What is equality?

So I'm a little angry, well actually I'm a bit furious. And when I get angry or annoyed I struggle to make sense and make myself understood.

'Typical woman' you may say, why not? I get called many things and it seems it's okay to use sexist, racist and stereotypical language nowadays - especially if your a comedian. So laugh away at my expense, it's okay - apparently.

I'm at a loss as to how we all suddenly stopped caring and how we all suddenly fail to understand what the word EQUALITY actually means. I can certainly tell you what it doesn't mean - it doesn't mean SAMENESS. You don't have to be the same or be treated the same to achieve equality. In fact it's the very thing you can't do as we aren't all the same.

Take a feather and take a rock. I want 100 grams of each. So I get my scales and I put on a rock - wow on it's own it weighs 100g. Okay I'll weigh a feather, well no that doesn't weigh the same does it? So I keep adding feathers till I get to 100g and the scales balance, they are now of equal status. BUT look there are hundreds of feathers to my one rock. Well I've had to treat the feathers differently to the rock to get equality of weight, does it matter? No not really cause in the end the outcome we wanted is achieved - they are both weighing 100g. And I'm not sure it really matters to the rock that it's alone whilst the feathers pile up.

So, is it right give protection in planning laws to gypsy and travellers? "No this means they get special treatment" you cry.

Is it right to offer adjustment at interview to disabled applicants? "No that means we haven't all been treated fairly" is the claim.

And so the list goes on that tries to justify why we shouldn't provide disadvantaged groups with equality of opportunity. Why we struggle to retain our positions of power as we're afraid of the difference that we don't understand.

I just wish people would take the time to understand what equality means, to not be afraid of being politically correct. We all get it wrong, we all have prejudice but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try every day to respect the things we don't understand. It isn't easy, it's bloody hard and it takes effort. But does that mean we shouldn't try?

There is a car sticker that says - "if you are not outraged - you are not paying attention". So yes, I am furious but more than that I'm outraged!

so, we've been through an interesting few weeks. We've had a visit from the Pope, challenging how we feel about the way religion dictates how we behave, influences our laws and tries to push our media in to forgetting marginal groups. I'm all for religion and faith but not when it challenges human rights.

We've had a survey that seems to wipe out visibility of the LGBT community and make us even more a minority. So it isn't saying look we don't need laws to protect us but actually LOOK there is a reason those laws are there as you don't even think we exist!

BUT for me more importantly we have new equality laws. Do you understand them? No I don't either.

What I do understand though is that we each have to stand up and be counted. We have to work hard to make our lives better. We have to have courage to fight for what we believe. I'm an idealist, but I'm a realist. I know it is hard. I know you have friends and a family that may turn against you. BUT if you don't stand up for yourself then who will stand up with you or for you.

As someone who is gay I recognise our wonderful legacy, I see the power in simple steps. You don't have to try and fight against the big beast but take small, positive steps to be yourself and the world has to change.

Sometimes I feel powerless in my life to make a difference, then I remember that actually by being myself, by taking those small steps I CAN make a difference, I can change not only those around me but maybe, just maybe the world. All I ask, all I want is to give you that courage, you that chance to be yourself and send a ripple across the giant pond.

Be who you are. Don't compromise. Embrace the wonder that is you and the wonder you bring to the world. Gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, questioning, disabled, black, white, young, old - life is a celebration, give yourself the power and change the world.