In this issue:
Editorial 1
Pride London 2009 1
Castro to headline 2
Other Prides in 2009 2
Legal progress 2
Hate crime 3
Milthorpe project 3
Education update 3
Faith and homophobia 3
EHRC 4
International news 4
Contact 4
Editorial
The local and European election results were a stark warning signal of rough times ahead, however you interpret them. Extremely right wing forces are on the march, in
Pride London 2009: a big stage for trade unionism
Trade unions are making a bigger contribution than ever to the national celebrations of LGBT Pride across the country, as the recession leads to a fall-off in commercial sponsorship. And no bigger contribution than to make sure that the enormous national festival takes place in
Join the Trade Union section
Whether or not you are coming to the TUC LGBT Conference on 2-3 July, you would be most welcome to take part in the trade section of the parade that leaves
The trade unions will be in “section A” near the head of the parade. We will be forming up, as usual, behind the gloriously decorated double decker known affectionately to all as “Betty’s Bus”. And we will be showing to the tens of thousands of people who take part in the parade – and the even greater numbers who pack both sides of the route – that trade unions are not just part of the LGBT community, we also play a leading part in campaigning for its rights.
Promoting the trade union message
Over the years of our involvement, we have tried to promote the message that trade unions are good for the LGBT community through various
you have one from previous years, dig it out and get is washed ready for the day! If you would prefer to get a fresh new one, you can order one for just £9.99, - but don’t delay!
While it’s fantastic to have so many trade unions banners in the trade union section, those who are not carrying these can contribute to the common identity by waving the colourful TUC Pride flags. These will be distributed free to unions at the LGBT Conference on the previous day, as usual.
Castro to headline
Thanks to persistence and hard work and the financial backing of unions, the TUC is delighted to welcome Mariela Castro, the head of the Cuban LGBT organisation CENESEX, and daughter of Cuban president Raul Castro, to speak at this year’s TUC Conference. What’s more, we have also arranged for her to headline at the
Other Prides in 2009
With a successful presence at the Birmingham Pride events that took place over the May Bank Holiday weekend, organised by the Midlands Region TUC LGBT network, the season has got underway. Plans have been made to ensure that the message of trade union solidarity – and the message that every LGBT worker’s place is in their union – is delivered at Prides across the country, whether they be in the Midlands,
The TUC and several national unions including Unison, Unite and PCS have also agreed to sponsor this year’s UK Black Pride which takes place, again, at Regent’s college (Regent’s Park, London NW1), on Saturday 15 August. The organisers are working towards making this a free event in future, for which they need to secure greater sponsorship. This year, tickets can be bought online at www.ukblackpride.org.uk.
Legal progress
The Equality Bill
Many people know of the new Equality bill introduced into Parliament in April. It is now (June) beginning what promises to be an arduous committee stage.
The Bill is not merely a consolidation of the many existing anti-discrimination statutes and regulations. It also contains important new proposals.
For LGBT people, potentially the most exciting development is the creation of a new, inclusive Equality Duty modelled on the existing race, disability and gender duties. The Duty requires all public bodies (which covers all organisations carrying out a public function) to positively promote equality for all the equality groups including LGB and T. once in force, this provision gives LGBT people a powerful new lever for pressing any public body to make sure its existing policies and procedures take account of our communities, and to make sure our voices are heard in their decision making.
Those who have explored the complexities of the proposed law will have spotted that because the bill has defined trans people by “gender reassignment” rather than the previous “gender identity”, several anomalous consequences have been created that would actually make things worse than now for trans people. Work is underway, led by Press for Change and supported by the TUC, to get these corrected.
Hate crime law
Many people will have heard that the government made use of the recent Coroners’ bill to reintroduce the clause making incitement to homophobic hatred a criminal offence that was dropped in 2008 when it was chucked out by the Lords. This has now been restored. However, ministers still refuse to extend this to cover incitement to hate crimes against trans people, claiming there is insufficient evidence that this is a problem.
Hate crime
While the (limited) new legislation is welcome in its own right, the sobering experience of attempting to use the law to challenge the homophobic remarks made by Iris and Peter Robinson in Northern Ireland last summer – where despite vigorous campaigning locally, supported by the TUC, the police decided to take no action – shows how difficult it is going to be to prove an intention to incite a criminal act.
The TUC LGBT Conference 2009 will feature a panel discussion on hate crime.
Milthorpe Project
In 2007, the TUC LGBT conference agreed to a proposal to set up an oral history project to record the lives and experiences of LGBT trade union activists. With the aid of a one-off grant by the TUC, and a growing commitment of time by a few key people – notably Seth Atkin, UCU’s LGBT officer, and Bob Cant, an academic at
Education update
Anyone present at the 2008 LGBT Conference will recall the inspiring presentation by the No Outsiders! project, showing how positively LGBT equality could be taught in schools. At that time, the campaign by all the unions in education, coordinated by the TUC, had just met schools minister Kevin Brennan. Progress seemed to accelerate from that point on. Kevin’s replacement in that post, Baroness Delyth Morgan, spoke at the LGBT History Month pre-launch in the autumn, and when the trade union education unions met with her face to face in May 2009, it was to establish that there was genuine and significant progress.
The DCFS – having written to all schools and governing bodies to encourage them to use the anti-bullying guidance written for them by Stonewall last year – was putting in place a mechanism whereby its take up would be monitored. As well - and this was a crucial point raised by the unions – the necessity of training in equality issues for teachers and particularly heads was being recognised.
One of the keystones of future progress will be that the Equality Duty to be introduced in the equality bill (see above) will apply to schools.
The down side remains faith schools. Government ministers have been told that – in the real world – it will be a problem for such schools to reconcile a commitment to advance LGBT equality on the one hand while they are specifically permitted on the other hand to teach that we are sinful. Their reply is that there will be guidance. The TUC sends its commiserations to whoever is writing it – but more importantly, the exemption of the curriculum is bound to mean that the problems faced by LGBT staff and pupils in many faith schools – an even higher level of bullying reported in the 2007 Stonewall report – will continue.
More campaigning is required on this issue.
Faith and Homophobia …
The TUC was pleased to sponsor the 2009 Faith, Homophobia, Transphobia and Human Rights Conference held on 16 May in
… and the EHRC
The Equality and Human Rights Commission also took part in the FHTHR conference, with Trevor Phillips featuring as a keynote speaker. Naturally, he was asked about the appointment of Joel Edwards, former head of the Evangelical Alliance, as a Commissioner, and reaffirmed the total commitment of the Commission to promote LGBT equality just as vigorously as any of the other equality groups.
Since the angry debate on the appointment at the last conference, the TUC has not let the matter rest. A meeting was held with the minister responsible for the Commission, Maria Eagle MP, who responded that she well understood the unions’ concerns. However, there are (legally) very limited grounds on which existing office holders can be removed. One important component for any case to be made calling for Mr Edwards’ removal – or for him not to be reappointed when that comes round – will be evidence that he continues to hold the views that rendered him unsuitable for appointment in the first place.
International news
World Out Games
The Workers Out! conference taking place in
The need for trade union engagement in LGBT communities’ struggle even for basic civil and human rights in many parts of the world, including in many countries that, through their membership of the EU, are formally tied to its equality legislation, is as great as it ever was. The brutal attacks on LGBT campaigners (as in
... and the F&CO
It is therefore very good news that there is continuing consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office throughout a LGBT Stakeholders’ group that includes ILGA, the TUC and Unison, and that has generated a number of valuable initiatives. Those sections of the
Contact
This newsletter is written and produced by the TUC LGBT policy officer, who can be contacted at Congress House as follows:
Peter Purton
Tel.: 0207 467 1271.