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11/29/2007
News sent - 29th November 2007
In this week’s e-mail newsletter: Equality Network News: Out & Safe; Forums News: UK: Public funds offered to adoption agencies; Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill; TransEurope Survey - Scots wanted!; Christian bookshops refuse to stock Bible guide; 16 Days of Action Against Violence Against Women; Christian couple return to fostering; World AIDS Day: Miss Manners: How to tell someone they gave you an STD; Loud and Proud on World AIDS Day; Record high in Lothians; Talk Scotland Events: 2011 Census; Edinburgh events against violence against women; Rest of UK: Arguments for hate speech legislation; Stephen Fry writes panto with civil partnership; London: Labour councillor smears gay rival with "paedophile" charge: International: New Polish PM says will stick to rejection of EU rights charter; Netherlands: LGBT health insurance launched; LGBT Families: Some private pension schemes still discriminate; Australia: Election Results for LGBT is "Ruddy Good News"

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Equality Network News

Out & Safe
Saturday 26th January, 10am-4pm, Dundee. Your chance to talk to the police about public safety for LGBT people, especially in the North East Scotland region. If you're interested in attending, contact Scott Cuthbertson (scott @equality-network.org). Note date change: was 15th Dec. If you have a Facebook account, read more about the event here.
Equality Network > Talk Scotland > North-East Scotland

Forums News

UK: Public funds offered to adoption agencies
Catholic bishops claim the UK government offered funds to adoption agencies to help them find ways to evade equalities legislation. This claim been dismissed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, who say funding has been provided to all voluntary adoption agencies to access the legal, financial and/or human resource advice they need.
Equality Network > Forums > Family Law/Partnership Rights

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill
The Labour Government will support the Bill, which repeals the last direct discrimination against LGBT people. Religious objections against the bill seem to argue that it is better for a child not to exist than to be born to a same-sex couple. Labour MPs will not be given a free vote on this issue.
Equality Network > Forums > Family Law/Partnership Rights

TransEurope Survey - Scots wanted!
Press for Change have extended the deadline to respond to the Trans Europe Survey to the end of 2007 - you now have until 31st December to respond. Scotland is one of the countries with a very low response rate so far. The Scottish Transgender Alliance asks: if you identify (or ever identified) as transgender, cross dresser (full-time or part-time), transvestite, travestie, transsexual, bi- or a- or poly-gendered - to complete this questionnaire, no matter whether you are having medical treatment or not.
Equality Network > Talk Scotland > Scotland

Christian bookshops refuse to stock Bible guide
A classical Greek lexicographer, Ann Nyland, has written a study guide to the New Testament that disputes a common translation used to condemn gay men. Several Christian booksellers in the US and Australia have refused to stock it.
Equality Network > Forums > Religion and Belief

16 Days of Action Against Violence Against Women
25th November to 10th December 2007: An international time of action against violence against women.
"We should be looking towards Scotland as an example of good practice", says Liz Kelly, co-author of the report Map of Gaps: The Postcode Lottery of Violence against Women Support Services. "In Scotland, services are distributed more equally across the country than in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Scottish executive recognises that sexual violence is a barrier to women's equality. Indeed, it is the only country within the UK where the rape crisis movement is expanding as opposed to diminishing."
Rape Crisis Scotland: 08088 01 03 02, Freephone 6pm-midnight every night
Equality Network > Forums > Gender

Christian couple return to fostering
The couple who resigned as foster parents and sent their foster child back to a children's unit, have now agreed to sign Somerset’s Equalities Promise, which includes an expectation not to discriminate unfairly for reasons of sex, marital status, caring responsibilities or sexual orientation. They say they misunderstood and thought that "no discrimination" meant a committment to "promote homosexuality".
Equality Network > Forums > Family Law/Partnership Rights

World AIDS Day

Miss Manners: How to tell someone they gave you an STD
The famous American etiquette writer advises on the most polite way to tell someone that they have given you a sexually transmitted disease.
Equality Network > Forums > Health

Loud and Proud on World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day Chorus: Saturday 1 December 2007 @4pm
St John's Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh (free)
Festive Concert: Saturday 8th December 2007 @ 8pm ( Doors open at 7.30pm) Church Hill Theatre, Morningside Road, Edinburgh. Tickets Ł7/Ł5
Equality Network > Talk Scotland > Edinburgh and the Lothians > Events

Record high in Lothians
8000 posters and 200 bus ads are being distributed as part of a Ł10,000 campaign funded by NHS Lothian to reiterate the dangers of unprotected sex. The HIV Comeback Tour has been dubbed a "stylish safer sex message" ahead of the Christmas party season, highlighting that infections are on the increase again.
Equality Network > Talk Scotland > Scotland > World AIDS Day - 1st December

Talk Scotland Events

2011 Census
The 2011 Census will be uniquely Scottish and will include some questions not on the Census forms in England or Wales. People may be asked what their religious background is, as they were in the 2001 Census, and there may be new questions on sexual orientation and speaking Scots.
Equality Network > General

Edinburgh events against violence against women
16 Days of Action March & Rally: Thursday 6 December 2007, 6.15pm meet at Festival Square, march through the City Centre 6.15pm-9.00pm. Also, two free film nights: Provoked and Sleeping with the Enemy.
Equality Network > Talk Scotland > Edinburgh and the Lothians > Events

February is LGBT History Month in Scotland
How will you take part in 2008? What did you do in 2006 or 2007? LGBT Youth Scotland are looking for feedback on the previous two LGBT History Months in past years, and inviting people who'd like to participate next year to share ideas and plans.
Equality Network > Talk Scotland > Scotland

UK News

Arguments for hate speech legislation
The UK government is said to be split over new proposals to make incitement to gay hatred a crime. The Attorney-General and the Justice Secretary, are understood not to be in agreement over plans which would make it an offence to incite violence or hatred against someone because of their sexuality. Maria Eagle, a minister in the UK justice department says: "If you go around inciting hatred against a group of people or an undefined group of people on the grounds of their sexuality, that isn't against the law. We think it should be."
Equality Network > International > Rest of UK

Stephen Fry writes panto with civil partnership
Stephen Fry has written a new version of Cinderella for the Old Vic: Buttons weds Dandini. The Daily Telegraph complains.
Equality Network > General > Queer Gaze

London: Labour councillor smears gay rival with "paedophile" charge
A councillor who won her seat after smearing the sitting councillor with the charge of being a “paedo” and claiming he had an underage Thai boyfriend began her appeal against the conviction this week. The Labour Party has said they will not fund her appeal. The ex-councillor who lost his seat to her has a civil partner who is 38 and Malaysian in origin.
Equality Network > International > Rest of UK

International

New Polish PM says will stick to rejection of EU rights charter
New Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that Warsaw would stick to a refusal to sign the EU charter of fundamental rights, despite an earlier pledge by a top party official.
Equality Network > International > Europe

Netherlands: LGBT health insurance launched
A Dutch insurance firm plans to offer special healthcare policies for gay and lesbian clients. A spokesperson for the Agis company said the policy had been worked out in co-operation with the COC Dutch gay rights group, and will be available from the beginning of 2008.
Equality Network > International > Europe

LGBT Families, Civil Partnership and Cohabitation

Some private pension schemes still discriminate
A financial planner advises same-sex couples in private pension schemes to confirm that their pension provider recognises civil partnership.
Equality Network > Civil Partnership > International

Australia: Election Results for LGBT is "Ruddy Good News"
The Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby says their election survey showed that LGBT voters "went into this election with a stark difference between the major parties on gay and lesbian equality. The ALP came out particularly stronger than the Coalition on relationship and family recognition, addressing homophobia in education and consultation with our community."
Equality Network > Civil Partnership > International

Further discussion on civil partnership on the boards:
Equality Network > Civil Partnership

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.