The words of solicitor-advocate and Law Society council member Keith Etherington, as he recalls how the legal profession’s attitude towards sexuality has been transformed over the last few years in this week’s #RoundMyKitchenTable podcast.
Together with Legal Cheek‘s Kevin Poulter, Etherington is responsible for co-founding the lawyers’ parade at London Gay Pride – which takes place tomorrow.
Like a pair of children on Christmas Eve, Etherington and Poulter can barely contain their excitement about the parade – described by the latter as a “unique opportunity to be whooped and cheered by members of the public because you’re a lawyer”.
Journalist Alex Aldridge is less enthused, attempting to dampen the duo’s spirits by assuming the role of devil’s advocate on a number of in-the-news topics, including church gay marriage and the legal action faced by the Law Society following its decision to cancel a conference by an extreme Christian group…
But Etherington and Poulter ignore him and instead opt to lose themselves in memories of Gay Prides past. This drives an exasperated Aldridge to play his trump card, ushering in this week’s surprise guest who has been waiting patiently outside: ‘Sir Paul Coleridge’, the family values champion High Court judge who was due to speak at that cancelled extreme Christian group conference.
“He’s not Coleridge, he’s just an actor wearing a well-fitted mask,” says Poulter, pulling at Sir Paul’s face.
“How can you be sure?” responds Aldridge.
Listen to all the action below – or on iTunes.