10/12/2008
News Sent - 10th December 2008
ln this week's e-mail newsletter: Equality Network News: Next National LGBT Forum - February 2009; The Big LGBT Conversation: Scotland's Future; Out & Safe 2009; Forums News: Christian Gays: Email Group Bible Study; Lesbian soldier wins harassment claim; Talk Scotland Events: LGBT History Month; LGBT Youth Scotland Schools Conference 2009; Lothian Gay & Lesbian Switchboard Cupid's Ball; UK News: Office of National Statistics: collecting sexual orientation statistics; Theologian will argue that fair asylum is a touchstone for human rights; EHRC urges Speaker's Conference to consider sexual orientation; "How gay films made me a better man"; International: UN: Pope opposes decriminalising homosexuality; India: the law against nature; US: Ex-administrator claims religious right to be homophobic; US:"Day Without a Gay"; LGBT Families, Civil Partnership and Cohabitation: Catholic adoption agency tells Cardinal that Jesus taught love without prejudice; Europe: Ask your MEP to support recognition of civil unions across the EU; UK Government challenged civil partnerships abroad; Proposition 8 - The Musical
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.
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.
Today is
International Human Rights Day.
Equality Network News
Apologies for the absence last week of LGBT News, due to staff sick leave.
Next National LGBT Forum - February 2009
Over 50 people attended the first National LGBT Forum at the Lighthouse in Glasgow on Friday. The second Forum is planned for February: more details in the new year.
The Big LGBT Conversation: Scotland's Future
Thursday 12th February at 7:00pm at the Scottish Story Telling Centre in Edinburgh. Supported by the SCVO.
Out & Safe 2009
Saturday 28th February at Cedarwood, 20 Edgar Road, Elgin, Moray, IV30 GUQ, supported by
Grampian Police. A free event for the LGBT community on policing and community safety.
For all events, contact Scott Cuthbertson (scott@equality-network.org) for further information.
Forums News
Christian Gays: Email Group Bible Study
An American pastor holds online Bible study live every week on
http://www.christian.gays.com. "We have two Bible Study groups. One is in the Chat Rooms on Sunday nights at 9 pm EST (2am GMT), and the other is via an Email List Serve where all people in the group get to read and respond to your letters."
christiangays.com/chat_study.shtml
Lesbian soldier wins harassment claim
A soldier who was sexually harassed by her sergeant and persecuted by the Army hierarchy after she complained of the harassment, won exemplary damages at a tribunal: but many news reports have focussed on the higher payments awarded by an industrial tribunal compared to the MoD's own payments to injured soldiers. (
BBC)
"The claimant was subjected to a sustained campaign of victimisation over a lengthy period. The victimisation extended to imposition of disciplinary sanctions, impinging the claimant's mental stability and obstructing her transfer to a more suitable posting." (
The Independent)
Terence Blacker: "Clearly there is still prejudice within the armed forces, yet the case received no more than a cool, formal apology from the MoD."
Equality Network > Forums > Employment
Talk Scotland Events
LGBT History Month
1st February-28th February 2009
www.lgbthistory.org.uk
Are you looking to host an event?
Advertise it on the History Month website.
LGBT Youth Scotland Schools Conference 2009
"You can be part of challenging homophobia in Scottish schools."
Thursday 5th February 2009, 10-4pm, The University of Edinburgh, The Pleasance, Edinburgh. All conference places are free of charge, thanks to the support of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/schools-conference-2009.htm
Lothian Gay & Lesbian Switchboard Cupid's Ball
Held in the Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh on 14th February from 8pm-1am. The these this year is 'Cupid's Ball.' Tickets will be available from mid-January from The Hub 0131 473 2000 or at lgls.co.uk.
www.lgls.co.uk
UK News
Office of National Statistics: collecting sexual orientation statistics
All major government population surveys will now include a question about sexuality. Participants will be asked to classify themselves by putting a tick against one of four options: heterosexual/straight, gay/lesbian, bisexual, or "other". (
The Independent,
PinkNews)
Theologian will argue that fair asylum is a touchstone for human rights
A leading British theologian will make an appeal for humanity and justice to be at the centre of the asylum system in a lecture to be given at Westminster Abbey in Central London tonight. Canon Nicholas Sagovsky's talk, entitled 'Asylum: A Touchstone for Human Rights', will discuss the present and future operation of the UK asylum system, and call for the consistent application of human rights throughout as a 'touchstone' of an open and democratic society. (
Ekklesia)
EHRC urges Speaker's Conference to consider sexual orientation
The
Equality and Human Rights Commission has called for a forthcoming conference on the lack of representation of minority groups in Parliament to include LGB people. The Speaker of the House, Michael Martin, vetoed consideration of openly LGB MPs in Parliament because "MPs' sex lives should stay private". (
PinkNews)
MP Julie Morgan on improving representation in the House of Commons (
WalesOnline)
"How gay films made me a better man"
A candid review of Steven Paul Davies's book
Out at the Movies: A History of Gay Cinema says the book "displays a well-judged queer eye for numerous ostensibly straight films, showing on a movie-by-movie basis how gay and lesbian sensibilities find themselves reflected throughout the history of modern society's love affair with celluloid." (
The Guardian)
International
UN: Pope opposes decriminalising homosexuality
The Vatican's envoy to the UN has announced the Pope's opposition to a proposed UN declaration calling for an end to the practice of criminalising and punishing people for their sexual orientation, which punishment in some countries includes the death penalty. The Italian gay rights association Arcigay says the Vatican's opposition to the anti-discriminatory measure is "unprecedented". All 27 EU countries support the declaration. Earlier this year the Vatican also refused to sign a UN declaration supporting the rights of the disabled because the declaration included the right of disabled people to "sexual health and reproduction", which in many countries includes the right to choose abortion. (
The Guardian,
Time,
The Times)
India: the law against nature
P P Malhotra, Additional Solicitor General, submitted last week that the judiciary has no power to overrule Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which provides a punishment up to life imprisonment for "carnal intercourse against the order of nature". The Naz Foundation is challenging the law on medical grounds, arguing that it prevents gay men, many of whom are at high risk from AIDS, from receiving treatment. Another group, "Voices against 377" contends that Section 377 violates the constitutional rights guaranteed to all. The Delhi High Court is expected to give its judgement soon. (
Indian Express,
Express India,
Times of India)
US: Ex-administrator claims religious right to be homophobic
Ohio is one of many states in the US which legally bans recognition of same-sex marriage and same-sex civil unions: but the University of Toledo (UT) by policy is moving towards providing all same-sex couples working for the university with domestic partner benefits. Crystal Dixon, an assistant vice president of human resources at UT, objected to this on religious grounds, both in a newspaper column and at a private hearing following the publication of her views. Ms Dixon has recently annnounced she intends to sue the university for violating her First Amendment rights. (
Toledo Blade,
GayPeoplesChronicle)
US:"Day Without a Gay"
LGBT equality activists in the US plan a national grass-roots effort for today, the International Human Rights Day, designed to show the size and impact of the gay and lesbian community. Organizers are urging people to "call in gay" - skipping work to volunteer at human-rights organizations. (
The Times,
Seattle Times,
Chicago Tribune)
LGBT Families, Civil Partnership and Cohabitation
Catholic adoption agency tells Cardinal that Jesus taught love without prejudice
Cardinal O'Brien announced his resignation as president of
St Andrew's Children's Society because it plans to comply with the Sexual Orientation Regulations. The chair of the Society, Maureen McEvoy, said "We believe we need to be able to recruit adoptive and foster care families from as broad a spectrum of people from our community as possible without discrimination. The society believes that this is compatible with what Jesus taught us about loving, respecting and valuing everyone without prejudice." (
PinkNews)
Europe: Ask your MEP to support recognition of civil unions across the EU
At the moment, there is no consistent recognition across member states in the EU for same-sex civil unions, registered partnerships, or even same-sex civil marriage. A couple who register a civil partnership in the UK are not guaranteed legal recognition of their partnership if they move to another EU country, even if that country has legal recognition of same-sex relationships. This can cause many difficulties, and has caused extreme hardship in some instances.
A cross-party group of MEPs has submitted a
Written Declaration (number 0076/2008) (PDF) in the European Parliament to urge the Commission to draw up guidelines for mutual recognition between member states in the European Union. You can write to your MEP to ask them to support this Declaration before the deadline: 15th January 2009. The UK Civil Partnership Act specifically recognises all civil unions equivalent to marriage, and all same-sex marriages, as a civil partnership in the UK, but this is not universal across EU countries with same-sex civil unions: for example, though the French pacte civil de solidarité (PACS) is recognised in the UK as a civil partnership, the reverse is not the case. You can find out who your MEP is, and fax a letter to them, via
www.writetothem.com.
Equality Network > International > Europe
UK Government challenged civil partnerships abroad
In the European court of human rights, the UK government challenged the claim of an Austrian couple, Horst Schalk and Johann Kopf, that Austria has violated their right to a private and family life, the right not to suffer discrimination, and the right to marry. It argued that the UK's civil partnership legislation was "a natural progression towards its goal of developing a more inclusive society", but defended the right of other European countries not to follow suit. This challenge has now been dropped. (
The Guardian)
Proposition 8 - The Musical
A star-studded cast turns out for award-winning composer Marc Shaiman's "Prop 8 - The Musical." This free video is available from the
Funny or Die website, and stars Jack Black as Jesus. (
Time,
The Telegraph)
The Rev. Judith Jones, president of the California Council of Churches, which opposed Proposition 8, described the measure as "a dangerous precedent". A Disciples of Christ pastor, Jones said: "Regardless of your views on same-sex marriage, you do not have the right to legislate individuals' lives in this way." (
Ekklesia)
The religious case for gay marriage (
Newsweek,
blog.newsweek.com)
The
Pulse of Equality survey (PDF file), commissioned by the
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, found that majorities of Americans favor either marriage or civil unions for gay couples, hate-crime laws to protect gay and transgender people, letting gays in the military serve openly, and allowing gays and lesbians to adopt children.
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
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.
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