GLYNI – Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland

The 20th Belfast Pride was launched successfully last night in Queen’s Film Theatre, Belfast. With hordes of priders there for the event, an enlightening and entertaining documentary ‘Pride, Sweat and Tears’ was launched (featuring, in part, yours truly ;P).

The documentary covered the history of Belfast Pride, and I was particularly impressed with some of the old footage from years gone by. With contributions from many members of the Pride committee past and present, as well as high-profile political leadership views from former Mayor and current MP for East Belfast Naomi Long, as well as current Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, the documentary covered all aspects of Pride, from the reasons, to the organisation, to the protestors, to the fun and events… it really is not to be missed!

It is getting a second showing on Tuesday at the Northstar Science Fiction Night Pride Event, which is at The Roost bar on Tuesday 27th, at 8pm, where you will also get to watch a science-fiction triple feature of Doctor Who, Star Trek: Voyager and Family Guy Star Wars!

Pride 2010 has begun!

Tags: activism, belfast pride, gay, lgbt, politics, pride

There are some great photos up on the BBC website from Glasgow’s Pride festivities, check them out!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-10673475

Tags: gay rights, lgbt, march, parade, pride

A civil partnerships bill has now passed both houses of the Irish parliament and will go to the president to be signed into law.

(more…)

From BBC Article:

The worldwide eradication of smallpox may, inadvertently, have helped spread HIV infection, scientists believe.

Experts say the vaccine used to wipe out smallpox offered some protection against the Aids virus and, now it is no longer used, HIV has flourished.

The US investigators said trials indicated the smallpox jab interferes with how well HIV multiplies.

But they say in the journal BMC Immunology it is too early to recommend smallpox vaccine for fighting HIV.

Kill no cure

Lead researcher Dr Raymond Weinstein, from Virginia’s George Mason University, said: “There have been several proposed explanations for the rapid spread of HIV in Africa, including wars, the reuse of unsterilised needles and the contamination of early batches of polio vaccine.

“However, all of these have been either disproved or do not sufficiently explain the behaviour of the HIV pandemic.”

(more…)

Tags: aids, bbc, hiv, immunity, smallpox, vaccine

Some 8,000 people were killed at Srebrenica in 1995

(From BBC News)

Dutch officials have rejected a retired US general’s claim that its forces failed at Srebrenica because of poor morale over openly gay soldiers.

A defence ministry spokesman dismissed as “complete nonsense” the remarks by John Sheehan, a former Nato commander.

Gen Sheehan had been speaking at a US Senate hearing on allowing gay people to serve openly in the US military.

He said Dutch leaders had told him that the presence of gay soldiers had contributed to the Bosnian massacre.

Srebrenica was a UN safe haven under the protection of Dutch peacekeepers when, in 1995, Bosnian Serb forces overran the town, killing some 8,000 Muslim men and boys.

Gen Sheehan said the former chief of staff of the Dutch army had told him that the presence of openly gay soldiers in the Dutch peacekeeping force were seen as “part of the problem” which contributed to the fall of Srebrenica.

He argued that since the end of the Cold War, European militaries had changed and he concluded “there was no longer a need for an active combat capability”.

‘Totally off-target’

This “socialisation” process, Gen Sheehan said, “included open homosexuality” and led to “a focus on peacekeeping operations because they did not believe the Germans were going to attack again or the Soviets were coming back”.

Gen Sheehan is a former Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic

“It is astonishing that a man of his stature can utter such complete nonsense,” Dutch defence ministry spokesman Roger van de Wetering said in response.

“The Srebrenica massacre and the involvement of UN soldiers was extensively investigated by the Netherlands, international organisations and the United Nations.

“Never was there in any way concluded that the sexual orientation of soldiers played a role.”

The Dutch ambassador to the US, Renee Jones-Bos, added in a statement on the embassy’s website that she “couldn’t disagree more” with the claims by the former general, who retired from the military in 1997.

In the US Senate itself, Senator Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, told Gen Sheehan he was “totally off-target”.

Several countries – including Britain, Canada, Australia and Israel – allow openly gay people to serve in the armed services.

Tags: denmark, don't ask don't tell, military, usa

Belfast City Council has chosen not to renew Mynt’s late alcohol license when it was up for renewal during last week. The council made its decision after police objected to Mynt’s application, based on allegations of customer drug use, assaults occurring and alcohol served out of hours.

Whilst it is certainly true that for a while Mynt got a bad rep due to many police raids searching for drugs. It is unclear whether these raids turned up anything to note more than I imagine you would find in any Belfast club.

A council statement given to the BBC said the licensing committee “took the view that in light of the available evidence, the applicant was unfit to hold a licence”.

A spokeswoman for Mynt said that whilst they are extremely disappointed with the decision, they will be appealing the decision and that since an appeal is pending, the club can continue to trade with its current license in the meantime.

Peace, out!
- Matt

Tags: alcohol, belfast city council, license, mynt, police

A conservative US state senator who has voted against gay rights consistently during his 14 years in government has came ‘out of the closet’ – he is gay!

Republican Roy Ashburn came out during a radio interview in California, for KERN radio, where he said, “I am gay… those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long.”

The 55-year-old divorced father-of-four has been on leave since an arrest last week on suspicion of driving under the influence. He said that his coming out was prompted by rumours that he had visited a gay nightclub before the arrest, which took place in Sacramento on 3 March, and felt he needed to address these rumours. So, I guess that means that the rumours were true :P

He insists that his voting on the gay rights bills reflected the way his constituents wanted him to vote, i.e. on their behalf, rather than him voting on his own “internal conflict”. (Pity he couldn’t make a stand, maybe stick to his own convictions, though I guess we sometimes punish politicians for doing just that as well. Hmm.)

Roy has a record for voting against gay rights measures. Last year, Mr Ashburn opposed a bill to establish a day of recognition to honour murdered gay rights activist Harvey Milk. He has also voted in the statehouse against efforts to expand anti-discrimination laws and recognise out-of-state gay marriages.

Peace, out! – Matt

Tags: celebrity, coming out, gay rights, politics

Today, the Californian Supreme Court ruled to uphold the decision made by the state government to ban gay marriage. The ruling comes at a time of change in America as many states have introduced Gay Marriage bills, one big step back for a country once labelled the “land of the free”…

Unfortunately the Californian supreme court voted 6-1 to uphold the decision made by Governor Schwarzenegger and his Californian state government. All but Justice Carlos Moreno, the only democrat on the committee, voted against the repeal of the ban, placed back in November 2008. However, the 28,000 gay marriages that took place before the ban are still legal!

America, a place most know as one of the most diverse communities on earth, espousing western liberal democracy, a democracy that fought to give its citizens in 1792, is now a democracy that has removed the rights of its citizens as of the 26th May 2009. The introduction of Gay Marriage in California, something that would’ve astounded and made Harvey Milk proud has now been removed, as have the rights to marriage of loving men and women.

A lesson to be learned in this is never to give up. Even when governments and courts rule that you do not have the same rights as your neighbour, challenge their authority, you have the same ability as anyone, challenge everything, educate people, friends, family and strangers!!!

Tags: california, gay marriage, proposition 8, rights, usa

Census petition lobbies Downing Street website

A new petition demanding a question on homosexuality for the next UK census has been launched on the government’s official website.

Currently, lesbians and gay men are discounted from any specific mention in the survey, which measures Britain’s population in detail every decade.

“The current position is that no such question is likely to be included in 2011, meaning at least another decade
before we see such a question on what is the most important survey of the UK population. The survey will contain references to same-sex civil partnerships, so it makes no sense to then omit a question on sexual orientation, ” said a spokesperson for the Gay Police Association.

“At the 2009 Stonewall Workplace Conference, the Chief Executive of the Equalities & Human Rights Commission indicated clearly that the EHRC’s view was that such a question should be included in 2011, challenging the Office
of National Statistics position. As the UK authority on equality issues, the EHRC’s point of view should be taken seriously.

“In keeping with the proposed Single Equality Act, it is the perfect time to add a question on sexual orientation to the census. This government has an excellent record on LGB rights so far, please don’t tarnish that by accepting the ONS stance on this issue. Show courage and don’t make us wait yet another decade. The GPA National Executive Committee fully supports EHCR on this and invites you also to consider supporting this issue by adding your name to the petition.”

Sign the petition here:
Census Petition

Tags: census, government, police, stonewall

By Tony Grew • February 19, 2009 – 10:03

Two American fundamentalist Christians have been excluded from entering the UK after they threatened to protest in Basingstoke.

Rev Fred Phelps and Shirley Phelps-Roper are leading members of the Westboro Baptist Church, a small Kansas-based sect.

The group claimed on their website GodHatesFags.com that they would be protesting at a performance of a gay-themed play in Basingstoke tomorrow.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has reportedly excluded them from the country, despite the widespread belief that they had no intention of coming to the UK.

While WBC have conducted hundreds of pickets in the US, they have failed to appear at promised protests in other countries.

“Both these individuals have engaged in unacceptable behaviour by inciting hatred against a number of communities,” a UK Border Agency spokesman told The Sun.

“The government has made it clear it opposes extremism in all its forms.

“The exclusions policy is targeted at all those who seek to stir up tension and provoke others to violence regardless of their origins and beliefs.”

Other members of WBC will also be excluded.

Earlier this month the Home Office banned a Dutch MP who is critical of Islam from entering the UK because it was judged he would harm community relations.

WBC responded on their website:

“You British Bastards will not have Jesus Christ to rule over you, and think you can issue bans and pass laws to remove God’s word from the landscape.

“You do greatly err, not knowing the power of God; and, you do that against your own interests. It is a great kindness to have God’s prophets in your land.

“But, you ungrateful brutes despise knowledge. It is too late for the UK. God Hates You! God’s wrath and destruction is all that’s left for you, thanks to Secretary Smith.”

The church members, who are mostly relations of Mr Phelps, regularly picket funerals claiming the deaths are God’s punishment for the country’s support of homosexuals.

They have caused so much distress picketing at funerals of soldiers killed in action that they have been restricted from doing so in 22 American states.

The group first came to prominence more than a decade ago when they protested a the funeral of murdered gay man Matthew Shepard.

In October 1998 Matthew was kidnapped, severely beaten and left to die, tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming.

Five weeks later members of the Tectonic Theatre Project went to Laramie, and over the course of the next year, conducted more than 200 interviews with people of the town.

From these interviews they wrote the play The Laramie Project, a chronicle of the life of the town in the year after the murder. WBC claimed that a student production tomorrow night in Basingstoke was to be the target of WBC’s first UK protest.

Tags: christians, fundamentalist, law, phelps, westboro