#18 Don't miss out!
22 January 2021
Thank you to everyone who asked a question for Peter Tatchell! It was so hard to choose two winners, and three others to send. Keep an eye out for Peter's answers soon!
Our primary winner this week is alert_meaning of Lyons Hall Primary School, who asked a really insightful question about protesting in other countries.
Our secondary winner is careful_science of Faringdon Community College who asked a very interesting question about the future world and what Peter Tatchell sees as possible. Also, special mention to patient_truth of Boutcher C of E Primary School who asked a similar question!
For every Issue, we try to find you the very best experts... and to help you develop your thinking about protest, we bring you the perfect person: Peter Tatchell.
Peter has been campaigning for human rights, democracy, LGBT+ freedom and global justice since 1967. He is well-known for speaking out against human rights violations around the world and has made it his mission to stand up for people who are being treated unfairly. He encourages others to do the same:
“Don’t accept the world as it is. Dream about what the world could be – then help make it happen.”
Peter has lots of experience with protest: amongst other things, he has campaigned to end wars, raised awareness of climate change and given a voice to people who are not allowed to speak out for themselves. He has also helped to create real positive change. For example, he played an important role in the creation of the Equality Act in 2010, which protects people from discrimination. Want to find out more? Watch this video!
Here's what other people have to say about him:
“Unpaid, tireless and he never stops…Peter Tatchell has probably done more for gay and human rights than anyone in Britain over the last 20 years”
Marcelle D’Argy Smith, feminist writer and ex-editor of Cosmopolitian
“He’s very necessary…incredibly brave…doing good work in a world where most people are too timid”.
Elton John, singer and musician
“A national hero”
Sunday Times
Peter is ready to answer your questions. What would you like to ask him? We will ask him the winning questions, plus three others.
Don't forget to tell us why you'd like to know the answer too!
TOP TIP: the best entries will include questions that nobody else has thought of.
The deadline for entries is Friday January 22nd at midday. PLEASE ENTER ONLY ONCE and make sure your work is your own. Good luck!
Comments (47)
I'd like to ask Peter Tatchell something. Do you always put your protests up on signs and posters or something else because if you have bad weather then won't the sings rip and get ignored? And what would you do when somebody disagrees and you try to get around the major step back and fight for the way that you protest in?
How can I/we help to make the the world a better place, stop climate change and try to save everything I/we hold dear?
I would like to know the answer to this Question because we can always make things better no matter how good or perfect they are and the the world is everything we know. I'd love to know how to help and contribute to stop Climate Change even more than I do now because for us it is everything and even what it's not or was and I don't to lose it and all the cute little fluffy animals with it( or for that matter any of the animals even the ones that aren't cute and fluffy!).
Thanks for reading!!!
emotional_night xxx
This is not a question but I would just like to ask what if you have a ready put your question down on the other post do you still have to copy and paste it to like this one
See if you can challenge yourself by coming up with a new question for this one, decisive_redcurrant. But don't worry - we will look at competition entries AND questions on the expert page before deciding which ones to put to Peter.
Ok
Hi, my question is that do you think celebrities and rich people should support a campaign to make a successful one? I would like to know that because people take actors and singers and rich people more seriously and the listen to them more. thank you from careful_moose.
Great thinking!
Thanks you :)
Hi careful_moose, this is an excellent question. Can you think of an example of a recent campaign that a celebrity took part in, what did the celebrity do to help this campaign? Can you use this example to think of the main reason that celebrities have an impact on campaigns? Is the impact always positive?
Thanks. Ariana Grande held a sign that said “black lives matter. A lot of young people and teenagers supported that because young celebrities also supported it.
I would like to ask Peter Tatchell , what inspired or encouraged to campaign for Human rights?
The reason why I am asking this is because it is interesting to know how someone just decides to be doing this for the world with knowing that they put themselves on the line. Also, it is very inspiring what you are doing to our planet to make it a better place. It is good to know that there are still kind and unselfish people in the world.
Thank you for what you are doing to help us to get through these tough times.
It is because people like you are helping being engaged in our learning even more.
My question is for Peter and it is a protester do you think that it is harder for people to change your mindset about something or if it is easier for people to change your mindset about something
My question for Peter is do you get a lot of disagreement and anger towards your views and what you protest for thank you
My questions for Peter Tatchell are: What encouraged you to protest at such a young age during a time of mass discrimination? As the director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation how does the foundation it help to impact society?
Is violence the best answer in some cases when peaceful protest does not work? I want to know because of the news this week.
That’s an interesting question, reflective_grasshopper. You said that current events inspired you to ask whether using violence can be the best way to protest in some situations. Can you say which particular protests you’re thinking about and whether you think they were effective?
hi this is my Question do you always need sighns to heard your voice and do you peter agree what people are saying for the democracy i want to know because sometimes i see on the internet and other places.people make posters and paper and hold them up.I also want to know because some people don't really agree with other people some time for the democracy.
My questions for Peter Tatchell are : What motivated you during these protests? What do you do when you get lot of hate or disagreement towards your protest? Also I was asking what motivated him because there is usually a flashback story or inspiring story behind many people's success and I want to know if it's the same for him! :D
How can people in countries like russia, north korea and china stand up for what they believe in?
Because if i were in their shoes i wouldnt know what to do without getting punished.
My questions are:
1. Have you always wanted to be a protestor? And what inspired you to be one? I want to know this because you put in a lot of effort to put your protests forward for what you believe in.
2. If there's two issues that you support, but they conflict with each other, how would you choose who to support in the end, as an example, girls changing rooms, who should decide who should use it and what if that puts off girls using the changing rooms?
I want to know this because in a situation like this, I would expect that girls - only activities would only have people that were born as girls. Should areas or activities that are not only for people who are born as girls, now be labelled as ‘mixed girls’ so people are aware?
I would like to ask Peter Tatchell,
Do you ever protest on any social media and if you do, when do you do so and do you mostly get positive comments or negative comments?
I am asking this because I am aware that this could happen and I would really like to know.
I would also like to thank you for standing up to Human Rights!
How hard is it to campain when people tell you to leave things alone and not protest for what you think is right
My question for Peter Tatchell is:
Do you believe in such a thing as a perfect world - a utopia where everybody lives equally and happily, getting what they deserve and is this what you are striving to accomplish during your lifetime? From the very beginning, is it the same thing that have driven you this far, and have you ever had a change of heart?
Personally, I find it deeply intriguing to find out more about major actions such as Mr Tatchell's, which is the reason behind these questions.
patient_truth
My question for Peer Tatchell is:
Do you think that if enough people campaign for equality and peace, we could make a 'perfect world' where everybody is equal and has equal opportunities or do you think that the world, no matter how hard we try and change it, will always have some dark element that we can't remove? If you do think that we could make a 'perfect world' or a utopian lifestyle, what would we have to do and will it have to be all inclusive and everybody has to help in someway? I have personally gone to quite a few protests and demonstrations for an assortment of things (blm, lgbtq+ ect...) and I would like to know if I should keep going and that it will make a change.
This is my question, hope you enjoyed.
-careful_science
My question is what is the largest riot to take place in the uk and what year did it happen?
My question is, how would you describe your first protest in detail? What was going on in your head when you were doing it? What were you feeling? What made you protest in the first place, and what do you think that protest might have changed?
Hi, I would like to ask him - do you know why all these protests are happening for some reason? My reason why I want to ask that is because it's getting to harsh especially for black lives matter. That's because people treat people with black skin differently to white people but not in a nice way.#
Thank You for reading it bye
skillful_conclusion
My question for peter is do you ever get disagreement and does it stop you from doing it and what’s it like having your job.
My question is does violence solve anything? Because it has not solved Black Lives Matter.
Hello so I would actually like to ask you, have you ever thought to give up once? Do you ever think people would ever be racist if they didn’t like your opinion or try to say mean things about your speeches and might give up on their life's if they get told mean things?
My question is do you always do peaceful protests or has there ever been a time were you had to fight for what you want because violence doesn't always make your voice heard,also have you ever clashed with another protest?
This is my question! :D
What/Who inspired you to help or to do this? I want to know this question because you can not just randomly help without even knowing why.
I would like to ask Peter Tatchell a question. Why are protests used?
My question to Peter Tatchell is what do you do if someone disapproves in relation to your protests and I want to know what you would do if your protest does not work?
Hi, i would like to ask you how did you tell your parents that you were gay and how did they react. I want to know this because i have seen many people on social media coming out to there parents, and many of them did not support there kids. How did your parents take it?
I would like to ask Peter Tatchell a question. What is the most effective way of protest? If you are violent, does it work more? How far can you take the protest?
My question is:
Since 1967 how many protests do you think you have done and what makes you want to do these protests and why?
eager_reflection here,
I would like to ask Peter Tatchell:
Why do some protests not work or why do they not make the government make any changes? I would like to ask this because I saw on the BLM protest that protesters affected the people but governments across the world haven't made any new laws yet concerning this.
In addition, I would like to ask: What has been your biggest and most rewarding achievement in your life? I would like to ask this because from what I've read you have done lots of successful and amazing things and so I would like to find out the one that stood out from the rest.
My final question is: What age do you think is appropriate for protesting? This is because here at the Burnet News Club we are all children.
Thanks for reading.
My Question is :
How did you start doing protests and why and what made you want to do these protests?
Hello, reflective_artic_fox here, my questions for Peter Tatchell is as following:
'Do you think that all protests have a solution for them?'
I would like to ask this because there are a lot of protests going on, but I think that it would be intriguing to know if some protests are or were started just for its own sake, and maybe ones that don't necessarily have a answer, but it is being protested about because people want to.
My second question is:
'Do you think that protests are the only way to get your voice heard?'
I am asking this because protests are usually seen as a way to get votes heard and things changed. But is it the only way for that to happen?
reflective_artic_fox
These questions really got me thinking! Well done!
Thank you!
votes=voices
My question is:
What is the better way to protest, online or offline? What is the difference between them? Is one way more effective than the other?
I'd like to know the answer because it has been said a lot that in-person protests are more effective. Is this true?
I would like to ask Peter 'Why do people have to protest' and 'Do you think we should protest'.
I would like to ask Peter, what keeps him going when people don't agree, look down on you, or say not very nice things - because that can be hard to deal with, puts you down, and you always get people like that with everything. Thanks, analytical_sea xx
I would like to ask people what top tips do you have for people like me who wants to make a difference and heal the world
My question for Peter Tatchell is:
What is the most difficult protest you campaigned at and what were you campaigning for?
I would like to know this because not all protests are peaceful and some people may not like what the campaign is for. Some people are against things such as LGBT+ freedom and certain human rights, even though ALL people should be treated equally.
How can we make the world a better place if most of the stuff we used to do when we made it worse?
And does police brutality solve everything because that is what a lot of police officers do?
Hi, this is my question. How do you lay out your opinions? How do you know that something is right or wrong? Do you do pros and cons and then protest when their is more cons or do you protest for anything that seems unfair? Also I just want to say thank you for all of your work!
I would like to ask what is something me and my class friends could do in our local area to change something we don't believe in. How do you start a debate or change just on your own and how do you get people to listen to you?
Keep an eye out for our interview with Kajal Odedra, who answered this very question! It'll be published by the start of next week.
The question that I would ask is “What’s the most meaningful campaign that you have been involved in?” I would ask this question because it would be interesting to understand what happens when someone is campaigning for something that they strongly believe in. I think that if people find out more about why you are campaigning, then they might want to join in and they can then spread the word about the amazing things the campaign stands for. I would also ask this question because I would like to get involved in campaigns and this may help me to join.
Aren’t you worried that people with extremist views (for example: religion/economics/health/politics) will use their right to protest to undermine our liberal democracy?
My question is Do we actually need to be violent to get your voice heard ? My other question is How do you get your voice heard about everything ?
What do you hope to achieve by making sexuality a political issue?
I ask this because for how long you have been doing this and changing peoples minds are you now creating a revolution for sexuality?
do you think that the protest has to be violent for your voice to be heard and do small protests make a change.