No, Jeremy Corbyn wasn't being offensive by saying that people 'chose' to be gay

There is a general assumption among liberal thinkers that everything is now fine for people in the LGBT community. But having been called obscene names and subject to looks of disgust after daring to kiss my partner in public, I have no doubt many still wish we would stay in the closet

Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire for his comments at an LGBT History Month event (Getty)

Despite all the furore surrounding Jeremy Corbyn’s latest gaffe, that people “chose” to be gay, the argument that the Labour leader is somehow an ignorant homophobe is nonsense.

The truth is, I have no idea why I’m gay, and while it would be nice to think that I was “born this way”, and genetic studies strongly suggest this may well be the case, it shouldn’t matter if it’s a “lifestyle choice”, to borrow a phrase that’s been thrown at me by religious friends.

Denying that it cannot be a choice devalues the experiences of those that have made such a decision, and adds an extra layer of discrimination that the LGBT community does not need. I’ve never met anyone that claims to have consciously decided to be gay, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.

But what did Corbyn really mean when he said, at an LGBT History Month launch event, that he stood by those who choose to be LGBT in any form? Well, the key word he probably meant to include was “openly”. And quite frankly, being openly gay can still be an absolute chore. From spending your whole life coming out, to not being able to hold hands with your partner in public without fear of verbal and physical abuse, and, yes, death. While the laws of this country are on our side, there is always the fear that these laws can be rescinded.

There is a general assumption among liberal thinkers that everything is now fine for people in the LGBT community, but having been called a “faggot”, “sick f***”, and been subject to looks of disgust after daring to kiss my partner in public, I have no doubt many still wish we would stay in the closet.

I understand the mere suggestion that it's a choice can be troubling, especially as this reasoning is used to justify unethical practices such as gay conversion therapy. I also spent many years challenging this rhetoric, as I sought to justify who I was to myself and others around me. But trying to promote some one-size-fits-all reasoning for our existence so straight people can understand it, reinforces the idea that we have to socially manage ourselves to be accepted.

I am proud of being gay. It gives me a perspective on life that I wouldn’t otherwise have. I understand what it’s like to have to worry about whether it’s safe to visit certain countries, whether your career will be hindered because of an aspect of your identity and I understand what it’s like to feel the buck of tiresome, cliché jokes that diminish your very being. But if we get up in arms every time someone dares to suggest that it is a choice (for some) and accidentally as appears to have been the case with Corbyn this week, we imply that if given the option we would choose to be straight.

Corbyn’s parliamentary record speaks for itself. Time and time again he has voted to enhance the rights of LGBT people in this country. The same cannot be said of Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, who abstained at the third reading of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill and voted against regulations to prevent people from being denied goods and services on the grounds of sexual orientation. So before we all start rushing to join the Lib Dems, please consider this old cliché: actions speak louder than words. Corbyn will never be the greatest orator, but he backs gay rights. I have no doubt about that.