Cruising at the British Library
PinkNews.co.uk Exclusive
The British Library has been exposed as an ideal cottaging ground, according to a popular website dedicated to the hobby.
A The Pink News investigation revealed that the library, which holds around 25 million books and thousand-year-old historical items has been included in a list of top gay cruising and cottaging venues on squirt.org.
The website, which came to media attention after recommending the site of a notorious child murder in Australia as a cottaging venue, runs lists of the best places in the world to have anonymous sex.
Next to a description of each venue there is a message board where members post comments about their experiences.
The British Library was recently described as “good today, lots of action.”
A spokeswoman for the British Library was shocked by the revelation, she told The Pink News: “We do check the toilets regularly and no-one is aware of it.
“I hope that people will use the library for learning and reading and to see our exhibitions. We hope they have a good time, but not that!”
Gay right’s campaigner Peter Tatchell told The Pink News: “It makes people easy targets, which is very concerning.
“It also brings the places to the attention of people who would be prepared to close them down.
“Nobody should have sex in a public place where any member of the public is likely to see and be offended.”
The pursuit received publicity recently when the News of the World published pictures claiming to show singer George Michael cruising on Hampstead Heath, he angrily told photographers to leave him alone claiming “anonymous no-strings sex” was t part of the gay lifestyle.
The Sexual Offences Act 2003 doesn’t legislate specifically against sex in public. “This means, it isn’t specifically illegal” said a Home Office spokeswoman. Instead, cruising and cottaging are covered by Public Order laws. They are considered an “offence” if they cause “outrage”, or if they are beyond the realms of “taste and decency.”
Usually this would require people to witness the act, who felt that they had been caused “harm and distress” or harassment.
Other venues on the site included Selfridges car park, House of Fraser in Bristol as well as Sainsbury’s and Tesco stores across the country.
This article first appeared in the September issue of The Pink News which is out now
