The debate yesterday was marred by some MPs showing strong homophobia. Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth said the plans for equal marriage were ‘divisive’ and suggested that there were plenty of people ‘in the aggressive homosexual community who see this as a stepping stone to something even further’. Howarth has long been known as a Thatcherite and has held strong anti-immigration views for some time. In April he was elected chair of the Conservative Way Forward, a group set up specifically to keep the party in-line with Thatcher’s ideals. His opposition to marriage equality was expected and LGBT residents in his Aldershot constituency are being called on to write their disappointment at his views.

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It features the experiences of 36 police officers and police staff from 16 forces and is available to view on YouTube. It’s the first time a collective of LGB&T police officers and staff nationally have come together to tell their stories to provide a message of hope and encouragement to vulnerable young LGB&T people.

Inspector Julie Fry is chair of Hampshire Constabulary LGB&T Resource Group and features in the film. She said:  “It’s very powerful to see so many openly LGB&T members of the national police service together on one occasion. The film delivers what is a very strong and consistent message that, although many people have experienced adversity with their coming out stories, you can still achieve what you want, you can be successful, there are people to assist with that journey and that it does get better.”

The film is opened by Assistant Chief Constable Steph Morgan who is the national police lead for LGB&T issues and a former Hampshire Constabulary officer. She said:  “Growing up as a young lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans person is often a day-to-day struggle which can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety and suicidal feelings. The ‘It Gets Better’ project exists to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential and positivity their lives will reach if they can just make it through their teenage years. We want young LGBT people to know It Gets Better; they’re not alone and we’re here to help.”

Hampshire Constabulary has a network of Lesbian and Gay Liaison Officers (LAGLOs) who are dedicated to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. All police officers and staff in Hampshire Constabulary are able to support LGB&T people but LAGLOs are available if you want to speak to someone with an extra understanding.

You can find out more about their work and how to contact them here or follow them on Twitter @HantsPoliceLGBT #ItGetsBetterCops

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The ‘Helping Victims of Hate Crime’ app has been developed for Hampshire Constabulary and will be officially launched on Tuesday, May 14, in conjunction with Hampshire Cricket Community Trust who will be hosting the event at the Ageas Bowl.

The app brings together information about hate crimes and hate incidents and encourages people to report them.

It was developed from the design for a booklet previously created for the Hampshire Police Authority and piloted in the Western Area of the constabulary.

PC Ahmed Sasso, who is based in Southampton, developed the idea in force. He said:  “The communities we serve across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are diverse and the app is another tool to help us connect with them. The idea is to provide information in one handy place about hate crimes including how to report them, how to stay safe and what support is available for victims.

“These are crimes and incidents where the victim is targeted because of who they are, for example, because of the colour of their skin, their sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, religion or ethnicity.

“We treat all reports of a hate crime or hate incident very seriously. They’re cowardly and unacceptable crimes which can affect not only the victim but also their family, friends and, in certain cases, a whole section of a community.

“If you or someone you know has been assaulted, threatened, intimidated because of who you are, you can report it directly to the police or through the True Vision website or the anonymous Crimestoppers charity.

“The main advice is don’t suffer in silence and don’t let them get away with it. It could be that whoever’s done this is targeting people more vulnerable than you and may not understand how hurtful their behaviour is.”

Simon Fox, Hampshire Cricket Community Trust Manager, said: “Sport has often led the way with tackling incidences of hate, of any description, and this newly launched app will now make it significantly easier for people to voice their concerns and fears where they previously may not have.

“As a Charitable Trust, we will be working closely with Hampshire Constabulary to support people when they need it most and particularly those who may be facing difficult issues. All our Trust, Community-wide work will reinforce the key message that hate crime of any kind has no place in modern society and for those who may have suffered or been targeted that there is now a modern interactive method of support for them. We have a fantastic, diverse county and it is embracing these societal challenges and differences together that will ultimately create a more harmonious, pleasant place to live.”

App contents

The app was developed by C5 Consultancy for Hampshire Constabulary. It includes a definition of hate crime as well as more detailed information about crimes targeting a victim’s:

• race
• sexual orientation
• transgender identity
• disability
• religion
• age
• refugee or asylum status

How can I download the app?

The app is available for iPhones and Android phones and is free.

What is hate crime?

If you’ve ever been abused, assaulted, targeted or intimidated because of who you are, you may have been the victim of a hate crime or hate incident.

These are incidents or offences which are motivated by hostility, prejudice or hatred towards someone’s actual or perceived:

• colour of skin, race, ethnicity, nationality and/or national origin
• disability
• sexual orientation
• faith, religion or belief
• gender or gender identity
• age

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a hate incident or hate crime, call the police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

You can also call the anonymous Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111 or log on to the True Vision hate crime reporting website.

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The line-up includes QI stalwart, stand-up comedian and Jonathan Creek actor Alan Davies, controversial quick-witted columnist and writer Julie Burchill, Red Dwarf’s Robert Llewllyn and the fabulous comedienne Katy Brand. Television producer, John Lloyd, the comic genius behind Spitting Image, Blackadder, Not The Nine O’Clock News and QI, is hosting a special QI Music Quiz as part of the Festival. There is also the return of QI’s Ask the Elves service, a chance for festival goers to try to outwit the cerebral QI boffins with unanswerable conundrums, a big hit with last year’s audience.

The Festival of Words is free to all Cornbury Music Festival ticket holders as is the Absolute Radio Comedy Emporium, programmed by the national Absolute radio station, which features the current cream of stand-up, including Lee Nelson, Ed Gamble, Rob Broderick, aka, Abandoman and Vikki Stone.

‘We’re completely thrilled to announce this miniature literary hub during Cornbury Music Festival with the addition of the Festival of Words on our 10^th birthday year’ says Festival Director Hugh Phillimore, ‘Oxfordshire is the spiritual home of QI, so we have our arms open wide for this home coming.’

For tickets and more information go to www.cornburyfestival.com

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Queen of UK Soul, Beverley Knight will entertain thousands at the Millennium Stadium this summer by performing at Cardiff Mardi Gras.

Having been making music since the mid 1990’s, we can expect to see her perform a huge repertoire of hits on August 31^st.  Some of these include: ‘Greatest Day’, ‘Shoulda Woulda Coula’, ‘Keep This Fire Burning’ and ‘Piece Of My Heart’.

Cardiff-Wales LGBT Mardi Gras is Wales’ biggest celebration of diversity and LGBT Equality and Beverley is a well-known supporter of the LGBT community:

“My oldest childhood friend finally came out to me. I had already been a vocal supporter of the LGBT community for years at that time and had always known he was gay. 

We were in my car when he eventually spoke those words to me.  When I spoke, I simply said “AND…?!” 

We both burst out laughing!”

Tickets are on sale now at www.cardiffmardigras.co.uk and Iwan Lloyd, Entertainment Manager at Cardiff-Wales LGBT Mardi Gras believes that this is going to be one of the biggest events this year in Cardiff:

“We have already confirmed X Factor star Rylan Clark as our host and I’m really excited to also have Beverley Knight performing. 

No matter how old you are, there will be an act at Cardiff Mardi Gras for you. There’s nothing else like it in Cardiff this summer”.

This year’s Cardiff-Wales LGBT Mardi Gras at Millennium Stadium will feature ten hours of music and entertainment as well as advice and support for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communities. Highlights include:

• Cabaret Garden with the very best in cabaret, drag and local acts;
• Youth Zone specially for 11 – 25 year olds to discuss a range of issues with qualified youth workers;
• Family Zone with entertainment for young children and their families;
• Community and Market Zone giving visitors the opportunity to shop from local traders and obtain advice from organisations that support the LGBT community;
• A funfair, and range of bars and catering facilities.

To show our passion for Equality and Diversity, 2013 will see the return of the inaugural Mardi Gras Parade through the city centre and into the gates of the Millennium Stadium. Organisers are encouraging festival-goers not only to have a great day out and celebrate diversity, but also to fill the streets of Cardiff with colour, floats and carnival for the occasion.

Further information can be found by visiting the website at www.cardiffmardigras.co.uk or by clicking on the Twitter page at @CWMardiGras

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‘Get in the Frame’ as part of Foster Care fortnight

Oxfordshire County Council is launching its annual drive to encourage more people across the county to ‘Get in the Frame’ and become foster carers.

The council is using national Foster Care Fortnight (May 13 – 26) to urge people with a range of different skills and qualities to help provide short and long-term homes for children of all ages.

Throughout the fortnight the council is asking existing foster carers to tell their friends, relatives and colleagues about their experience of fostering and encourage others to ‘Get in the Frame’. The aim is to recruit a diverse range of people with different skills and qualities so that more children are placed in the right home, first time.

A drop-in event is also taking place at Oxford’s Kassam Stadium (Grenoble Road, Oxford, OX4 4XP) from 2pm to 7.30pm next Thursday, May 23, for anyone interested to meet foster carers and find out more about fostering.

The council is looking for short term and long term foster families for all groups of children including:

·           Teenagers – currently around 50 per cent of children in care in Oxfordshire are 12 years and over

·           Sibling groups – who need to be placed together

·           Babies  and toddlers – who need to be placed with foster carers who are at home full-time

·           Disabled children – who need placing with people with the skills and experience to care for children with a wide range of disabilities

All foster carers need:

·           Good communication

·           A commitment to provide support to families and children

·           A desire to help children reach their potential

·           Motivation and energy

Teresa Rogers, Fostering and Adoption Service Manager said: “We currently have around 300 foster carers supporting families and children in Oxfordshire but we always need more people to come forward to ensure children can continue to be placed with the right families.

“Fostering is a way of working as part of a team, in your local community, to help turn children’s lives around. Specialist training and support is given, carers receive an allowance and in some instances an additional fee. We hope that many more people will think ‘I could do that’ – and want to find out more.

Backing the campaign is Oxfordshire foster carer Jenny Barney, who provides foster care to young parents who need support and the opportunity to learn the skills to live independently with a young baby.

She said: “We really need more people to come forward as foster carers. I am still in touch with lots of the young people we have been involved with over the years and I am delighted to hear how well they are now doing. I am really happy to be involved with Foster Care Fortnight and I am always telling people how much we enjoy what we do.”

www.oxfordshire.gov.uk

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The only British football player ever to come out was Justin Fashanu, who revealed his sexuality while he was still playing professionally, but the backlash was harsh and ultimately contributed to his suicide in 1998. The anniversary of his death was only last week (2^nd May) and his memory serves as a warning to other players.

The only other professional player to come out was American Robbie Rogers, who left Leeds United shortly before he came out in February this year. His decision not to carry on as a professional after coming out spoke volumes and showed there is still a lot of work to do before professional players feel as though they can come out. Rogers, who co-owns men’s fashion brand Halsey, is now a fashion journalist and model.

Many gay groups are campaigning for more awareness and understanding within the world of football and leading the charge is The Justin Campaign. See details of their campaign here – www.thejustincampaign.com

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But the most notable praise came from the President of the United States himself, Barack Obama. The President rang Collins in person to praise his decision and offered his full support. At a press conference, Obama stated that he ‘couldn’t be prouder’ of Collins. “It doesn’t get any bigger than the leader of the free world giving you a call and saying you did a good thing, I did something not only to help myself but to empower others,” Collins told the New York Times on Tuesday.

Collins stated that he was not currently in a relationship and that he hoped the press could continue to respect his privacy. He also mentioned that he had chosen to play in the number 98 shirt as a mark of respect to gay teenager Matthew Shepard who was murdered in a homophobic attack in 1998.

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The project will enable younger LGBT people to discover the struggles and sacrifices that many endured to bring about the freedoms and equalities that the LGBT community now enjoys. It will also provide opportunities for the wider Christian community to learn about the contribution LGBT Christians have made to the Christian faith.

LGCM is an organisation that works for justice and equality for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities by fighting against faith based homophobia and transphobia and providing resources for the creation of a truly inclusive church. Working with heritage professionals, participants in this project will gain a deeper insight and understanding into this previously under-researched and recorded part of LGBT history, as well as teaching them valuable new skills.

Commenting on the award, Rev Sharon Ferguson, Chief Executive of LGCM said: ‘We are thrilled to have received the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund as much of LGBT Christian history is being lost as early campaigners and supporters are reaching the end of their lives and organisations close. This project gives us the opportunity to save this valuable information for future generations.’

Sue Bowers, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund London, said: ‘Significant changes have taken place in society regarding LGBT rights since the decriminalisation of homosexuality some 45 years ago and this project will reflect and record the pioneering work within the first religious denomination to establish its own group.’

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Like the UK, New Zealand already had some form of legal union for same-sex couples, but not full equal marriage. New Zealand’s neighbours Australia are not set to follow suit though. Prime Minister Julia Gillard is strongly opposed to same-sex marriage and has already re-stated her opposition to passing similar legislation in the country. Rodney Croome, national convener of Australian Marriage Equality, said “The majority of Australians who support marriage equality will be happy for New Zealand but deeply embarrassing their own country is lagging so far behind. This will be a game changer in Australia because of the close links between our two countries.”

The vote makes New Zealand the 13^th country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.

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