Is Robert Piggott from the BBC gay ?

[Dom Tuk]

The BBC correspondent for religious affairs is Robert Piggott. Has he confirmed his sexual orientation? If he has and has confirmed that he is gay ,then is his appointment as correspondent for religious affairs a controversial one? At this point may i add that his professional expertise as a broadcaster should preclude any considerations of his sexuality. However would the religious organisations and license fee payers consider that as an affront also bearing in mind that he is now making news items of catholicism (in spain) and homosexual relationships/marriages (BBC1 news item today)

[sp1814]

I agree his sexual orientation should have no bearing on his broadcasting ability/expertise, but to assume that religious organisations would be affronted by a gay man reporting on religious news stories is, in my opinion, not an issue.

Just because he's gay, doesn't necessarily mean that he will take a 'gay view' on religious news stories. For all we know, he may be a conservative (with a small 'c') reactionary who doesn't believe in gay marriage etc etc.

By the way, I've no idea whether the person you refer to is 'out'...in fact, I've never heard of him until now.

[WaldoMcFroog]

What if he were an atheist? Would that be equally 'controvertial'?

'[H]e is now making news items'..? Rather emotive phrase, isn't it? Surely 'reporting'? Are you suggesting he might be editorialising as a result of his (speculated) sexuaity?

Anyway, this licence payer couldn't care less what sexuality he is.

[Dom Tuk]

From a personal viewpoint i think my license fee would be very well spent if a gay/homosexual person were to become a religious affairs correspondent as that would be a great way to thumb your nose at the religious establishment. however waldo you got it right. i did think he was making editorial comment by making the news item this afternoon (likely to be repeated later). I did not see the news value in the item about catholicism in spain and its attitudes to sexuality as relevant to British news viewrs (a documentary maybe but not news worthy)

[Le Chat]

It's about time "religions" started to accept homosexuality. Gay marriages have been legal for just over one year now and in that time 30000 couples have married....so that's 60000 individual gay peoplein total. They are only the married ones...There must be so many homosexual people in this country alone, that it surely cannot be considered as a 'deviation' or even unnatural. There are many more gay people than people with red hair and they are not considered a minority.

[jamesy boy]

Gingers are the deviants, or am i being gingophobic?

[Bazile]

Hmmmm - personally , I cannot understand how a male can have a sexual relationship with, or even be attracted sexually to another male

[Oneeyedvic]

"It's about time "religions" started to accept homosexuality."

i didn't know that religions were up for debate - I thought you had a set of rules and had to stick to it - you know the Bible and all that.

IMHO, if a religion were to suddenly change its view, surely it would demean the belief in that religion.

[LordOfLife]

Dom Tuk have you confirmed your sexual orientation?

I don't care less who is the correspondent for religious affairs for the BBC nor what their orientation is.

As long as they speak in English they could be an 8 foot purple bodied man in a wheelchair who loves everyone for all I'm bothered.

[sp1814]

Bazile

I don't understand how some people like to eat brussell sprouts (food of the devil), but I suppose it's different strokes for different folks.

[beema]

Oneeyedvic - I hear what you're saying but religions have adapted in some ways to our modern world ie, women priests, the Pope allowing contraception (even if it is for only one category of person - it's still contraception!)
What was true or life relevant 2000 yrs ago is poles apart from today, so a certain amount of adaptation would seemingly follow.