Courtney Act hits out at Ann Widdecombe’s LGBT friends over Section 28
Courtney Act (instagram/courtneyact)
Celebrity Big Brother is long over, but winner Courtney Act is still taking shots at some of her former housemates.
The Aussie former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant, real name Shane Jenek, won the UK version of CBB earlier this year – after a fraught competition that saw them repeatedly clash with former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe.
The drag star repeatedly called out Widdecombe over her extreme anti-LGBT voting record while in the house – and became noticeably frustrated when two other LGBT housemates, Wayne Sleep and Amanda Barrie, spoke out to defend the politician.
In fresh posts this week, Act marked the anniversary of battles over Section 28 – a reviled Conservative law banning the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality in schools that was passed under the Thatcher government in the 1980s and was strongly supported by Widdecombe.
In 2003, Widdecombe led attempts within the Tory party to battle the Labour government’s plans to repeal the law, which split her from many modernisers.
The drag star wrote: “[This year] marks 30 years since #section28 passed, a law banning the “promotion” of homosexuality in schools. In 2003 guess who voted to keep that law? Ann Widdecombe. I didn’t know about this going into the house and I am so hurt and angered.”
She then tagged two of her former housemates – Carry On star Amanda Barrie, who is bisexual and in a civil partnership with a woman, and Wayne Sleep, an openly gay dancer.
The drag star wrote: “I would like to know how @amandabarrie11 & @Wayne_Sleep feel about this? #section28 #lgbt”
On Instagram she then shared pictures of the two LGBT housemates joking with Widdecombe.
Neither Barrie nor Sleep have responded.
While in the house, both of them repeatedly spoke out in defence of Widdecombe.
In one notorious argument with Courtney out of drag, Barrie said: “I think the gay rights thing is a bit dodgy quite frankly.
“I get on with Ann quite fine and I’m in a civil partnership.
“I don’t discuss it, I don’t discuss Catholicism. That’s it, full stop, I like her.”
Referencing her civil partnership with her partner, Barrie said: “You think this is some sort of platform for gay rights or something and you’re not even in a civil partnership.”
Jenek retorted: “Well to be fair, in 23 years of parliament she voted against every single pro-LGBT piece of legislation, which is your rights as a human being.”
Barrie replied: “It’s not my rights, it doesn’t affect me at all! I’m married.”
Jenek added: “Amanda, you have these rights not due to people like Ann, but because of the people who stood up against Ann.”
Barrie responded: ” When I got married, we didn’t ask for anyone’s acceptance. Every single person has taken it for who we are.
“It’s not all about gay rights, there are a lot of other rights going on.”
Wayne Sleep also defended Widdecombe over her stance on LGBT issues.
He said: “She did Strictly Come Dancing, that is not a politician anymore.
“This is a little show which I adore being in and there’s a woman here and you want me to pick her up about her past misdemeanours that you don’t agree with?”
May 24 will mark the 30th anniversary of Section 28.
