Stonewall Community Newsletter – Summer 2010

The latest community group newsletter from Stonewall.

Dear Friends,
Welcome to the latest community group newsletter from Stonewall.
What an eventful few months we’ve had! Not only do we have a new coalition government but a brand new Equality Act, changes to the law on surrogacy
arrangements for gay couples as well as incitement to hatred protections in force - all securing further equality and protection for lesbian, gay and bisexual
people.
Stonewall worked hard in the run up to the election to make sure voters knew their MP’s track record on LGB equality. We’ve also analysed the voting records of
candidates in both the Labour leadership and the Lib Dem deputy leadership contests, available at www.stonewall.org.uk.
Stonewall recently produced five groundbreaking new guides and reports (more info below) to raise further awareness of some of the issues faced by LGB people in
Britain - including seeking asylum, the experiences of children with lesbian and gay parents and housing support.
Thank you to everyone who sent me their updates and good news stories. Sadly we couldn’t include all of them here but it’s great to hear about the exciting work
taking place across the country. Please send through anything you would like to include in the next edition.
Louise Kelly, Information Officer, June 2010
 

Stonewall News
Been 'consulted' recently? Getting demands from your local council to 'contribute'?
Stonewall know that public organisations such as police forces, councils and hospitals are increasingly turning to gay community groups to seek advice on how
they can better serve local gay people. Often they do this with little idea of who to approach, what questions to ask and with little understanding for the fact that
many community groups are voluntary and funded by small donations. With the onset of the Equality Act, these demands are only going to increase. Stonewall are therefore producing a guide for these organisations on how to better involve LGB people and LGB community groups in their work. We are keen to include your group’s experiences and perspectives in this guide so we will shortly be running a short survey which we will invite you to complete. This invitation will be sent out in the next few weeks. In the meantime however please feel free to tell us of any experiences, whether good, bad or otherwise, of being asked your views by local public organisations. Please email nat.miles@stonewall.org.uk if you’d like get involved.

Stonewall Youth Volunteering Programme is looking for Youth Leaders to support young people from August 2010 to March 2011. The program is part of Stonewall’s
Education for All campaign to tackle homophobic bullying in Britain’s schools and works with young people aged 16-21 by supporting them to plan and run their
own campaigns against homophobic bullying in their schools, colleges, universities and local communities. Youth Leaders are trained to mentor the young people with
their campaigns through phone and email support. Deadline for applications is 28th June 2010. For further information please see our website; http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_school/youth_volunteering_programme/3855.asp. Email stonewallyouth@stonewall.org.uk if you would like to get involved.
 

Equality Act 2010

Stonewall warmly welcomes the new Equality Act which received Royal Assent on 8 April, in time for the election. It has the potential to secure greater fairness and equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people across Britain and could see marked improvements for gay people in a range of key public services, from policing to education and from housing to health services. It will also permit religious groups who wish to perform civil partnerships on their premises to do so.
 

Incitement to Hatred

On 23 March 2010, long-awaited new legal protections came into force to outlaw threatening behaviour or materials intended to stir up hatred against people on grounds of their sexual orientation. Stonewall has campaigned for a number of years for a specific law to extend existing criminal offences against incitement of racial and religious hatred to protect lesbian, gay and bisexual people too. We warmly welcome these much-needed measures. See our website for more info.
 

Parenting law

As of April 2010 same-sex couples who enter into surrogacy arrangements may apply for a fast-track parental order, giving them full parental status for their children. This change means same-sex couples are treated on an equal basis to opposite-sex couples.

Stonewall Election Campaign

Stonewall compiled the voting records of all MP’s based on seven key votes during the last Parliament. The votes we included reflect recent Stonewall priorities to advance fair treatment for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Britain. We received a high volume of interest from voters keen to know their MPs views on equality issues. Following on from the success of this campaign Stonewall has compiled the voting records for the Labour leadership candidates and the Lib Dem deputy leadership candidates. For more info about our parliamentary work please see our website; http://www.stonewall.org.uk/what_we_do/parliamentary

Stonewall Events
Stonewall will be hosting its 5th Annual Education for All Conference on 2nd July at the British Library, London. This is your opportunity to find out how to challenge
homophobia and support young people, as well as being an opportunity to find out more about how the new public duty applies. The event features key note speeches from Bonnie Greer, playwright and activist and Patrick Leeson, Director of Education and Care at Ofsted. There will be an opportunity to learn more about Stonewall’s new homophobic bullying DVD FIT, including how to use it as a teaching tool. The film’s director Rikki Beadle-Blair will be available to tell you more and answer any questions. For more details or to book now contact education@stonewall.org.uk or 0207 593 1885.

On Sunday 18th July, Stonewall are partnering with the Lovebox festival held at Victoria Park in Hackney, London.
The Sunday event is a new edition to the hugely successful Lovebox Weekender this year and is billed as being a “freewheeling, groundbreaking, no-holds-barred, non stop polysexual party, pulling together elements of the very best gay clubs, fiercest underground parties, cutting edge fashion, hottest emergent artists.” The line-up includes Hot Chip, Cut Copy, Horse Meat Disco and the headline for the day is none other than the fabulous Grace Jones. Come down and meet many of the Stonewall team on the day at our stand and join us for a fantastic day out. Proceeds from the ticket donation and collection on the day will go towards supporting Stonewall’s Education for All campaign which aims
to combat homophobic bullying in schools. To book tickets to the festival go to www.lovebox.net

New Publications from Stonewall - Download for free from www.stonewall.org.uk/what_we_do/2583.asp
No Going Back - Asylum research uncovers institutional homophobia in asylum system.
Groundbreaking new research from Stonewall suggests that asylum-seekers who’ve been raped, tortured and threatened with death because of their sexual orientation
in their home country are being routinely deported because of systemic discrimination in our asylum system. No Going Back features for the first time
detailed evidence not just from lesbian and gay asylum-seekers but from staff at the UK Border Agency. They acknowledge that they receive no guidance on
interviewing gay applicants from countries such as Uganda, Jamaica and Malawi and that determinations are often made on the basis of outdated ideas about gay
people and inaccurate information about an asylum-seeker’s country of origin.

Different Families: The experiences of children with lesbian and gay parents.
The first report of its kind to feature the voices of children of gay parents in Britain today, it’s clear from this research that children of lesbian and gay parents feel that
their families are as loving and special as everyone else’s. However, just like so many black or Asian or Jewish children, it’s the prejudices of others that cause them
distress rather than their own personal or family characteristics. The young people interviewed provide insights into the existence of homophobia in Britain’s schools,
including primary schools, and recommendations on how to tackle it. Supporting lesbian, gay and bisexual young people This guide is aimed at everyone who works with young people and who wants to enable LGB young people to grow and learn in a safe and supportive environment where they can be themselves. The guide contains practical recommendations about how to show LGB young people that they can be themselves. It also includes real life experiences of gay young people and case studies from schools and youth projects.

Housing Guide
Stonewall has partnered with The Albert Kennedy Trust and Stonewall Housing to release a housing guide for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. The guide provides bespoke information for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people about renting accommodation, tenants’ rights and what to do if you’re at risk of becoming homeless. The guide is also useful for staff or family members offering support to LGB people through housing issues.

Blow the Whistle on Gay Hate
Stonewall’s new plain English guide for victims of anti-gay hate crime. Blow the Whistle on Gay Hate explains what homophobic hate crime is, why hate crime
should be reported and what to say when reporting it. News from Across the Country A national health summit focused on promoting health and well-being for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in the UK will be hosted in Hertfordshire on 6 and 7 September 2010. Hosted this year by Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust –the event is supported by local voluntary and statutory organisations and sponsored by national and regional organizations. Places for the event can be booked online at www.lgbthealth.co.uk

Leicester LGB Charity Trade WINS local 2010 GEM award
NHS Leicester City and Leicester City Community Health Service's staff awarded GEM Awards to individuals or teams who had made exceptional difference to or a loved one's health, or to improve the health of a local community. For more details visit www.tradesexualhealth.com The University of Nottingham Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Questioning Staff Network will be holding a football tournament in conjunction with the Justin Campaign against homophobia in football on July 10th 2010. There will be information stalls run by various East Midlands LGBT organisations, children’s activities and live music. For more information contact Claire Henson at lgbtq-staffnetwork@
nottingham.ac.uk. For more information on the Justin Campaign, please visit their website, www.thejustincampaign.com

Galop has recently launched an extensive set of helpful information pages for those who have experienced homophobic or transphobic hate crime.
These guides range from in-depth advice how to deal with harassment, to legal matters such as CRB checks and knowing what kind of treatment you are entitled to from the police. In partnership with the LGBT Domestic Abuse Partnership, Galop has produced in-depth information about what to do if you experience domestic or sexual abuse. The guides are available from Galop’s website www.galop.org.uk

Funding update - Don’t forget you can search for all the latest funding opportunities by using the links below.
http://www.communityfoundations.org.uk - Community foundations are the UK's leading experts in revitalising local communities through effective charitable giving.
http://www.fundingcentral.org.uk - A free smart website for all third sector organisations, including community groups, providing access to thousands of funding and finance opportunities,
http://www.awardsforall.org.uk/ - A Lottery grants scheme funding small, local community-based projects in the UK.