17/06/2009
News sent - 17th June 2009
In this week's e-mail newsletter: Equality Network News: Transforming Arts: invitation to a special preview; Equality Network and STA at Pride; STA Forum; National LGBT Forum; Forums News: End the deportation of gay asylum seekers; Hate Crime: dialogue by letter; Talk Scotland Events: Pride Scotia: Saturday 27th June; Inverness: Faith, Belief, and Coffee; Closing the Inequality Gap: Get Your Voice Heard; Mixed Bag Beach Party; Glasgow: Stonewall film and panel discussion; Inverness: Highland Rainbow Folk; Gude cause maks a strong arm; Paying the Price: the Social and Economic Costs of Domestic Abuse; UK News: London: Education for All Conference; Pride London; Pride in Brighton & Hove; BiCon 2009: Worcester; LGBT asylum seekers experience hidden homelessness; International: Brazil: Bomb attack at Sao Paulo Pride; Croatia: neo-Nazis arrested after Zagreb Pride; Bulgaria: British Ambassador supports LGBT Rally; LGBT Families, Civil Partnership and Cohabitation: Lift the ban on same-sex marriage and mixed-sex civil partnership; US: Obama administration defends DOMA
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
Transforming Arts: invitation to a special preview
The Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow is hosting two exhibitions featuring new work from sh[OUT] outreach projects, Rendering Gender and Made in God's Image. The exhibitions are open from 26th June to 22nd August. The first three people to contact LGBT News (jane@equality-network.org) can receive an invitation to the preview night on Thursday 25th June, 5.45-7.45 pm: each invite card admits two. Rendering Gender is by David Sherry with Transforming Arts, the writing group founded last year by the Scottish Transgender Alliance.
Glasgow Museums > sh[OUT]
Equality Network and STA at Pride
Look out for our stall at the Pride fair in Mood, the Omni Centre, Edinburgh, Saturday 27th June.
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.
Forums News
End the deportation of gay asylum seekers
JoJo Yakob, who lost his application for asylum last year after a tribunal said it did not believe his claims that he would be tortured if he was returned to Syria, now has fresh hope: his legal team are preparing a fresh asylum application after representatives from the Kurdish Yekiti Party and from the Western Kurdistan Association wrote to confirm his involvement with the opposition movement meant he faced persecution. Jojo Yakob was beaten in prison when guards found out he was gay. After several weeks, the 21-year-old escaped and came to the UK, ending up in Aberdeen before being jailed for a year for having a false passport. (
Scotsman) The Home Office does not explicitly accept persecution on the grounds of sexual orientation as a legitimate basis for gaining asylum. (
Facebook group)
The Home Office is facing legal action after it forcibly deported a gay Ugandan asylum-seeker when his case was still under review. John Bosco Nyombi is now seeking damages against the Government after British judges ruled that his removal was "manifestly unlawful" and ordered his return. (
Independent)
Refugee Week: 15th-21st June 2009
www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk
Hate Crime: dialogue by letter
A series of letters in the Herald on the recently passed Offences (Aggravation by Prejudice) (Scotland) Bill:
Talk Scotland Events
Pride Scotia: Saturday 27th June
Assemble at noon for a 1pm start outside the City Chambers. Pride festival in the Omni Centre. Pride Scotia are looking for volunteers on the day – if you can help, phone 0131-556 9471 or info@pride-scotia.org
www.pride-scotia.org
Amnesty International Scotland:
Love is a Human Right: event
Facebook
Inverness: Faith, Belief, and Coffee
2.30 pm, Sunday 21st June, Starbucks at the Palace Hotel in Ness Walk. "This will offer a 'spiritual space' which will enable individuals to come together to explore issues of faith and belief. Everyone is welcome." Enquiries: 01463 237452. This will be a regular event on the third Sunday of each month.
www.gay-ness.org.uk/events.html
Closing the Inequality Gap: Get Your Voice Heard
Wednesday 24th June 2009, 10.30am-1.30pm, City Chambers, Edinburgh
This workshop is being held by
BEMIS in partnership with the
Fawcett Society, with the aim of bringing politics directly to disengaged ethnic minority women in Scotland in order to get their voices heard and engage ethnic minority women in politics. Register your interest as soon as possible as places are limited. The project is supported by the Electoral Commission. For further information contact: Tanveer Parnez (Tanveer.parnez@bemis.org.uk) or Ashay Ghai (Ashay.ghai@bemis.org.uk).
Mixed Bag Beach Party
Friday 26th June 8pm-2am at QOS Lounge (upstairs), Palmerston, Dumfries DG2 9BN (£4 / £3 members). For more information, e-mail fabulousles@googlemail.com
(
Facebook)
Mixed Bag at LGBT Youth Scotland
Glasgow: Stonewall film and panel discussion
"Perceptions of Victimhood", Thursday 2 July, Film starts 4.00pm, Panel discussion at 6.00pm, Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), FREE entry
A screening of the 1995 film Stonewall (a fictionalised account of the events that led up to the Stonewall Riots of 1969) and panel discussion, looking at contemporary perceptions of LGBTI ‘victimhood’, both past and present and ask; On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, what has changed? For more information phone 0141 287 3050.
www.glasgowmuseums.com
Inverness: Highland Rainbow Folk
Thursday 2nd July, 7pm at the Dunbar Centre, Church Street. Meeting organised by
Age Concern and Help the Aged in Scotland, with
Terrance Higgins Trust. Meeting will discuss the possible production of a DVD and a leaflet, social activities, plus any other topics which may arise. All ideas welcome! All ages welcome. Contact Suzy Gentle - Age Concern and Help the Aged in Scotland (tel: 01309 673455 / 07920540241).
Gude cause maks a strong arm
March on Saturday 10th October.
Registration form/information pack now available for the commemorative march on the centenary of the Women's Suffrage Procession through Edinburgh and Leith in 1909.
EIS Edinburgh Schools Competition: to encourage pupils to learn more about the campaign for women’s suffrage and think about its contribution to widening democracy and its impact on women’s lives then and now.
Festival of Politics (18-22 Aug): Friday 21st August, at 5.30pm in the Scottish Parliament Committee Room 1. Chaired by Sarah Boyack with panel including Elspeth King and Joyce McMillan.
Paying the Price: the Social and Economic Costs of Domestic Abuse
Scottish Women's Aid annual conference, Wednesday 16th September, Edinburgh. The day will consider the cost of domestic abuse not only to individuals but also to the services supporting those individuals, to employers in lost hours, reduced productivity, morale and to society, which is both economic and social. Keynote speakers; Bea Campbell and Ailsa McKay.
www.scottishwomensaid.org.uk
SWA on Facebook
UK News
London: Education for All Conference
Wednesday 1st July, 9:30-5pm, London SW1. Stonewall’s fourth annual conference. Keynote speakers include Children’s minister Baronesss Delyth Morgan. For more information: phone 020 7593 1861 or email education@stonewall.org.uk. Delegate rates: Standard £155 / Education Champions £100.
www.stonewall.org.uk/educationconference
Pride London
Saturday 4th July: Parade leaves Baker Street at 1pm, to arrive in Trafalgar Square.
Pride London Festival Fortnight: 20th June to 5th July. The gay youth radio station FYi RADiO will be presenting a Pride-themed live music night to introduce London Pride on Tuesday 30th June. (
Pink News)
www.pridelondon.org
Pride in Brighton & Hove
Alex Marshall, Chief Constable of Hampshire Constabulary, has confirmed he will be joining other officers and staff members in this year’s Pride march. Parade & Carnival: Sat 1st August 2009: Summer Festival Week 25th July – 2nd August. (
GetHampshire)
www.brightonpride.org
BiCon 2009: Worcester
Thursday 20th to Sunday 23rd August, University of Worcester. An annual long-weekend gathering for bisexual people, their friends, partners and anyone with a supportive interest in bisexuality. Further information and booking form available from the website:
www.bicon2009.org.uk
LGBT asylum seekers experience hidden homelessness
Bill Payne, the chief executive of London housing association Metropolitan has called for the sector to do more to address issues faced by LGBT residents. He also said research by Metropolitan Support Trust found 60 per cent of gay, lesbian and bisexual asylum seekers experience ‘hidden homelessness’.(
Inside Housing,
Pink News)
International
Brazil: Bomb attack at Sao Paulo Pride
At least 21 people were injured when a homemade bomb was thrown into the crowd on Saturday 13th June, after a day in which about 3 million people had gathered to celebrate in the largest LGBT Pride in the world. 5 people were taken to hospital. At least three other people were attacked that day in what may have been homophobic assaults. (
Latin America Herald Tribune,
Pink News)
saopaulo.gaypridebrazil.org
Croatia: neo-Nazis arrested after Zagreb Pride
On Saturday 13th June, Zagreb's eighth Pride parade was met by a group of anti-gay protesters, who shouted insults and slogans such as "Gay parade, shame of our city". The police arrested at least four people. (
B92,
TopNews)
Bulgaria: British Ambassador supports LGBT Rally
Steve Williams, British ambassador in Sofia, sent a message of support to "all those who will be celebrating diversity on that day". The second Rainbow Friendship Rally in Sofia takes place on Saturday 27th June 2009. (
Sofia Echo)
LGBT Families, Civil Partnership and Cohabitation
Lift the ban on same-sex marriage and mixed-sex civil partnership
"We believe that any loving, committed couple should have access to equal partnership rights regardless of whether they are in same-sex or mixed-sex relationship."
The petition to the Scottish Parliament asking for the law to be changed, giving the same right of access to same-sex marriage and to mixed-sex civil partnership:
click here to sign.
www.equalmarriage.org.uk
It is the position of the Equality Network that the Scottish Parliament should legislate to repeal the sections of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 and the Marriage (Scotland) Act 1977 which ban civil partnership for mixed-sex couples and marriage for same-sex couples.
www.equality-network.org > Community > Manifesto > Equality for LGBT families
US: Obama administration defends DOMA
On 11th June the US federal justice department released a brief defending the Defense of Marriage Act 1995, which denies any federal recognition of same-sex marriage and which allows states to refuse recognition to same-sex couples who are legally married in another state. After a week of widespread, negative reactions to this brief from LGBT organisations and individuals, President Obama today signs an executive order giving same-sex partners of federal workers access to health and other benefits. (
Guardian)
Letter from
Joe Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign to President Obama, 15th June: "I and other LGBT leaders have introduced ourselves to you as policy makers, we clearly have not been heard, and seen, as what we also are: human beings whose lives, loves, and families are equal to yours. I know this because this brief would not have seen the light of day if someone in your administration who truly recognized our humanity and equality had weighed in with you."
"Why I Now Support Gay Marriage": "If the state were to institute civil unions for same-sex couples, that discrimination would end, but we’d still be creating a separate and unequal system." -Tom Suozzi, Nassau County executive, writing in the
New York Times, 12 June 2009
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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