Sir Adrian Fulford, sometimes called The Honorable Mr Justice Fulford, has been an openly gay lawyer in England for 30 years. He's 55 years old, and if I might add, he's a sexy lookin' daddy. He's got that mischievous look in his eyes. Sir Adrian also has quite the impressive resume. He received a knighthood from the Queen in 2002. He has been a judge on the High Court of England and Wales, and currently he is serving as one of eighteen judges on the International Criminal Court.

Pink News UK reported that earlier this month on a speech that he gave at the opening of The Pink Law Legal Advice Centre, in which he made some interesting statements about being an older gay man. Here are some snippets from his speech:

"One of the advantages, and I assure you there aren't many of them, of what sometimes feels like extreme old age, is that you gain a perspective on events that you simply didn't have before. Particularly you get a historical focus through which a bright light shines on events taking place today. For me the past has been crucial in appreciating how vitally important this new venture within the Queen Mary legal advice center is. When I came of age in the law in the mid 1970's, nothing remotely resembled the Pink Law project's existed. Although even then was a time of seismic and exciting change as regards to the provision of free legal advice...

But the area of sexuality even in those times of radical change and progress, was a complete desert. A few enterprising lawyers set up the Gay legal advice on a voluntary basis providing evening telephone advice but it was wholly dependent of volunteers and I can find no trace of its existence now. The legal profession has always been conservative, although less so now than the days gone by. And back then for many who did not conform to the heterosexual standard, particularly if you were not from a privileged background, there was simply nowhere to go for advice and help.

To be out as a practitioner in the year 1978, which is the year I was called, was something of a roller-coaster of a ride. Some of my colleagues were fantastic, others were simply gross in their rudeness and prejudices. People lost jobs, families were destroyed, lives were broken by the large number of prosecutions of men for such absurdities as allegedly chatting up other men in places such as Old Brompton Rd, thereby 'persistently importuning for an immoral purpose.' ...

Now why am I visiting the past? It's not just the autumnal reminiscences of an aging judge. But rather, I seek to highlight that we have suddenly traveled a long way in a very short period of time. To use the language of 'Star-Trek', it's as if the warp-drive has suddenly been attached to LGBT rights. In truth, I cannot conceive that we will in the predictable future return to the ghastliness of thirty-plus years ago.

But that said, when you scratch the surface, particularly in times of difficulty when people feel threatened, prejudice, misunderstanding, fear and conservatism with a small 'c' can be found on occasion lurking surprisingly close to the surface. While we have every reason to be confident about the future, we should also strive to ensure that we do not become blasé about the present. We should not take these fundamental advances for granted."

We'll have to let Sir Adrian know that 55 isn't extreme old age, but it's great to hear from across the pond about the progress that's being made in LGBT rights. Despite the temporary setbacks with Prop 8, Amendment 2 and the like, I feel that progress is being made. Who would have dreamed of gay marriage in Spain? I know there will be many battles along the way, but it's only a matter of time until we have equal rights. 

You can see more of Sir Adrian's speech here.