THANK you to Johnathon Simcock for telling me why some gay and bisexual men feel it is necessary to meet for sex in public toilets.

The answer, that there is nowhere exclusively for gay men to meet, is an interesting one.

Personally I have no objection to Knutsford having a gay pub.

I'm sure Knutsford and the surrounding district isn't totally heterosexual so perhaps the time has come when we should cater for everyone.

But there are many things in life that we want and we don't always get them.

The current absence of a gay pub in town does not give any man the justification to use a public toilet for sex.

To do so is to disregard the rights of other people and to disrespect them.

For this is not the original intended use of public toilets.

The downside of having a gay pub is that it would create a community within a wider community.

If we are to fully understand and accept one another, then we have to socialise together and break down the barriers.

Personally, I have been appalled at some of the comments (last week's Knutsford Guardian) that have been passed on this subject.

Many of them had little to do with the 'real issue' of men frequenting the toilets for sex, but more to do with prejudice against gay men.

I find it hard to believe that in 1998 there are still people who are bothered by what two consenting male adults choose to do together.

Johnathon Simcock has passed his opinion on why men use the Northwich Road toilets for sex.

This situation will continue to exist until we know why it is happening and take steps to address the reasons.

To answer that question Macclesfield Borough Council would have to extensively consult with the gay community, but then that's probably far too liberal a view for me to even suggest.

JOANNE M JOHNSON

Manor Park North

Knutsford

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.