29/07/2009
News Sent - 29th July 2009
In this week's e-mail newsletter: Equality Network News: EveryOne IN: launch in Glasgow 28th August; Forums News: Writing in the Bible; Same-sex commitment controversy likely to dominate Quakers conference; Grampian Police display Equality and Diversity rainbow; Talk Scotland Events: Dundee: LGBT Youth Information; Edinburgh: Velvet Women’s Club Night; Edinburgh: LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing takes summer break; Inverness: Chai n Chat; Inverness: Faith and belief over coffee; UK News: Gay Trooper is cover Soldier; EHRC launch their general Equality Measurement Framework; Imaan advises BBC on EastEnders storyline; TransID petition; International: Turkey: "Also the Flowers are 1001 kinds: The Story of Me and My Daughter"; China: Lesbian donors take action over being shunned; Working for All: EHRC: Eight new Commissioners; Edinburgh Gay Men's Chorus; LGBT Families, Civil Partnership and Cohabitation: Survey: Do same-sex couples differ to mixed-sex couples in how they try to influence each other’s feelings?; Northamptonshire: Homophobic adoption doctor reinstated as medical adviser; Ireland: Amnesty International supports marriage
If you're interested in using the Equality Network's bulletin boards to share information about local and international news and events in your area, e-mail ENnews@equality-network.org by close of day Friday each week for inclusion in next week's mailing.
If you have a Facebook account, you can join the
Equality Network group. Regular news updates and writings on the wall. You can also follow LGBT News on Twitter:
EN_LGBTNews.
The boards at
equality-network.invisionzone.com are now available only for posting news and events. A community discussion board is under development. Please send material for inclusion on the boards and in the weekly e-bulletin by end of day Friday each week.
Editor's note: I will be in Montreal for two weeks from 3rd August, and there will be no LGBT News on 5th, 12th, or 19th August.
Equality Network News
STA: UK Transgender Quality of Life survey
The Scottish Transgender Alliance is working to research quality of life and health issues for transgender people. The research findings will be used to inform Government and NHS policy work on transgender equality and inclusion. The survey measures key aspects of quality of life using internationally standardised questions designed by the World Health Organisation.
Read more.
Take the survey.
EveryOne IN: launch in Glasgow 28th August
EveryOne IN: Working towards Equality for Minority Ethnic Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People in Scotland is the first research of its kind in Scotland and tackles a subject that has long been ignored or deemed “too controversial” to openly discuss. Funded by the Equality & Human Rights Commission and delivered in partnership by Equality Network and Black and Ethnic Minorities Infrastructure in Scotland (BEMIS), EveryOne IN details the findings from nine months research. E-mail Tim Cowen (timc@equality-network.org) for an invitation.
www.equality-network.org/minorityethniclgbt
Forums News
Writing in the Bible
One of the exhibits at the Made in God’s Image exhibition, at the Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow, is "Untitled 2009" - a copy of the Bible, with a sign extending an open invitation: “If you feel you have been excluded from the Bible, please write your way back into it.” The exhibit was proposed by the local Metropolitan Community Church, but the main sentiment expressed is rage at Christianity, to the MCC's regret: “The Bible should never be used like that. It was our intention to reclaim it as a sacred text." The book is now behind glass. (
Times,
BBC,
Telegraph)
Same-sex commitment controversy likely to dominate Quakers conference
At this week's
annual conference of British Quakers, the issue of religious celebration for same-sex partnerships will be discussed. Around twenty Quaker Meetings in Britain have held ceremonies for same-sex commitments over the last twelve years, and this conference may put this on a national footing. The Quaker Meeting for Central Edinburgh has endorsed a strong statement for South East Scotland's Area Meeting to
present to Parliament, that they would strongly support a change in the law permitting religious celebrations for all religious denominations or faiths that wished to adopt it, so that same-sex couples could register their partnership as part of a Quaker Meeting. (
Ekklesia)
Grampian Police display Equality and Diversity rainbow
Grampian Police are displaying a rainbow window sticker in all their offices throughout the Force showing that they are an organisation that openly embraces and promotes the full spectrum of Equality and Diversity. These rainbow emblems are launched in conjunction with the first annual report of the Force's Single Equality Scheme, which can be accessed at the Grampian Police website at
www.grampian.police.uk or by contacting 0845 600 5 700 to ask for a copy.
ScottishLGBT.org/Events/News
Talk Scotland Events
Dundee: LGBT Youth Information
LGBT Youth Scotland holds monthly evening events in partnership with
the Corner, and funded by NHS Tayside and Dundee City Council. For further information contact LGBT Youth.
Edinburgh: Velvet Women’s Club Night
After eighteen months off,
Club Velvet returns to Edinburgh: Saturday 8th August from 10.30pm till 3am. LGBTI-friendly male guests welcome, if invited and accompanied by a lady. Venue: @ The Ark, 5 -7 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3BG
Club Velvet flyer
Edinburgh: LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing takes summer break
The LGBT Community Summer Fete at the Centre on Howe Street on Saturday 1st August is the last event of the summer programme. From Monday 10th to Saturday 22nd August the Centre will be closing. Normal services will resume after the 22nd and the Community Groups will still be meeting: the Centre will be hosting a new book group for women kicking off at 7pm on Wednesday August 12th. For more info, and/or to register interest, contact lauren@lgbthealth.org.uk
www.lgbthealth.org.uk
Inverness: Chai n Chat
Tuesday 18 August, at 7pm. The women's group "Chai n Chat" meets at THT, Waterloo Place. Friday 21 August, lunch from 12.30pm - 2pm, GirlZone in the restaurant upstairs in Debenhams (take the lift to the very top floor in the Eastgate shopping centre, don't go to the cafe on the ground floor!)
www.gay-ness.org.uk/events.html
Inverness: Faith and belief over coffee
Sunday 16 August, at 2.30 pm. Individuals to come together to explore issues of faith and belief over coffee in Starbucks at the Palace Hotel, Ness Walk, Inverness. Meetings on the third Sunday of each month. Everyone is welcome.
www.spanglefish.com/SwansofScotland
UK News
Gay Trooper is cover Soldier
Trooper James Wharton, the subject of this month's cover of the British Army's official magazine "Soldier", has served in The Household Cavalry Regiment for the past six years and came out after his initial training was over. "I came out to the Army before I told my parents, so that says a lot for the Armed Forces." But he admits that while attitudes have changed, there are some who are still unhappy with the idea of homosexuals in the Armed Forces, and potential recruits are sometimes put off signing up by ill-informed personnel. (
Independent,
Telegraph,
CBSnews)
EHRC launch their general Equality Measurement Framework
The EHRC published their
new measurement framework that can be used to assess equality and human rights across a range of domains relevant to 21st century life. This framework has been developed for the Commission by the London School of Economics and was formed after extensive consultations with the general public, groups subject to discrimination, and national governments across the UK.
www.equalityhumanrights.com
Imaan advises BBC on EastEnders storyline
Pav Akhtar, local councillor and Unison worker, has been paying special attention since EastEnders introduced its first gay Muslim character. Akhtar, the chair of Imaan, an organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Muslims, advised the BBC on the storyline in the hope that the character of Syed Masood would help tackle the double discrimination of homophobia and Islamophobia that many gay Muslims face. (
Guardian)
www.imaan.org.uk
Trans ID petition
In March this year we posted a link to a
petition urging the Prime Minister to ensure that the safety and privacy of a wide range of transgender people should be respected with regard to the UK government's plans for identity cards. The Prime Minister's Office has
responded to that petition.:
www.no2id-scotland.net /
www.ips.gov.uk/identity
International
Turkey: "Also the Flowers are 1001 kinds: The Story of Me and My Daughter"
A woman writes about her experience of mothering her trans daughter: "He said 'Mom, my spirit is different from my body', but I couldn’t understand. I suddenly looked at his eyes as if saying 'what does it mean?', but again I couldn’t understand. I asked 'What kind of thing is that?' He said 'I’m a female indeed, but my body is male'. ... Anyhow I could find solutions for any matter. So I said I could find also for this and broke the silence. And, 'Honey, my dear, don’t worry and care, we can take over it'." (
listag.wordpress.com)
www.lambdaistanbul.org
China: Lesbian donors take action over being shunned
Lesbians in China have set up an online petition to be allowed to donate blood. According to state-run
China Daily, the petition asks the government to repeal the 1998 ban. The law means that anyone who states they are gay or lesbian on a blood donation form is automatically disqualified from donating. However, there is no penalty for lying on the forms. (
PinkNews)
Working for All
EHRC: Eight new Commissioners
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is working to create a society in which people do not have to face inequality or discrimination. The EHRC came into existence 18 months ago to champion equality, diversity and human rights, to enforce the law, and provide information and advice so everyone knows their rights and responsibilities. This is an important time in the EHRC’s development and they are looking for up to eight new Board members to help the Commission advance its work as a modern cost effective regulator, and a champion of equality for all. You should be able to demonstrate a passion for, and demonstrable commitment to equality diversity and human rights.
To apply call 0870 240 3802 during office hours or go to:
www.appointments.org.uk/vacancies, quoting reference
GEO9069. Deadline: 7 September 2009. Interviews will be held in London in October / November 2009.
www.equalityhumanrights.com
Edinburgh Gay Men's Chorus
The EGMC is looking for new members and an accompanist/pianist. With around 30 members, the chorus has an ambitious programme of concerts and events for 2009/2010 and would love to have some more enthusiastic singers to boost our numbers. They are also looking for an accompanist/pianist, ideally a volunteer but a small performance fee may also be available. Open evening on Tuesday 8th September at 7.30pm, Dance For All, 106 St Stephen Street to find out more. Or email info@egmc.co.uk or go to
egmc.co.uk.
LGBT Families, Civil Partnership and Cohabitation
Survey: Do same-sex couples differ to mixed-sex couples in how they try to influence each other’s feelings?
ILGA-Europe is promoting this research study by Doctors Niven and Holman at the University of Sheffield, on the ways in which people deliberately try to influence the emotions of their partners, friends and co-workers. Unfortunately, from the responses gathered so far, the LGBT community has been under-represented. You can take part in
the survey here.
Read more about it.
Northamptonshire: Homophobic adoption doctor reinstated as medical adviser
Doctor Sheila Matthews, who was a member of the Northamptonshire county council adoption panel for five years, announced earlier this month that she believed same-sex adoptive parents were inferior to mixed-sex adoptive parents and therefore wanted to be able to abstain from considering same-sex couples as adoptive parents. The council removed her as a voting member of the panel, but said this week that she could continue as a medical adviser only without a vote. (
BBC,
Independent)
Ireland: Amnesty International supports marriage
Amnesty International's Irish executive director Colm O’Gorman said the Irish Government's planned civil partnership legislation is cowardly, rooted in bigotry and treats gay people as second class citizens, O’Gorman will use the annual Amnesty Belfast Pride lecture to repeat his claims that the legislation unveiled by Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern last month does not go far enough. (
Irish Times,
Pink News)
The Equality Network’s website for information on all aspects of LGBT family law – including civil partnership, cohabitation, having children, breaking up – is
www.lgbtfamilies.org
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