Gray, Antony & West, D.J, Homosexuals: New Law but no New New Deal, How freed were homosexuals by the Wonfenden Act? They're still stronly penalised and societal attitudes remain a long way short of true integration, reprinted from New Society

with letter attached from 2008/04/17 New Society "Homosexuals" by Allan Horsfall, Secretary, Esquire Clubs Ltd, 460 Bridgeman St, Bolton, Lancashire. "... The 'considerable hostility' towards our proposal for social clubs for homosexuals has escaped us. Arran & Abse dissented - who else? As we move closer to the opening of our first club, we do so not with a 'beer-and-skittles approach' but against a background of much persuading, negotiating and sounding out of attitudes. We do not see clubs as an alternative to the valuable work ... done by Albany Trust ... but additional, different & equally needed. ..."

Sunday Mail p1, Boys get shock visitors GAY TALKS IN BORSTAL [Polmont] by John Millar.. Two self confessed homosexuals were allowed to give a lecture on gay liberation to 30 teenage borstal boys ... and have sparked of a major prison row.

MPs and church officials want to know why the gay lib talk, at Polmont Borstal, Stirlingshire, was given the go-ahead by Governor Mr Charles Hills.

Mr Harry Ewing, Scottish Under-secretary with special responsibility for prisons, said last night: "I have asked for a full report from the director of the Scottish prison service".

... Govenor Hill, who gave his approval for the performance of a controversial homosexual play at Polmont Borstal two years ago, was not available ... gay libbers who visited ... Donald Blamey, 23, said:"We were invited to the borstal to help a boy who was gay and had caused some distress. The boys seemed to accept what they were told about gay life. They were surprised to see that John and I were quite open aobut being gay." [He] added that one of the innmates now released had joined the gab lib movement and added: "He now attends our meetings and is now a regular on the Glasgow gay scene."

Ian Dunn ... defended gay talk ... "There are social tensions in borstal for gay boys. We intend to hold other informal talks with boys aged between 15 and 20 at whatever institution we are invited to attend."

Last night the Rev. Keith Stephen, secretary of the Church of Scotland's committee on moral wefare said: "There could be boys in the group who would be at risk. I will ask the committeeto have informal talks with prison chaplains."

Gay News No 82: November 6-19 [1975] [This cutting pasted on to the Sunday Mail page.] Minister says SMG visit was useful. The Scottish Office has announced that it will take no further action on complaints that Scottish Minorities Group members were allowed in to Polmont Borstal to talk to inmates last June [1975].

... Mr Ewing [Under-Secretary of State] said "The meeting involved 24 inmates and took place in the presence of the staff inculding psychiatric staff and a social worker." ... The staffs verdict was "that the meeting served a useful purpose and that the problems which had esisted prior to it were substantially alleviated afterwards."

Evening News, Edinburgh 23 Oct, 1975. Gay talk at borstal was 'useful'. ... "The verdict of the institutional staff was that the meeting served a useful purpose and that the problems which had existed prior to it were sustantially alleviated afterwards."

See NAS GD467/6/1-1975 SMG News for 1975

See Glasgow Herald here.

Sunday Mail p?, Students get tough with gays, ...
A recruiting drive by gay libbers at a Scots university [Aberdeen] got a hostile reception when posters were torn down and the gays subjected to abuse
The trouble began when the 20-strong Aberdeen University Gay Society tried to boost their membership by displaying posters in the univeristy halls.

Nasty Last night, Gay Society secretary and science student Jean Polson told the Mail: "Since the society was formed we have been badgered by nasty phone calls and snide remarks.
"We have only 20 members because gay students are frightened of victimisation. We are virtually forced to hold our meetings in private so we won't be disrupted by students."
The Gay Society now plan to hold regular late-night discos in a city centre club to boost their membership.

Ian Dunn adds: [in a typewritten note] SMG Aberdeen report that the poster tearing was similar to the troubles experienced at Stevenson College, Edinburgh, two years ago. The Aberdeen Discos are nevertheless a very good breakthrough in this "tightest" of Scottish Cities. 24 May 1976.

Telegraph, Strathclye University paper date may be slightly out. An open letter to the popular press.
The vulgarity of the Glasgow popular press in reporting the proposed establishment of a homosexul society at Strathclyde is as astounding as is their inaccuracy.
The assertion that a poster advertising a meeting of this society was ripped down by "outraged students" is a deliberate lie. In fact the poster was removed by a member of the University Catholic Society who was under the impression that the advertisment was a practical joke aimed at the Catholic Chaplaincly Centre in whose premises the meeting was to take place.
.... Father Ryan photo published ...
... signed by  President etc, Council members.
Also a letter by anonymous: Homosexual Club a Humane Act.