03/06/2009
News sent - 3rd June 2009
In this week's e-mail newsletter: Equality Network News: STA Forum; National LGBT Forum; Hate Crime; Forums News: Attempt to overthrow Scott Rennie's appointment fails; Cervical smear research: volunteers wanted; Talk for Scotland: volunteer needed; The Glasgow Equality Partnership to be restructured; Talk Scotland Events: New Director of Stonewall Scotland; Ending the Silence: LGBT Domestic Abuse in Scotland; Borders LGBT Barbeque; CRFR Informal seminar: Cheating on the sisterhood: Infidelity and feminism; Pride Scotia: Saturday 27th June; Refugee Week 2009: 15 – 22 June; Skipping Dinner/Brothmix; UK News: European Elections: Thursday 4th June; Police alarm as homophobic attacks rise; Eastenders: a traditional love affair; International: US: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month; France: Transsexuality no longer classified as a mental illness; India: Dr Binayak Sen freed; Working for All: Appointments to the Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards; LGBT Families, Civil Partnership and Cohabitation: Pink Guide to Adoption; Lift the ban on same-sex marriage in Scotland
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.
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The boards at
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Equality Network News
STA Forum
Saturday 4th July, Glasgow. Contact James Morton (james@equality-network.org) if you would like to attend.
www.scottishtrans.org
National LGBT Forum
Wednesday 15th July, Stirling. Contact Scott Cuthbertson (scott@equality-network.org) if you would like to attend.
Hate Crime
The final debate and vote on the
Offences (Aggravation By Prejudice) (Scotland) Bill, proposed by Patrick Harvie MSP and backed by the Scottish Government, will take place this afternoon. The bill is derived from the proposal put forward by Working Group on Hate Crime in 2006, where the Equality Network was represented by Tim Hopkins and Kate Joester. A e-mail will go out tomorrow to our network about the debate. (
BBC)
Forums News
Attempt to overthrow Scott Rennie's appointment fails
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland voted in support of the Queen’s Cross Church congregation's right to call the Rev. Scott Rennie to be minister of their church, and the local presbytery's right to sustain the congregation's call - a decision applauded by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. “I would find it impossible to stand by when people are being persecuted for something about which they can do nothing – their sexual orientation. I find it a little difficult to understand, when from all that we know about our Lord, he would have been on the side of the oppressed and on the side of those in the minority.” (Aberdeen
Press and Journal)
Cervical smear research: volunteers wanted
In April, we invited our network to respond to a survey on the experience of lesbian, bisexual, and trans or intersexed people in the NHS cervical screening programme. That survey was intended to inform a meeting that we had with Kat Hasler, Screening and Immunisation Coordinator at NHS Health Scotland, in May. If you responded to this survey, we thank you for your input: Kat Hasler is interested in hearing from you about your views on cervical screening. Hasler is conducting research into what women think about cancer and cancer prevention, in particular about cervical cancer screening. She is looking for women to take part in a short (about 45 minutes), confidential and anonymous face-to-face interview in early June. For further information, please contact Kat Hasler on 0131 313 7511, 07717 816 592 or at kat.hasler@nhs.net.
Talk for Scotland: volunteer needed
A practical toolkit for engaging with people with communication support needs, developed by Communication Forum Scotland. The CFS is looking for an out lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans person with communication support needs to take part in the toolkit (an online resource that contains both pictures and audio quotes from people with communication support needs). If you would like to take part in this resource, or would like to find out more, please contact Judith Sandeman at infojudith@btconnect.com or on 0131 229 6754.
Talk for Scotland toolkit:
The Glasgow Equality Partnership to be restructured
Recommendations are to be followed to restructure the service provided by Glasgow Equality Partnership (GEP) into one that focuses on a cross-strand approach to quality work whilst simultaneously building the capacity of the individual equality networks (Black Network, West of Scotland LGBT Forum , Glasgow Disability Alliance & Women’s Network), ensuring improved engagement and input of specialist knowledge. The GEP in its current format will be wound down and until new structures are in place, Glasgow City Councils Equality Network Forum and the individual Equality Networks will continue to take on the job of ensuring people who experience discrimination and marginalisation are able to influence and be represented at policy and practice levels.
www.enf.org.uk
Talk Scotland Events
New Director of Stonewall Scotland
The Equality Network is pleased to announce that Carl Watt, formerly Head of External Relations at Museums and Galleries Scotland, is to become the new Director of Stonewall Scotland this month.
Become a fan of Stonewall Scotland!
If you are on
Facebook, you can become a fan and get regular updates about Stonewall Scotland's news and activities.
Ending the Silence: LGBT Domestic Abuse in Scotland
Friday 5th June, 10am-1pm, SWA, 2nd Floor, 132 Rose Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3JD
In November 2006 the initial findings of research comparing the experiences of those in same sex relationships with those of women in heterosexual relationships was published by academics at the Universities of Bristol and Sunderland. The study revealed that most domestic abuse survivors do not report it to the police, partly because they do not recognise it as domestic abuse and see it as their own problem, and partly because they do not believe they will get a sympathetic response. This seminar explore these issues and considers developments in Scotland to address the concerns, end the silence and make links with the violence against women movement. For further information please contact Emma on 0131 226 6606 or at info@scottishwomensaid.org.uk
Borders LGBT Barbeque
Saturday 6th June, from 2-5pm at
Boleside Picnic site, Galashiels. "Please note that there is NO vehicle access directly from the A7 to Boleside, you must drive down the unclassified road from the Tweed Road/Winston Road Roundabout."
www.borderslgbt.org.uk
Glasgow: Drawn Out & Painted Pink
Kate Charlesworth & David Shenton, two of the best-known British lesbian and gay cartoonists, exhibit their work at the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art (GoMA), April 9th - June 7th.
Glasgow Museum of Modern Art
CRFR Informal seminar: Cheating on the sisterhood: Infidelity and feminism
Thursday 25th June, 12.30-2pm, at CRFR, 23 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh
The seminar will be conducted by Lauren Rosewarne, Lecturer in Public Policy in the School of Social and Political Science and Associate Director of the Centre for Public Policy, at the University of Melbourne, Australia. "Please bring a sandwich - tea and coffee will be provided. If you would like to come please email brenda.saetta@ed.ac.uk"
www.crfr.ac.uk/events/informalsems.html
Pride Scotia: Saturday 27th June
Assembly from noon outside the City Chambers in the High Street with speeches from invited politicians and community leaders. At the One O’clock Gun, the march will follow the Royal Mile, passing the Scottish Parliament and Holyrood Palace, turning up Abbeymount, past the Regent, along Royal Terrace past London Road Gardens, up Baxter’s Place past Planet Out, CC Bloom’s and Habana, into Leith Street and will terminate in Calton Square beside the Omni Centre. (
Borders LGBT) This Pride commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York (the police raid took place at about one in the morning of 28th June).
Before Stonewall
The Edinburgh LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing is hosting a Pride Prep day to make banners on Sunday 21st June, 1-5pm, and a Pride Breakfast on the 27th from 10am–12pm: cost £5 for a full continental breakfast and a glass of Buck’s Fizz. Booking essential: call 0131 523 1100 or e-mail admin@lgbthealth.org.uk. All proceeds go towards the Centre. (Distance from EH3 6TE to EH1 1RE is 0.9 miles, according to
www.walkit.com.)
www.lgbthealth.org.uk
Refugee Week 2009: 15 – 22 June
Refugee Week in Scotland
Scottish Refugee Council's
guide for the week.
Skipping Dinner/Brothmix
Friday 5th June 7pm at the CCA
Saturday 13th June 12 noon-3pm, Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA), 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD
"Across Glasgow and every other town and city in the developed world, the food industry throws away tons of surplus food. But wherever there is waste, 21st century hunter gatherers are at work. Skipping Dinner juxtaposes film of Glasgow's freegan community at work with a performance banquet where diners feast on the finest, locally sourced, discarded produce." For "Brothmix", Sat 13th June only: "We invite people to bring an ingredient; an old tin of beans, some herbs from the garden, a forgotten packet of rice, a packet of spice they have never used..... The soup evolves as people contribute ingredients and we record recipe ideas as we go along."
CCA-glasgow.com
UK News
European Elections: Thursday 4th June
www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
"At a time when BNP activists are claiming a surge in support in the polls, a reflection, they say, of mounting public outrage over MPs' expenses, the party has been keen to portray itself as a viable alternative to mainstream political parties." The leader of the BNP, Nick Griffin, is standing as a prospective MEP. (
Guardian)
The BNP has described gay MPs as 'buggers and criminals' (
Pink News)
Scottish trade unions, political, civic, faith, and community organisations, including the Equality Network, have signed up to the following statement to underline their opposition to racism: “Scotland is a vibrant and diverse nation. There is no place in Scotland for politics that divide communities, promote hatred, and that whip up intolerance and violence. Scotland rejects racism and fascism."
On Saturday, at the St Andrew's Day anti-racism march and rally in Glasgow, the STUC, the mainstream political parties, and civic, faith and community groups campaigned on Glasgow’s streets with a large ballot paper to urge the electorate to vote for democracy, freedom and tolerance, and to reject the BNP. (
STUC)
unite against fascism, leafleting at Glasgow Central (4.30pm to 6pm) Wednesday 3rd Junme
Police alarm as homophobic attacks rise
Senior police say they are "exceptionally concerned" about a recent spate of murders of gay men as figures reveal that homophobic attacks are escalating. (
Guardian)
Eastenders: a traditional love affair
The BBC plan a new romance for the Square: Albert Square newcomer Syed Masood (Marc Elliott) will fall for Christian Clarke (John Partridge) and the pair will share an on-screen kiss. Yusuf Wehebi from
Imaan said: "It is high time that the invisible minority became a visible minority. It is entirely possible to be Muslim and gay and there's many of us in Britain today." (
BBC)
International
US: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the
Stonewall Riots, President Obama declared June 2009 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, and called upon the people of the United States to "turn back discrimination and prejudice everywhere it exists". (
White House website)
In 2008, Barack Obama committed to repealing the legislation that permits expelling people from the US military for their sexual orientation (
Don't Ask Don't Tell), and the federal legislation that requires the US federal government to refuse to recognise legal marriages of same-sex couples and permits states to refuse recognition (
DOMA). No action has been announced by Obama on carrying out either committment.
Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach awaits dishonorable discharge from the US military as a gay man. (
2news.tv)
Over 4000 people attended a march and rally in San Diego on 26th May in protest against the California Supreme Court's decision upholding Proposition 8, the initiative banning same-sex marriage in California, while simultaneously keeping in force the estimated 18.000 marriages between same-sex couples during the 4 1/2 months the court's previous ruling allowing them was in effect. (
Indybay news)
France: Transsexuality no longer classified as a mental illness
The Minister of Health, Roselyne Bachelot, appealed to the High Authority of Health in May to make a decree that transsexualism be removed from the category of psychiatric disorders, a spokesman for the department said. The IDAHO committee regard it as historic and symbolic that France chose the eve of IDAHO (17th May) to be “the first country in the world” to “remove transgender identity from the list of mental diseases”. Joël Bedos, secretary-general of the IDAHO Committee, said that this “historic decision” is also “an explosion of hope for all trans persons around the world”. (
TSroadmap)
India: Dr Binayak Sen freed
On 15th May, a “chain gang” of
shackled doctors paraded in Edinburgh to call for the release of human rights activist Dr Binayak Sen, who was released from jail in Raipur, India on Tuesday 26th May after two years incarcaration. He has been granted bail by the Supreme Court, but his trial for alleged "terrorist" links continues.
Amnesty International has repeated its call on the Indian authorities to immediately drop all the charges against Dr Sen.
Doctor Sen is national Vice-President of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), which has been active in the campaign to get the anti-gay law Section 377 repealed. (
New Kerala News)
Facebook: Voices against 377
Working for All
Appointments to the Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards
The Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards (SACDA) is responsible for recommending the distribution of distinction awards to individual medical and dental consultants in NHSScotland. The NHS Consultants’ Distinction Awards Scheme is designed to reward individual consultants for outstanding professional work and you will play a central role in selecting those to receive awards. If you live or work in Scotland and are looking for an enjoyable, rewarding and worthwhile opportunity, we would like to hear from you. Applications are invited from a wide range of people who have an interest in public service and are committed to the NHS. Apply by Friday 19th June 2009.
Public bodies: current-vacancies
LGBT Families, Civil Partnership and Cohabitation
Pink Guide to Adoption
The British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) has produced the Pink Guide to Adoption, the first ever guide for lesbians and gay men considering adoption. For both single adopters and same-sex couples wishing to adopt jointly, the first part of the book explores the adoption process and examines how being a prospective lesbian or gay adopter can and does affect every aspect of this. The second part consists of the stories of several lesbians and gay men at various stages of the adoption process. The law in Scotland on adoption and fostering now seems likely to change in September 2009. (
BAAF)
Lift the ban on same-sex marriage in Scotland
An
e-petition, supporting same-sex marriage and mixed-sex civil partnership, has been raised by Tom French on behalf of NUS LGBT Campaign Scotland: "calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to amend legislation to allow same-sex marriage and mixed-sex civil partnership."
www.equalmarriage.org.uk
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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