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UK gay marriage bill passed
As expected the bill has passed. The votes for were 400, and against 175 - a strong majority of 225. Approximately 140 Tories voted against the bill and 132 supported it. This will be seen as a criticism of his leadership skills. Stonewall is pleased as the large majority means that the Lords will have difficulty in blocking the bill. Ed Miliband has put out this statement. This is a proud day and an important step forward in the fight for equality in Britain. The overwhelming majority of Labour MPs supported this … [Read More...]
Recent Posts
The 6 myths about the gay marriage bill
Myth: Allowing churches to opt-out of performing same sex marriages could be overturned by the European Court of Human Rights. Fact: Even the Coalition for Marriage’s own legal adviser has said that on the basis of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights giving faith groups the option whether to conduct same marriages would withstand a challenge in the Court. Considerations of religious freedom derived from Article 9 … [Read More...]
Which countries support gay marriage?
Argentina Belgium Canada Denmark Iceland Mexico (Mexico City only but recognised throughout Mexico) United States of America (some states only) Netherlands Norway Portugal South Africa Spain Sweden … [Read More...]
Houses of Parliament: clips from the gay marriage debate
Yvette Cooper says that some gay couples want to get married. They should be allowed to do so. People love the idea of weddings, she says. The impact assessment says spending on weddings will rise by £14m. George Osborne needs all the help he can get to boost the economy, she jokes. Ian Paisley, the DUP MP, says that since same-sex marriage was introduced in Spain and Portugal, the number of heterosexual couples marrying has … [Read More...]
Law Society lecture: UK has not done enough to protect LGBT asylum seekers
Tomorrow, 5th February, 2013, S Chelvan will deliver The eleventh Stonewall lecture,: From silence to safety: protecting the gay refugee? In it he will argue that the UK is not doing enough to protect gay asylum seekers. The lecture will point out that there are currently 80 countries that criminalise consensual same-sex activity, whilst five countries impose the death penalty. Many, particularly from the Commonwealth, seek asylum in the … [Read More...]
Asylum Seeker: Prove you are gay – or possibly die
Because of changes in the UK Border Agency (UKBA) regulations gay asylum seekers are having difficulty in proving they are gay. I desperation there are at least two cases where an applicant has videoed themselves having sex to prove their claim. Prior to 2010 claims from those fleeing persecution in countries, such as Iran, Uganda or Cameroon, where homosexuality was illegal were rejected and claimants returned with the advice 'to be … [Read More...]
- QUEERISH LONDON
- Uganda’s infamous Kill the Gays bill – Homophobia, hate crimes, YOU DECIDE!
- Book Review: OPEN SEASON by George Galloway
- KINCORA – Reporting of Child Abuse
- Are we all Thatcher’s children? Politics under review!
- UGANDA Demo against… Kill the Gays Bill – The Fight for Gay Rights
- European Court of Human Rights and The Jeff Dudgeon Case and Gay Rights
- The National Union of Students (NUS), Lesbian and Gay Liberation Campaign 1988
Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes 1909-1929
ROAMIN' IN A GLOAMIN' WIE A RUSSIAN FIREBIRD? Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes 1909-1929 Victoria and Albert Museum London This is a rather oddly named exhibition as the Ballets Russes itself, and not just its 'Golden Age', as implied in the publicity, lasted from 1909 to 1929. … [Read More...]
Book Review: OPEN SEASON by George Galloway
SWIM FOR IT, PADDY? OPEN SEASON George Galloway Miranda Media ISBN-10: 0957000804 ISBN-13: 978-0957000803 This book, published 'August 2011' appears not to have an ISBN number (now corrected), probably because it was written in a hurry. The author's spell-check had a nervous … [Read More...]
Newcastle – A movie by Dan Castle
WATERBOYS NEWCASTLE, Australia Peccadillo Pictures Director: Dan Castle If you are susceptible to sea sickness this is not the film for you. If you like looking at physically attractive young men you'll probably watch it more than once. There's not much to the story – some 'mid-teen … [Read More...]
Gay Times 250
Out-take upstart March 2000 Gay Times 250 One of the positive things about this exercise in masturbatory self-reference were the articles by / about other 25 year olds. The most vigorous and up-beat being that on Mervyn Boyd from mid-Antrim. It was interestingly off-centre to … [Read More...]
Music Reviews – A Lunchtime Concert of Note
The City [of London] Music Society's lunchtime concert (Tues., 22.02.11) was given by Yelian He, a cellist. It was an Eric Falk Award concert. These are funded by a fund set up in memory of a former Vice-President of the Society. Mr. He, "born in China in 1984" started cello at the age of 5 - he'd … [Read More...]
SHARP EDGES AND WARM HEARTS — ‘A THORN IN THE FLESH’ by Eddie Linden
A THORN IN THE FLESH Selected Poems Eddie Linden Hearing Eye ISBN 9781-9508-63-6 Eddie Linden (probably actually a Derry city born, Donegal Glackin), his was a one parent family when such things were deeply shameful. He is a queer, working class, Glaswegian, Catholic poet. He … [Read More...]
“BASRA Boy” by Rosemay Jenkinson – a night at the theatre
On Thursday 6th September 2012 I saw an original interpretation of Rosemary Jenkinson's Basra Boy at The Welders as part of the East Belfast Arts Festival. John Travers produces a tour de-force of acting, in a scaled down prop stage of one blue bin and two or three jackets. He encompasses all … [Read More...]