Tag Archives: LGBT rights

LibLink…Giles Goodall: LGBT rights in Europe – La vie en Rose?

By Caron Lindsay | Fri 17th May 2013 - 4:10 pm

South East region Euro candidate Giles Goodall has written an article for Pink News for the International Day against homophobia and transphobia looking at LGBT rights across Europe.

He makes the point that 7 EU countries already have equal marriage with 3 more likely plus Britain to do so. However, he makes the point that without the Liberal Democrats in the Coalition, it would be unlikely to happen here. He then points out that the reality of life for LGBT people is not always as rosy as the law would imply:

A major new survey by the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency,

…

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged eu, giles goodall, idaho day and pink news | 7 Comments

Lord Avebury writes… Gay asylum-seekers: we’ve come a long way, but much still left to achieve for LGBTI people around the world

By Eric Avebury | Fri 15th February 2013 - 1:28 pm

It is estimated that worldwide more than 175 million people, some three times the population of the UK, are at risk of persecution because of their sexual orientation. Seventy-six countries criminalise consensual same sex relations, among them 54 countries of the Commonwealth.

Hatred against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people is deeply entrenched in the culture of these countries, and their elected governments reflect the prejudice of the masses. They know that persecuting LGBTI people is contrary to international law, and leads to friction with donor nations.

In the case of Gambia, when EU representatives were due to …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged asylum, equalities, gay rights, uganda and uk border agency | 25 Comments

Lynne Featherstone calls for Julie Burchill to be sacked for post attacking transgender people

By Caron Lindsay | Mon 14th January 2013 - 9:25 am

As Equalities Minister, Liberal Democrat Lynne Featherstone put into place the Government’s Transgender Action Plan. She will be acutely aware of the issues facing transgender people, particularly in relation to violence and discrimination. Hate crime towards that community has been rising as the Independent reported.

Yesterday, the Observer published a piece by controversial writer Julie Burchill which was peppered with hate filled language. Had the target of Burchill’s invective been a particular ethnic group, and she had used similar language, then her piece would have found its way onto the editor’s spike and she would most likely have been …

Posted in News | Also tagged julie burchill, lynne featherstone, observer and twitter | 34 Comments

The SNP, equal marriage and a large dose of red herring

By Caron Lindsay | Thu 19th July 2012 - 1:55 pm

Equality campaigners across Scotland were quietly confident on Tuesday. It had been widely expected that the SNP Government would at least allow equality in civil marriage if not religious. After all, the measure had already secured the support of a majority of MSPs and the Equality and Human Rights Commission report suggest sthat it has the support of over 60% of Scots. The Government’s plans have, however, attracted vocal opposition from some religious organisations.

However, the Government announced that it was delaying the decision and setting up a Cabinet Committee to “further examine some particular issues of detail”. A …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged cardinal keith o'brien, equal marriage, nicola sturgeon, Scotland, snp and willie rennie | 8 Comments

The word ‘straight’ isn’t homophobic. Now can we get on to the stuff that matters, please?

By Stephen Tall | Sun 8th July 2012 - 12:20 pm

Two significant events this week in the campaign for equal LGBT rights…

First, as we reported this week, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg asked that the ‘Pride flag’ be flown from Whitehall to symbolise Government support for Saturday’s rally in London. As The Sun’s political editor Tom Newton-Dunn tweeted:

For the 1st time ever in Whitehall, Rainbow flag is being flown from the Cabinet Office today to mark gay pride; Clegg’s order. Good.

— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) July 6, 2012

(The picture show here was taken by Verity Harding: you can follow her on Twitter here.)

Secondly, Nick Clegg voiced his personal support for religious gay marriage for those which wish to recognise and celebrate a same-sex union:

… in an interview with the London Evening Standard to mark the World Pride event, Mr Clegg said: “This is a personal view at the moment, but I think that in exactly the same way that we shouldn’t force any church to conduct gay marriage, we shouldn’t stop any church that wants to conduct gay marriage. I don’t see why two individuals who love each other and want to show commitment to each other should not be able to do so in a way that is socially recognised as being marriage.”

A couple of weeks ago, Nick recorded this message — described by Attitude as “a really passionate, well-articulated support for equal marriage” — for Out for Marriage:

Posted in News | Also tagged ben summerskill, ConservativeHome, derek osbourne, featured, gay marriage, kingston liberal democrats, matthew barrett, nick clegg, out4marriage and stonewall | 51 Comments

Clegg orders Government to fly LGBT pride flag

By The Voice | Fri 6th July 2012 - 10:33 am

PinkNews today reports:

In a first for central Government, the Cabinet Office is flying a rainbow flag to mark World Pride being held this weekend in London.

The iconic flag has been flown on the personal request of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Officials say that Mr Clegg thought it ‘was about time for Whitehall to bring itself up to date’ by flying the flag in solidarity with the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) community.

Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “There has to be a first time for everything – flying this iconic flag in the heart of

…

Posted in News | Also tagged nick clegg | 6 Comments

Opinion: It is time to pick a fight and show we are serious about institutionalised faith based homophobia

By Paul Pettinger | Thu 26th April 2012 - 1:56 pm

At the next general election Liberal Democrats should look forward to being able to point to the introduction of same sex marriage as a Liberal Democrat achievement. Although the move is supported by some Conservatives, it has only happened because of Lib Dem pressure.

That the Party has made the issue such a high priority, especially when working with a conservative Party, helps to communicate to the public how much we care about equality for LGBT people, and is something that we should be able to draw collective pride. However, the Government is still failing in its commitment on page 29 of …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged michael gove and schools | 54 Comments

Tim Farron MP writes… Equal Marriage consultation: take part and spread the word

By Tim Farron MP | Thu 15th March 2012 - 1:03 pm

One of our fundamental values as a party is our firm belief in equality. This is why I am member of our party and why I am so proud to be your President. We have always stood for individual liberty and the right to choose how we lead our lives. That’s why we came into being in the 19th century to protect the rights of religious minorities, it’s why we led the support for equality for women and why we decided before any other major party that civil marriage should be open to same-sex couples equally. The Liberal Democrats in …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged equal marriage, equalities and lgbt+ lib dems | 7 Comments

Opinion: Don’t believe everything you read in the papers…

By Adrian Trett | Thu 8th December 2011 - 2:34 pm

I’ve learnt again this week that it’s not a good idea to believe everything you read in the papers. In this case, it was a story in the Sunday Telegraph suggesting that the Government were changing the wording of “Academy Funding Agreements” on the teaching of marriage. Thankfully, it turned out to be a non-story.

Academy Funding Agreements are the governing documents for academies and Free Schools and are agreed between the Secretary of State and the governing body of the Academy, and the story suggested there were “strict new rules” about marriage.

However, a bit of digging …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged academies and sunday telegraph | 3 Comments

Opinion: HIV Restrictions on NHS workers are “Out of Step”

By Adrian Trett | Tue 6th December 2011 - 2:26 pm

As Chair of LGBT+ Liberal Democrats, I welcome the government’s announcement to consult and determine whether restrictions on NHS workers with HIV, should be relaxed, after a review found an “extremely” low risk of the disease being passed on to patients.

Alongside the Blood Ban announcement in July, which for me was only a small step in the right direction (as there is further work to do); because the stigma remains for men who sleep with men and their partners, with a 12 month deferral ban, the signal from government strikes the right tune at how current policy is being determined. …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged gay blood ban | 1 Comment

Video: Lynne Featherstone on International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

By Helen Duffett | Tue 17th May 2011 - 1:21 pm

Posted in YouTube | Also tagged equalities, gay equality and lynne featherstone | 6 Comments

PODCAST: Equal marriage debate

By Alex Foster | Wed 22nd September 2010 - 10:24 am

After a brief hiatus during which our podcast host migrated us to an account we hadn’t asked for during our busiest week, we can now bring you, in full, the debate on LGBT marriage from Tuesday’s conference floor.

This debate may not necessarily be of interest to the wider public, but certainly anyone who loves Lib Dem conference will recognise many of the aspects of the debate.

Highlights for me include Dr Evan Harris’s explanation, in the opening minutes of the debate of his stint as the only openly gay Lib Dem MP despite not actually being gay; the Voice’s own Sara …

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 48:45 — 44.6MB)

Posted in Conference and Podcasts | Also tagged evan harris, gay marriage, podcast and sara bedford | 1 Comment

LibLink: Stephen Gilbert – It’s time for an equal, gender-neutral, marriage law

By NewsHound | Tue 21st September 2010 - 7:05 pm

Over at The Independent, Lib Dem MP for Newquay & St Austell Stephen Gilbert explains his support for equal LGBT rights, which took another step forward today with the Lib Dem conference support for equal marriage. Here’s an excerpt:

… despite the repeal of Section 28, the equalisation of the age of consent, same-sex adoption and civil partnerships; homophobia still rears its ugly head in playgrounds, workplaces and even in the home. It’s unacceptable. It’s an individual’s right to live their lives as they see fit, without discrimination, with personal privacy, with equal rights in front of the law. That’s

…

Posted in LibLink | Also tagged gay marriage and stephen gilbert | 2 Comments

Social mobility: is the Coalition doing enough to encourage it?

Stephen Tall asks: "Did Nate Silver write in vain?"

Nick Clegg: "Of course the EU has to change"

"Mad, swivel-eyed loons": a top Tory on the Tories

Tag Archives: LGBT rights

LibLink…Giles Goodall: LGBT rights in Europe – La vie en Rose?

Lord Avebury writes… Gay asylum-seekers: we’ve come a long way, but much still left to achieve for LGBTI people around the world

Lynne Featherstone calls for Julie Burchill to be sacked for post attacking transgender people

The SNP, equal marriage and a large dose of red herring

The word ‘straight’ isn’t homophobic. Now can we get on to the stuff that matters, please?

Clegg orders Government to fly LGBT pride flag

Opinion: It is time to pick a fight and show we are serious about institutionalised faith based homophobia

Tim Farron MP writes… Equal Marriage consultation: take part and spread the word

Opinion: Don’t believe everything you read in the papers…

Opinion: HIV Restrictions on NHS workers are “Out of Step”

Video: Lynne Featherstone on International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

PODCAST: Equal marriage debate

LibLink: Stephen Gilbert – It’s time for an equal, gender-neutral, marriage law

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Social mobility: is the Coalition doing enough to encourage it?

Stephen Tall asks: "Did Nate Silver write in vain?"

Nick Clegg: "Of course the EU has to change"

"Mad, swivel-eyed loons": a top Tory on the Tories

Tag Archives: LGBT rights

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