Slavery is often associated with 18th century entrapment of human beings who were forced to labour within a community or under a government which restricted them from their civil rights.
We are all familiar with the violent slavery of the Southern States of America and in certain parts of Britain at that time, and the resolution of William Wilberforce when he declared an end to Slavery in 1807 and passed a law abolishing it throughout the land.
The brilliant movie Twelve Years a Slave’ left me quaking in my boots as the reality of the violence, the cruel debasement of living souls and how far we will go when allowed to pursue our most basic instincts as human beings for material gain.
So how come we are still here and that Slavery is still very much alive and growing as the economy wavers in all parts of the World and especially within our own domain in spite of the law passed in 2010 banning the practise of slavery – which in essence is to take away the liberties of any human being through unlawful restraint.
The much publicised forced entrapment of women in the far east working in sweatshops and females being forced into prostitution is just the tip of the iceberg.
There are estimated to be 162 countries who are harbouring slaves and you may be horrified to learn that 145th is where the US still come in that statistic.
Juliet Sargeant, the first Black garden designer to exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show (and not before time!) has allotted The Slavery Garden as her contribution to the estimated 4,600 slaves in this country alone and millions throughout the rest of the World.
What does Slavery mean today and in the civilised world? It is a question I have been asking myself time and time again. In my mind it is often people who feel they have no other option other than go with the flow of the aggressor. They are held against their will under the threat of violence or blackmail, and are too terrified to fight back.
It reminds me of abusive relationships where one partner is a captive for fear of a violent response, or indeed their own lives. It is even a fact that the victim will often form an attachment to the aggressor and so feel unable to leave.
There are so many types of Slavery. But we can do our best to eliminate it once and for all. We can be alert to the signs and act upon them. Offer advice to anyone under the threat of violence, they may just need to know that they have a choice.
Whatever the situation, we can use our long earned freedom to really make a difference to those living in captivity, as Slavery could still be on your doorstep, and you could be the catalyst for their release.
The recent outcry regarding Transgender toilet issues in the US has pulled Obama into the frame with his strict warning to schools saying that transgender pupils have to be allowed to use the toilet of their choice. This is a great step forward both transgender adults and kids, or just people that feel they are a prisoner in their own body.
Obama’s knee jerk action came after North Carolina issued a bill insisting that people use the restroom of the gender displayed on their birth certificate. But the Deep South is predictable in its discrimination, after all it is the land of the red neck and it is no surprise that their bias should extend to such an issue.
A recent visit to the South confirmed it for me when visiting the Mississippi Dam and I was warned by a random male after hearing my accent, to watch out for gentlemen of a certain colour, a detail I will spare you on this page, but one that you can imagine. My outrage was such that I challenged the person in question, but quickly realized my words were falling on deaf and rather bigoted ears.
The response from the Transgender community over the issue of toilet freedom has been so massive that even Trump, and I am sorry to use the ‘T’ word, has issued a statement saying that he supports the rights of transgender people. Quite a revelation within his already diehard policies on ‘cleaning up’ America, and we know what that means coming from his lips!. It has an unrealistic ring about it, and proffers the question of his credibility as he steps up his campaign. But we accept it as another endorsement of transgender which can only be good.
Miley Cyrus, Ringo Starr, Bryan Adams and Bruce Springsteen all cancelled gigs in North Carolina to support the right of trans kids. ‘Some things are more important than rock,’ said Springsteen, which was a revelation in itself.
But the deep South is also a law unto itself and it is no surprise that they sent a lawsuit to Washington which was immediately overturned and firmly thrown back into the arms of the intolerant court of Colorado.
This issue of transgender loos is a talking point now in the UK, and we must ask ourselves is this something that we welcome, and what if any are the repercussions.
If it a matter of principle then yes, a great step forward for transgender and in my opinion, one that must be passed to enable us to move forward despite the inconvenience (excuse the pun) of perhaps the future being one of unisex restrooms. Well why not, the majority of homes in the UK have shared bathrooms and toilets for families and guests – and as long as the majority of public loos are still regulated and maintained, it should matter less and less as we integrate and eliminate our prejudice of gender, race and sexual preference.
September 29, 2026 1899 Sir Billy Butlin 1913 Stanley Kramer 1916 Trevor Howard 1931 Anita Ekberg 1935 Jerry Lee Lewis 1942 Ian McShane 1943 Lech Walensa 1946 Patricia Hodge 1956 Lord (Sebastian) Coe 1968 Luke Goss 1968 Matt Goss 1970 Emily Lloyd
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