campaign involving leaflets
-(1987) Diana shook hands with man with aids challenging prejudice
-Pressure groups: (stonewall) backed legal test cases in European courts to challenge age of consent
-(1994) lowers age of consent from 21 to 18
No change:
-(1986) tabloid outcry from book “Jenny lives with Eric and Martin”stocked in schools = section 28 (1998) =influenced idea that it was illegal to discus homosexuality in schools
What was the position of women by 1987?
Largely unchanged from limited success of women’s lib groups
To what extent did women position change?
Change:
-Third wave feminism: challenge stereotypes and sexuality
-girl power became mainstream by spice girls (1996)
-(1992)1st female speaker in House of Commons and 1st female head of mI5
-(1994) rape in marriage was illegal
-50% employees were women (rise in service sector?)
-improved pay
No change;
-women still paid less than men (80% of men’s earnings)
-minority. In man’s world of management and politics
What was the position of race relations by (1987)?
Racial tensions had existed with riots. Brixton riots in (1981 + 1985)
To what extent was there change in race relations?
Change:
-no mass racial riots
-4 non white mos elected in (1987) and held their seats in (1992)
-new stresses in social cohesion increase in asylum speakers and migration from new commonwealth
-concerns on Muslim integration raised as democratic British and Muslim values clashed. (Salmon Rushdie satanic verses forced him into hiding)
No change:
-still racism
-(1993)Stephen’s Lawrence murder . Police didn’t convict murderers from lack of evidence despite knowing the identity
-(1998) MacPherson report, found police to be ‘institutionally racist’
