Heroes

ItAintMeBabe

Hi all

I was watching "Milk" on dvd earlier, it was my second time watching it. However, the last time I watched it was very different to this experience. The first time round I hadn't yet admitted to myself that I was having feelings towards other women, whereas now I have embraced wholeheartedly

Now I always saw Harvey Milk as a truly inspirational man, but I have to say, I got a little emotional watching it earlier I would now consider him to be one of my heroes and could only hope that I may someday be graced with even a an ounce of the bravery he had.

So what I'm asking you lovely folk is, who would you considered to be your heroes and why?

DazMarz

Richard Dawkins: the man has done more for furthering the cause of atheism, rationality and reason than anyone else.

Christopher Hitchens: same as Dawkins, only funnier, more caustic and more witty.

David Norris: brilliant, self-depricating politician who has been rightfully a public face in Ireland for years.

Michael D. Higgins: has done more for human rights in the modern age than anyone else from Ireland I would think. We are awfully lucky in that we have a most wonderful and brilliant head of State as Michael D.

Aurongroove

Stephen Fry.

lottpaul

Lovely idea - and there are many high profile ones that spring to mind, but I'd like to give a mention to the largely forgotten and anonymous pioneers of LGBT rights in this country.
They stood up and were willing to be seen and heard in a time when most of us were deeply intimidated by the power of the Church and conservative society in general. The simplest and most basic rights had to be fought for, one by one, and now that we have them it seems so incredible - and cruel - that we were denied them for so long. They went on the radio and TV, wrote newspaper articles and were generally willing to be the visible face of all of us. They were vilified and - literally at times - spat at, and more. And they persevered.

Then - initially for gay men at least - came the cruel blow of AIDS and the backlash from the religious right and right wing media who gloried in telling us all that God was punishing "the gays". And all the while we looked at our friends who became sick, grew weaker and died, often shunned by family.
Some of the same women and men again took up the cause and began the struggle to educate, care for and help all of those who had contracted HIV etc.

There's now a new band of "heroes" such as the many people on here who willingly give of their time and compassion because there are still people who need help, still people who live in fear and dread, who wake up every day wishing they didn't have the feelings they have, afraid to talk to family or friends.
Every little word of help or advice can help - so take a bow - and keep up the great work.