EQUAL LOVE – progress report

Next stage today! We are progressing steadily towards our goal! Thank you all friends and allies who have helped promote this equality initiative.

EQUAL LOVE CAMPAIGN – NTV RUSSIA

The UK Same-sex marriage Bill promotes a debate on NTV Russia.

Anton Wolski, Private NTV correspondent in the UK (London), interviews David Watters, Richard Hull, Peter Tatchell, Colette French, and Katie Green.

Read more: http://www.ntv.ru/novosti/459377/#ixzz2LCHAz2mz

www.equallove.org.uk

 

Equality and Other Myths

by David Watters
Feb 24, 2009

I think that this is worth reading, as a historical document, because it shows that even if progress appears to be painfully or woefully slow, progress IS being made.

Unfortunately the link to this full article has gone, but I did just want to look back at an early piece of writing that I had published and which has spurred me on to use my voice to comment on social inequality – online, in print or, if you’re anywhere in the vicinity, in person!

http://www.thegaynation.co.uk/features/real-life/article.php?id=333…

It would be great to hear your thoughts on the article and on the social change that has occurred since first publication in 2009.

EXTRACT:

The recent amendment to the State Constitution of California, Proposition 8, and a similar amendment in Florida, Proposition 2, are seen by LGBT civil rights activists and straight allies as a denial of the American promise of liberty, equality and the pursuit of happiness. There are others, including Malcolm Lazin (Executive Director, Equality Forum), who see this as merely a temporary setback.

Many have claimed that the public were misled and that a large proportion of voters believed that a “YES” vote was a pro-gay vote. It is also well known that the Catholic Church of California asked the Mormon Church of Salt Lake to support their campaign and that millions of dollars were spent by these religious groups to orchestrate a national media campaign.

In May 2008, the Californian Supreme Court ruled that Proposition 22 (March 2000), which specified that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid in California, violated the equal protection clause of the California Constitution. As a result of this ruling, marriage between individuals of the same gender became recognised and valid in the state.

In 2006, President George W. Bush, criticized the judges who had overturned this state law in a speech where he stated that, “Marriage is the most fundamental institution of civilization, and it should not be redefined by activist judges.” In the same speech Bush made further comment on the threat to traditional marriage, “Our policies should aim to strengthen families, not undermine them. And changing the definition of marriage would undermine the family structure.” Bush urged that the issue of same-sex marriage should be put “back where it belongs: in the hands of the American people.”

And so it was that this initiative measure, Proposition 8, or the “California Marriage Protection Act”, was submitted, in accordance with the provisions of Article II, Section 8, of the California Constitution, to the electorate.

The Last Frontier Of Freedom
Daniel Leary, Executive Director of The Committed to Equality Initiative told me that, “The battle for gay rights in the US has been a complicated and surprising one, especially in the past few months. While Proposition 8 was a devastating blow, it has had several positive repercussions. The story of Proposition 6 portrayed in “Milk” is indeed similar, but only in location, genre and struggle. The truth is, the actual propositions were quite different. Proposition 8 is about the right to marry, something some might consider a final frontier in gay rights, whereas Proposition 6 was about outing homosexuals so that they could be removed from their employment. In fact, we have come a long way. An idea like Proposition 6 wouldn’t have a leg to stand on in today’s climate in California, and Proposition 8 was repealing rights that California had already granted, and it very nearly failed”.

In a 1973 speech, during his first unsuccessful run for supervisor, Harvey Milk said, “It takes no compromising to give people their rights. It takes no money to respect the individual. It takes no survey to remove repressions.”

Stuart Milk says of his uncle, “My uncle was not the first openly LGBT person elected to public office in the US but he was the first to a substantial office and the first to actively proclaim his sexuality and not back up from it. I am very proud of my Uncle both as a dear Uncle whom I lost as a teenager and as a worldwide civil rights visionary!”

I think our equality as Americans has come a long way with race, gender, and religious beliefs; however, I believe sexual orientation is the last frontier of freedom for ALL Americans. Gay American couples are not treated with equality or respect in most states to date. Dr. John R. Shafer, Indianapolis, IN

UNFORTUNATELY, YOU CANT READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE:

http://www.thegaynation.co.uk/features/real-life/article.php?id=333…

BUT…I MAY HAVE IT SOMEWHERE…IF… YOU’RE INTERESTED…

Royal Wedding – Gays want the right to marry too

http://equallove.org.uk/

If you oppose the ban on same-sex marriage, join us on Monday 25 April

Sign up to join the event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=198721503499425&notif_t=event_invite

End the ban on same-sex marriage. Supporters of marriage equality will hold a celebration outside Buckingham Palace on the Easter Bank Holiday, Monday 25th April, at 12 noon.

They plan to deliver a giant wedding card to William and Kate. As well as wishing the royal couple every happiness, they will also highlight the fact that William and Kate can marry, but same-sex couples can’t. The Buckingham Palace event will urge the royal couple to support moves to end the ban on gay marriage. We want equal marriage rights for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation.

All welcome. Bring your friends for a party in front of Buckingham Palace. Some of the couples involved in the Equal Love campaign will join us on the day.

Even if you don’t agree with marriage, the prohibition on gay marriage is homophobic and should be overturned. Don’t let the government dictate that LGBTI people can’t get married.

Let’s make 25 April a glorious affirmation of our opposition to discrimination in marriage law and show our support for the right of everyone to be able to choose whether or not to get married.

Next Monday’s event is organised by the Equal Love campaign, which seeks to overturn the twin bans on gay civil marriages and heterosexual civil partnerships:www.equallove.org.uk

It is supported by the LGBTI human rights group OutRage! www.outrage.org.ukand the Peter Tatchell Foundation www.petertatchellfoundation.org

More background info on the issues here:

http://www.petertatchell.net/celebrities/wills-and-kate-can-marry-gays-cant.htm

Join Equal Love on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Equal-Love/163531170333628

Follow the PTF on Twitter: twitter.com/#!/PT_Foundation

Join the PTF on Facebook: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35320687969

DONATE TO THE PETER TATCHELL FOUNDATION (PTF)

Donations are requested to help fund the Peter Tatchell Foundation and its promotion of human rights.

The PTF depends entirely on donations from supporters and well-wishers to finance its work. Please donate generously to the PTF.

Click here for five ways to make a donation: Standing order, cheque, PayPal and internet and telephone banking:
www.petertatchellfoundation.org/donate.html

The Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund is the fund-raising arm of the PTF.

Please make cheques payable to: “Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund”.

Send to: PTF, Studio 5, Disney Place House, 14 Marshalsea Road, London, SE1 1HL

IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE EVENT, WHY NOT SEND A CARD WISHING THE COUPLE WELL AND POINT OUT THAT ALL COUPLES DON’T HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS. TELL THEM ABOUT THE EQUAL LOVE CAMPAIGN: http://www.equallove.org.uk

CARDS TO WILLIAM AND KATE CAN BE POSTED TO :

Clarence House, St. James’s Palace, London SW1A 1BA, United Kingdom

Civil Partnerships on Religious Premises Consultation Document

Today, the Government has published a consultation document which seeks your views on how to enable civil partnership registrations on religious premises in England and Wales. The consultation document concerns the implementation of section 202 of the Equality Act 2010, outlines proposals for new arrangements and seeks views from all interested parties. Because this is a permissive provision, religious organisations that do not wish to host civil partnerships will not be required to do so as a result of this change.
The implementation of section 202 of the Equality Act 2010 is the first part of the Government’s work on the next steps for civil partnerships as set out in the document Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality. Having listened to stakeholders it is clear from many that there is a desire to move towards equal civil marriage and partnerships. The Government will consult further on how legislation can develop, working with you and all those who have an interest in this area.

 

Opening date:            31 March 2011

Closing date:             23 June 2011

In February we announced our commitment to enabling civil partnerships to be registered on the religious premises of those faith groups who wished to host them.  This will be done by implementing section 202 of the Equality Act 2010.  This provision removes the legal prohibition on civil partnerships being registered on religious premises, enables regulations to be made setting out the arrangements for these premises to be approved by the local authority and clarifies that there is no obligation on faith groups to have civil partnership registrations on their premises.

Civil partnerships on religious premises: a consultation sets out detailed proposals for this voluntary measure which enhances the freedom of both faith groups and same-sex couples.  The proposals are designed to enable faith groups to opt in, respect the different decision-making structures of different faith groups, minimise the risk of successful legal challenges and be straightforward for local authorities to operate.  The law will make clear that faith groups are not obliged to host civil partnerships.  It would also be unlawful for a civil partnership to be registered on a religious premises that had not been approved for the purpose by the local authority.  That approval will be given only with the approval of the faith group concerned.

We propose a two stage process for enabling civil partnerships to be registered on particular religious premises.  First the faith group concerned will have to consent to this and the consultation document sets out how this could happen.  Then the local authority in whose area the premises is located will have to approve the premises and the consultation document sets out what conditions should apply to the approval.  The registration of civil partnerships would remain secular, despite taking place on religious premises, but a religious service could be held to mark the registration.

This consultation will be of particular interest to:

• faith groups including religions, denominations and individual independent religious congregations
• Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) organisations, LGB individuals and their families and friends
• Local authorities, including registrars and other relevant local authority employees
• owners and managers of buildings approved for civil marriages and civil partnerships

Comments from other interested parties are also welcome.

If you have any queries on this consultation, please email  civilpartnerships@geo.gsi.gov.uk

The Consultation document can be found on the Government Equalities Office website here:

http://www.equalities.gov.uk/equality_act_2010/civil_partnership_consultation.aspx

SHOULD WE “TOLERATE” HOMOPHOBIC CHRISTIANS?

THAT SHOULD REALLY BE THE QUESTION…

This is NOT to suggest that REAL Christians are homophobic.

Just the dim-witted, ill-educated ones who somehow feel that HATE and FEAR are Christian values.

David Cameron says Christians should be ‘tolerant’ of homosexuality 8 March 2011

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/03/08/david-cameron-says-christians-should-be-tolerant-of-homosexuality/

I could not be any clearer on my viewpoint but HERE IT IS AGAIN:

THE DEADLIEST OF SINS SPEECH

(FIRST DELIVERED IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE, LONDON AS PART OF THE VIGIL AGAINST HATE CRIME ORGANISED BY MARK HEALEY AND 17-24-30)

This is not a time for silence but a time to take personal responsibility, to speak out and to share our humanity; because the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of the spirit and YOU, as much as anyone, can influencereal social change.

Harvey Bernard Milk, and others of his generation, fought for social progress with intelligence and creativity.

Harvey talked of breaking down the closet doors, yet for many these doors remain firmly locked; bolted both inside and out.

On the surface, it seems that society has grown more “accepting”, note the inverted commas, of the LGBT community but this, in itself, still suggests that  “acceptance” is required, that we are “less than” and that our VALUE is based upon the judgment of others. (?)

ALL the “ism’s” still exist and, YES, ALL prejudices have equal importance, require of us to remain vigilant and ALLmust be actively challenged.

Bigoted behaviour occurs in many different ways and can range, as YOU know, from subtle to malicious and even if Bigotry is, in theory, being addressed in the law, in policy and in procedure within schools and in the workplace,culturally the progress is much slower.

We must not allow ourselves to be defined and judged solely by sexuality or gender identity any more than we should be defined or judged by our cultural heritage, the colour of our skin, our profession, our income or even… ourtaste in music.

For us to effectively tackle any of the “isms”, we all must engage in actions which address discrimination andprejudicial attitudes in every area of our society; our schools and universities, our workplaces, our communities and our shopping malls.

Each and every one of us has an obligation to take responsibility for making our society safer, fairer and more inclusive and we should not rely on the good will and hard work of others to secure that just and equal society, whilst complaining that we ourselves are powerless.

Whatever YOUR strengths, whatever YOUR core character traits, there is something that YOU can do to influence change in the world.

It’s not about waving a placard or marching in a parade, unless that’s your style. Instead, it’s about finding thecorrect method of communication for YOU.

Sign that petition, tweet and retweet your views, repost a powerful YouTube video or an article you’ve found, Facebook or MySpace it, write to your MP, talk to, write to, email if you have to political leaders, police forces, health services, broadcasters and employers so that they too can all positively influence the way that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are perceived.

We can no longer wait for another Harvey Milk to follow or rely on the Peter Tatchell’s of this world, the pioneers, the visionaries, to fight our fight; but instead must learn ways to be tenacious, tireless and determined advocates for social equality ourselves.

We must, ourselves, find the strength, resolve and determination to lead and influence the change we want to see, to bring hope to those who have none.

Somehow in some way we too can be capable of great things.

LISTEN TO THE SPEECH HERE: http://www.nbiassociates.co.uk/Invite-DAVID-To-Speak-.html

Invite DAVID To Speak!

Since graduating from The Institute of Education, University of London, David has gone on to train with LEAP, as a mediator, and is a qualified facilitator for The Pacific Institute.

As a teacher, David has worked in both the public and private sectors. His focus has been on inclusion with regard to Special Educational Needs and the development of Creative Partnerships.



David, who regularly writes for www.ambiente.us, One Nation and Polari, has been championed by Stuart Milk, nephew of Harvey Milk and Equality Advocate, who has said: “I love your work, which is vital to show the richness of embracing and celebrating our wonderful diversity. As Harvey would say, you’re bringing medicine into the world that the world needs! Thank you!”

His background in the arts and education, combined with a solid understanding of CBT and his passion for Equality Advocacy make him a creative and innovative program planner, facilitator and public speaker.

FEES ARE NEGOTIABLE

AVAILABLE NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY

FOR MORE ON DAVID’S BACKGROUND CLICK HERE