Friday 30 January 2015

UK Muslim leader: 'Teaching British values in schools creates atmosphere of suspicion'
	Joan Deslandes, head of Kingsford Community School, told a London conference of head teachers that schools experienced problems when trying to teach about statutory subjects such as gay rights because some parents would either keep their children at home or lodge time-consuming complaints independent.co.uk  30 Jan 15
Cohabiting couples now the fastest growing type of family in the UK
	Cohabiting couple families (straight or gay) grew by 29.7% between 2004 and 2014. The Office for National Statistics anticipates that the next Families and Households survey will contain specific statistics on same sex married couples familylaw.co.uk  30 Jan 15 Marriages of same sex couples formed in England and Wales so far ons.gov.uk  30 Jan 15
HIV AIDS Mortimer Market Peer Support Workers saw 1,034 patients one-to-one
	And last year 700 more attended workshops at this central London clinic (age-range, 21 to 73!) such as their Newly Diagnosed Course; six sessions covering disclosure, medical aspects, love and sex, building support networks and, critically, the impact of diagnosis. They also work on positive-thinking, self-confidence, growing older with HIV, and clinical updates cnwl.nhs.uk 30 Jan 15
SEX - LIFE Selfridges is introducing a unisex shopping concept
	For six weeks, Selfridges will be introducing a gender neutral shopping experience. The Oxford Street store will be merging its separate women's and men's departments over three floors metro.co.uk  30 Jan 15
GAY PRIDE Kent Pride promises seaside family fun in Margate
	Kent Pride is being organised by Tony Butcher, who runs Canterbury's only gay bar, Limes Lounge. He said: "Margate will be a great venue for the parade, and Thanet District Council is very supportive" - Sat 29 Aug kentonline.co.uk  30 Jan 15
GAY RIGHTS US Bill seeks to protect LGBT rights around the globe
	"Members of Congress have sent a clear message to the State Department and the Obama Administration that LGBT rights are human rights and that they support creation of a special envoy to help put an end to persecution of LGBT people," said David Stacy, HRC's Government Affairs Director hrc.org 30 Jan 15
GAY SPORTS Only 19% of Americans oppose gay athletes in pro sports
	73% say they would support a professional sports team signing a gay or lesbian athlete, while 19% say they would oppose this action. There is broad support for a professional sports team signing a gay or lesbian athlete across demographic and political groups, including 66% of Republicans, 75% of independents, and 79% of Democrats publicreligion.org
SHOW BIZ Oscars: The Imitation Game finally plays the Gay Card
	Harvey Weinstein argues that though Turing received a royal pardon in 2013 for his 1952 conviction for gross indecency because of his homosexuality, he deserves to be honored by the British government hollywoodreporter.com  30 Jan 15 Alan Turing Gay Page

---

GBA Gay Business Association member: 

Wednesday 17 December 2014

UK A third of Welsh teachers hear homophobic language from other school staff
	Stonewall Cymru today release research showing a picture of daily life in Wales's classrooms. 11 years after the homophobic Section 28 was repealed, a majority of school staff in Wales are still unsure of if they are allowed to teach LGB issues and how to support young people against homophobic bullying stonewallcymru.org.uk 17 Dec 14
UK Teenager killed herself in Didsbury park over 'misplaced' fears
	The parents of 14-year-old Elisabeth Lowe, have spoken of their anguish after she hanged herself over fears of telling them she might be gay. Her family told a Manchester inquest that she would have received 'a wealth of love and acceptance' manchestereveningnews  17 Dec 14
GAY MARRIAGE Ireland to hold referendum on gay marriage in May
	Campaigners welcome deputy prime minister's announcement, as latest opinion poll shows 71% of electorate would vote yes theguardian.com  17 Dec 14
Martina Navratilova marries Julia Lemigova in New York
	The 58-year-old International Tennis Hall of Famer tied the knot with fiancee Julia Lemigova at New York's Peninsula hotel. Beaming with joy, Navratilova admitted she felt, "terrified and relieved" after the private ceremony for family and friends. "I'm 58 years old and I got married for the first time. It's about time, right?" usmagazine.com  17 Dec 14
O-M-G Church of Scotland presbyteries vote to appoint gay ministers
	The final decision will be taken at next year's General Assembly. The issue has been a consistently controversial one for the church, prompting what Kirk leaders insist is a relatively small number of ministers to quit bbc.co.uk  17 Dec 14 Libby Lane (pictured) named as Church of England's first female bishop theguardian.com  17 Dec 14
GAY PRIDE St. Patrick's parade council allows gay group
	Organizers of South Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade approved an application to march by OUTVETS, a group honoring LGBT military veterans - a significant development in the annual dispute over the inclusiveness of the parade bostonglobe.com  17 Dec 14
RUSSIA Russian LGBTI group to be listed as a so-called 'foreign agent'
	"The decision to classify Rakurs as a 'foreign agent', without any court decision is further proof of the shrinking space for civil society in Russia. It highlights ... how isolated LGBTI advocates are becoming." commented Evelyne Paradis, ILGA-Europe Executive Director ilga-europe.org  17 Dec 14

---

GBA Gay Business Association member: 

Tuesday 16 September 2014

UK Sex education should be compulsory in English schools, says gay alliance
	A coalition of LGBTI organisations have written an open letter to political leaders in the UK, highlighting the urgent need to make Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) statutory in all schools - as well as appropriate for LGBTI young people nat.org.uk 16 Sep 14 LGBT equalities need to be visible in school sex and relationships education sexeducationforum.org.uk 16 Sep 14
I was blinded in one eye for being gay
	Tyler Maddick, 20, said he was verbally abused by a group of men who pulled up behind him in a car and threw petrol at him. The Swansea photographer, who already had problems with his vision, was afterwards told by a doctor that his damaged eye could not be saved bbc.co.uk 16 Sep 14
CYBER-GAYS Symantec stops blocking non-adult LGBT-related content
	The web content filtering software, which includes Norton products, has removed an outdated filter category. GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said: "Symantec is helping to ensure that countless young LGBT people have access to critical and sometimes life-saving online resources." glaad.org 16 Sep 14
WORLD Man who drank Bailey's jailed 'because it means that he is gay'
	There are lots of stereotypes that gay people have to put up with, but Cameroon has come up with a new one and it's illegal. Drinking Bailey's Irish Cream there can land you in prison because it is seen as a woman's drink metro.co.uk 16 Sep 14
Muslim academic gets death threats over women and gay-friendly mosque
	Muslim academic Taj Hargey who is behind Cape Town's Open Mosque project, where women will lead prayers and gays will be welcome, receives death threats telegraph.co.uk 16 Sep 14
'We sell Big STRAIGHT Ice Cream'
	A restaurant has been branded 'homophobic' for posting a sign outside that reads: 'Big STRAIGHT Ice Cream' - a play on the popular Big Gay Ice Cream chain, which has a location nearby. Italian restaurant Gallo Nero, which is located in New York's West Village neighborhood, put up the sign over the weekend, prompting dozens of passers by to comment on it via social media dailymail.co.uk 16 Sep 14
GAY HISTORY Section 28 anti-gay law was great mistake, says top Tory
	Lord Fowler told the Evening Standard: "We have come a long way. It [Section 28] was a great mistake and I think it's now recognised as a great mistake and I would apologise for it. It was totally misjudged." standard.co.uk 16 Sep 14
GAY SPORTS Leeds Rhino considered quitting over homophobic abuse row
	Zak Hardaker says he considered quitting rugby after being accused of homophobic abuse for a second time dailystar.co.uk 16 Sep 14

---

GBA Gay Business Association member: 

Friday 4 July 2014

UK Just one in eight teachers trained to tackle homophobic bullying
	'Teachers are the most powerful tool that we have in the fight to tackle homophobic bullying. Sadly our new research shows that, despite some progress, the legacy of Section 28 is lives on in Britain's schools,' said Stonewall's Ruth Hunt stonewall.org.uk 4 Jul 14
Mayor seeks views on reducing hate crime in London
	As part of his commitment to driving down hate crime, Boris Johnson will use his leadership role to bring partners and London's diverse communities together to deliver an effective strategy to tackle hate crime across the capital london.gov.uk 4 Jul 14 Submit your views
Tony Blair joins celebrations for gay rights activist Michael Cashman
	Celebrities and world leaders pay tribute to former MEP Michael Cashman, and say 'thank you' for his service to LGBT rights. The long-serving politician stepped down at recent Euro elections, after 15 years as an MEP, and a lifetime campaigning for the rights of minority groups gaytimes.co.uk 4 Jul 14
Plymouth pensioner faces jail for continuing abuse of gay neighbours Reginald Brayford, who was jailed for a relentless campaign of homophobic abuse at his gay neighbours, is back behind bars after again insulting one of the men plymouthherald.co.uk 4 Jul 14 GAY PRIDE gaytoz Gay Pride Calendar An annual celebration of LGBT life in Essex and beyond
	Essex Pride features gay bingo, market stalls, keynote speaker Elly Barnes, and X Factor star Lucy Spraggan - Sat 5 Jul  essexpride.org 4 Jul 14
Bristol Pride Week expecting record numbers
	Bristol Pride Week includes a film festival, dog show, tea dance, theatre and comedy nights, culminating in the parade at Castle Park - 3-13 Jul pridebristol.co.uk 4 Jul 14
Misha B joins line-up at North Wales Pride
	together with Alys Williams and Kameelion at the beautiful Grade II listed Hendre Hall outside Bangor, at the foothills of the magnificent Snowdonia National Park - 4-6 Jul northwalespride.com 4 Jul 14
Norwich Pride launch their Guide 2014
	With details of The Pride Village with over 40 stalls inside the Forum; the parade through the city centre; and the entertainment and picnic at Chapelfield Gardens - Sat 26 Jul norwichpride.org.uk 4 Jul 14
Collabro join main stage line-up at Brighton Pride
	Collabro thrilled us during this years Britain's Got Talent finals, ensuring our attention with their unique and emotive interpretations of the very best of musical classics. And now they are joining Brighton Pride - Preston Park, Tickets £20, noon-10pm, Sat 2 Aug brighton-pride.org 4 Jul 14
GAY HEALTH No scientific basis for gay-specific mental disorders, WHO panel concludes After reviewing decades of psychological and epidemiological studies on sexual orientation and mental health, the World Health Organization have recommended that F66.0 diagnostic reference, and four other homosexuality-related psychological disorders, be stricken from the International Classification of Diseases sciencemag.org 4 Jul 14 GAY SPORTS FIFA criticised by its own anti-discrimination chief
	FIFA has been criticised by its own anti-discrimination chief for failing to take action against homophobic chanting and neo-Nazi banners at World Cup matches. Jeffrey Webb said there was "an obvious disconnect" between what he viewed as racism and discrimination and the view of the disciplinary committee skysports.com 4 Jul 14
GAY MARRIAGE UK: Marriage conversion fee waived Home Secretary Theresa May has agreed to waive the fee for gay couples who entered into a civil partnership before same sex marriage was available and now wish to convert their union expressandstar.com 4 Jul 14 USA: Gay marriage will go national next June The U.S. Supreme Court will approve gay marriage as a constitutional right next June, predicts marriage-equality attorney Ted Olson bizjournals.com 4 Jul 14 SHOW BIZ RuPaul's Drag Race could be moving to the UK
	Jonathan Ross is interested in bringing the race to Europe. This is still an idea in the works, but RuPaul seems more than willing to make it happen enstarz.com 4 Jul 14
Further Tales of the City
	Dramatisation of Armistead Maupin's classic sequence of comic novels about the denizens of a San Francisco apartment house in the late 70s and early 80s, on BBC Radio 4 - 10:45am, 10-15 Jul bbc.co.uk 4 Jul 14 Buy Book

---