28/04/2010
News Sent - 28th April 2010
In this week's e-mail newsletter: Equality Network News: Speak Out Highlands and Islands; UK General Election 2010: Lobby Your Candidates; Forums News: Question Alex Salmond on LGBT equality; Glasgow University to honour Archbishop Conti; NHS: men's attitudes towards HIV; Talk Scotland Events: Bi Glasgow Monthly Meeting; Inverness: Highland Rainbow Folk; Edinburgh: Queer Mutiny; Transmen Scotland AGM; Inverness: Pink Castle Philosophy Club; International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia; Stirling ‘Keywords’ Symposium: ‘Citizenship and Gender’; Edinburgh: Praying For An Inclusive Church; Terrence Higgins Trust Firewalking Challenge; UK News: Soho Remembers: 11th Anniversary of the Nailbombings; UK flouts UN guidelines on asylum seekers; International: Malawi: Message from Chichiri Jail; Working for All: BEMIS: Policy and Equality Officer; LGBT Families: Italy refuses to legalise same-sex marriage
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Equality Network News
Speak Out Highlands and Islands
The popular Speak Out programme resumes - six meetings across the region, free and open to all, in Lerwick, Kirkwall, Wick, Elgin, Fort William, and Stornoway, 18th to 28th May. Full details on
National LGBT Forum Events calendar for May.
Director: Equality Network
Edinburgh / £34,284 starting salary
The Equality Network is Scotland's leading policy and influencing organisation for our LGBT communities. It has a high reputation across wide equality and political fields and is now being recognised at a European level. Following a very successful first decade, we are looking for a Director to take us to the next level.
We are looking for a dynamic individual with strong skills in strategic planning, people and financial management and who combines these with strong negotiating and influencing skills.
www.equality-network.org/vacancies
UK General Election 2010: Thursday 6th May
Check if you are registered to vote at the Electoral Commission website
www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
You can lobby your candidates
Stonewall UK: How did your MP vote on lesbian, gay and bisexual equality issues during the last Parliament?
Amnesty International - Keep Human Rights In The Mix
Politics in your Pocket - Engender's election 'manifesto' suggests questions to ask the candidates
Stop the War Coalition invites voters to poll candidates on these issues "We have had nine years of politicians waging wars that most people in Britain did not support".
Abortion Rights UK "With over 70 pro-choice MPs stepping down, the next House of Commons will look very different after May 6th, whoever wins the election. So it's vital that all the parties and their candidates know that Britain supports a woman's right to choose."
Forums News
Question Alex Salmond on LGBT equality
Your chance to quiz first minister of Scotland & SNP leader Alex Salmond on LGBT equality
Pink News provides a
link to enter your question 9am on the 29th April 2010.
Glasgow University to honour Archbishop Conti
The Archbishop of Glasgow, Mario Conti, is to be awarded an honorary degree by Glasgow University this June. (
Daily Record) Conti has expressed homophobic views strongly in the recent past: in 2002, he claimed that it was "selfish" for same-sex couples to seek equal parental rights for their children, claiming that for a child to have two mothers or two fathers was a "social and psychological minefield". In 2006 Archbishop Conti was the signatory to a Pastoral Letter on Family Law, to be read in all parishes and distributed to Catholic households throughout Scotland. In this letter Archbishop Conti condemned the Civil Partnership Act 2004, describing this as creating a “fiction of marriage”. (
Thinking Anglicans) University vice-principal
Graham Caie said that the university was delighted to award an honorary degree to Archbishop Conti in recognition to his "contribution to the ecumenical life of Scotland" and his close tie to the University of Glasgow. (
Glasgow Guardian)
NHS: men's attitudes towards HIV
NHS Health Scotland is carrying out an important survey on attitudes towards HIV of men who have sex with men in Scotland. It will only take 8 minutes to complete. The survey is being undertaken by Progressive, an independent Market Research agency based in Scotland.
Click on the link to take part.
Talk Scotland Events
Bi Glasgow Monthly Meeting
Wed 5th May, 7:30-9pm. This month's event: The Big Bad Bi Quiz. Bi Glasgow meets on the first Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm at Castro (formerly the LGBT Centre), 84 Bell Street, Glasgow, G1 1LQ.
Inverness: Highland Rainbow Folk
Thurs 6 May, 7pm, Dunbar Centre, Church Street - next meeting for the Highland Rainbow Folk organised by Age Concern and Help the Aged in Scotland / THT. Contact Suzy Gentle - Age Scotland (tel: 01309 673455)
www.gay-ness.org.uk/rainbowfolk.html
Edinburgh: Queer Mutiny
8 May, 9pm. Queer Mutiny at The Forest Cafe, 3 Bristo Square, free entry and free food! Featuring Medusa's Curse, Zorras and Jake. BYOB.
queermutiny.awardspace.com
Transmen Scotland AGM
8th May 2010, 7:30pm, at the LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing. "As ever at these things, we will be looking for more committee members. But even if that's not something you feel you can take on, please do come along and have your say in how the group should move forward for the next year."
www.transmenscotland.org.uk
Inverness: Pink Castle Philosophy Club
Tues 11th May, 7pm. Do you have an opinion? - Politics? Science? Morality? This is an opportunity to get together with like minded people to discuss issues that affect everyone in an atmosphere which is both fun and intellectually stimulating. For more details email: morgan@tramstop.org
International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia
Monday 17th May
Stirling ‘Keywords’ Symposium: ‘Citizenship and Gender’
Wednesday 19th May, 10am-1pm, Linking theory, policy, research and practice in the applied social sciences. An event hosted by the Governance, Participation and Inclusion Research Group, Department of Applied Social Sciences, University of Stirling. The aim is to explore contemporary keywords in the applied social sciences in a way which links theory, policy, research and practice from an interdisciplinary perspective. Free and open to all but places are limited: contact Linda Rankin l.c.t.rankin@stir.ac.uk
Edinburgh: Praying For An Inclusive Church
Sunday 23rd May, 2010, at 3pm in St. George’s West Parish Church, Shandwick Place, Edinburgh
Affirmation Scotland at The General Assembly of The Church of Scotland invites all who wish to attend to a special service to reflect upon what it means to be an inclusive church, and to pray for this church to become a reality.
IDAHO: "Join the voices that call upon religious leaders to stop fuelling homophobia and transphobia and to act for universal Human Rights for all people."
Terrence Higgins Trust Firewalking Challenge
THT are currently recruiting people to take part in their firewalking challenges at Oldmeldrum on
Friday 4th June. "We are asking people to face, challenge and overcome their fears whilst raising a minimum of £50 sponsorship which will help towards funding local activities, raising awareness and education of HIV."
THT North Please contact Andi Watson on 0845 241 2151 or andi.watson@tht.org.uk for more information and to book a place.
UK News
Soho Remembers: 11th Anniversary of the Nailbombings
6pm Friday 30 April, St Anne’s Garden Soho, London, a Commemoration event for the 11th Anniversary of the Nailbombings. Three people were killed in the Admiral Duncan bombing and their friends and families will be attending a short service in the gardens. Three easel boards will be located around the gardens to encourage people to share their thoughts and ideas on how we can come and work together to stop hate crime in our communities. The Gardens will close at 7.30pm.
For more info:
Facebook
BBC: On This Day Lesbian & Gay Foundation: The Admiral Duncan Bombing
Serious concerns were expressed last week by the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) in the wake of reports that Westminster City Council’s plans to encourage religious street pastors in the borough, which includes central London’s Soho – virtually a “gay village". (
UK Gay News)
UK flouts UN guidelines on asylum seekers
An Amnesty International report claims that the UK and several other European countries are breaching United Nations rules on returning vulnerable Iraqi asylum seekers. According to the report, women, ethnic minorities and gays, or those perceived to be gay, are most likely to be at risk of violence and persecution in the country. (
Pink News,
UK Gay News)
SOS: Support Iraqi LGBT (
Facebook)
International
Malawi: Message from Chichiri Jail
Two men who are to be tried on charges of homosexuality in Malawi have issued a message from their prison cell, affirming their love for each other and thanking their supporters. Both could be sentenced to up to 14 years in prison sentence. Tiwonge Chimbalanga said: "I love Steven so much. If people or the world cannot give me the chance and freedom to continue living with him as my lover, then I am better off to die here in prison. Freedom without him is useless and meaningless." Steven Monjeza said: "We have come a long way and even if our family relatives are not happy, I will not and never stop loving Tiwonge. All the support is well appreciated. We are grateful to everybody who is doing this for us." Until quite recently Steven and Tiwonge did not realise that they had been adopted as Prisoners of Conscience by
Amnesty International. When this news was relayed to them in prison they were, to quote one source: "Very happy with the effort made by Amnesty International to accord them this status. They offer their thanks to Amnesty." (
Pink Paper)
Peter Tatchell writes: "Steven Monjeza remains very ill in the notorious Chichiri Prison in Blantyre, Malawi, according to people who have seen him in the last two days. I have been sent an appeal to get him medical help." (
UK Gay News)
Working for All
BEMIS: Policy and Equality Officer
£ 26,496 - £28,806 (f/t 37 Hours) Key post to assist in the development and delivery of BEMIS objectives and work in relation to race and cross equality, promoting diversity and advising on policy reviews, strategic planning. Glasgow base but travelling required. BEMIS is the national umbrella body, funded by the Scottish Government to support the development of the ethnic minority voluntary sector and the social regeneration of the communities this sector represents throughout Scotland. BEMIS is looking to add to the core staff already in place with the following post: (post is funded initially till March 2011 with a view to continue subject to continued funding). Deadline:
5pm Friday 14th May 2010.
www.bemis.org.uk
LGBT Families
Italy refuses to legalise same-sex marriage
This April, Italy's Constitutional Court refused to lift the legal ban on same-sex marriage in Italy. The court had been asked to rule on the issue by lower courts in Venice and Trent, where gay couples had sought equal marriage rights at city halls. The Constitutional Court's formal opinion is not ready but news reports said the justices believe same-sex marriage is a matter that should be dealt with by legislators, not courts. Many Italian regions governed by centre-left coalitions have passed resolutions sine 2005 in support of French style PACS, including Abruzzo, Campania, Emilia Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Marche, Puglia, Tuscany, and Umbria. These resolutions are symbolic, as regions do not have legislative power over recognition of marriage. Silvio Berlusconi's government opposes the recognition of any form of same-sex relationship. (
Pink News)
The EU-wide mutual recognition of same-sex unions was “not a priority for the moment”, an official from the European Commission has said at a press briefing on 21st April. (
UK Gay 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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