Instrumental in this has been the influence of the media, especially the BBC. From the first TV lesbian kiss on EastEnders through the gay story line on The Archers (an everyday story of country folk?) those years ago, the propaganda has been clearly there. Even the recent series Last Tango in Halifax, which began as a gentle tale of rekindled love between two heterosexual pensioners, turned into a TV stick to beat people unsure about the rightness of same-sex relationships. Of course, the obsequious defence always trotted out is that the broadcaster is only reflecting changes in society. But we all know that the media not only reflects but also shapes society.