LONDON, December 30, 2007  –  The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) is mourning the death of gay rights activist and one of its Vice Presidents, Dr. James Hemming who died peacefully at the age of 98 on Christmas Day in Kingston Hospital.

James Hemming was a child psychologist, and a strong advocate of sex education in schools.  He was a determined campaigner against the infamous Section 28, and in 1987 declared homosexuality to be ‘morally acceptable as a way of life’ in a BBC2 Day To Day programme.

In an attack on Section 28 during that year, Mr. Hemming said: “What is necessary for children is that they should have a complete, profound understanding of the full range of human sexuality, without any special bias being put on here and there, or trying to sell one particular line or another.

“Let them know honestly.  If we don’t tell them what the facts are through education, they will pick up distorted and garbled views from the mass media and their friends.  That is the choice: whether we give children the information they need to grow up as mature citizens, or whether we deliberately seem to be withholding part of it because it is ‘wicked’,” he said.

James Hemming was also an opponent of the blasphemy law, which was used to prosecute the Gay News over its publication of the poem, The Love That Dares To Speak Its Name.  In 1978, he was among the signatories to A Statement Against Blasphemy Law published by the Committee Against Blasphemy Law.

“We are very sad to lose Dr Hemming, a great humanist and defender of free thought,” said Cliff James, secretary of GLHA.

“It is thanks to the courage and sanity of figures like him that unjust laws, such as Section 28, have been overturned.

“We hope that his words and deeds will continue to be an inspiration against the irrational forces of prejudice,” his statement, issued last night, said.

Dr James Hemming was a vice president of GALHA as well as a vice president and former president of the British Humanist Association and honorary associate of the Rationalist Press Association.

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