Archives for January 2015

Why I love music

19/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

As a youngster I always listened to music, whether it be listening hidden under the bed clothes on my transistor radio on headphones to Radio Caroline, or Radio 2 and Radio 3, or when I was doing my homewor; I have not discounted Radio 4 for it had things like the Navy Lark, Round the Horne, The Goons, Alistair Cooke’s Letter from America etc. Today I am still a devotee of radio in all its forms, and I have it setup on my laptops, tablets, phone and I also have a smal digital portable radio and a Sony Walkman which is now over 10 years old and still working perfectly.

A photographer captured Billie Holiday singing Strange Fruit as she recorded the song in 1939

Over time my musical tastes have widened to encompass jazz. Of course, I don’t like all jazz, I’m not a fan of Dickie style jazz, or jazz that seems to forget the rhythm (if it ever had any to start with). But I love the jazz you associate with speakeasies, those smokey havens of people who were keeping low and hiding away from the world.

But, I hear you ask, what has this to do with the LGBT community? As a society we often feel that we are unique in how we have been persecuted; but as I delve into the history of jazz and its performers I am dismayed to see how often music and musicians have also been targets of a society that just didn’t understand. Indeed, quite often jazz has also been seen as a scapegoat for society’s ills.

This was brought home to me again by an article on Billie Holiday – The War on Billie Holiday, by Johann Hari. In his article he writes how the Treasury Department in the USA told Harry J. Anslinger (head of the FBI) he was wasting his time taking on a community (jazz) that couldn’t be fractured, and that their efforts would have a far greater impact if they focused on a single target – someone well-known, like Billie Holiday.

The result of this unjustified targeting, was that Billie Holiday was sent to jail, and as a former convict, she was stripped of her cabaret performer’s license on the grounds that listening to her might harm the morals of the public. She wasn’t allowed to sing anywhere that alcohol was served—which basically excluded her from every jazz club in the United States.

So how does this reflect the bias and prejudice that we in the LGBT community experience today? I print an excerpt from the article:

‘Harry Anslinger was told that there were also white women, just as famous as Billie, who had drug problems—but he responded to them rather differently. He called Judy Garland, another heroin addict, in to see him. They had a friendly chat, in which he advised her to take longer vacations between pictures, and he wrote to her studio, assuring them she didn’t have a drug problem at all. When he discovered that a Washington society hostess he knew—“a beautiful, gracious lady,” he noted—had an illegal drug addiction, he explained he couldn’t possibly arrest her because “it would destroy … the unblemished reputation of one of the nation’s most honored families.” He helped her to wean herself off her addiction slowly, without the law becoming involved…’

I know, society was different then – prejudices and phobias were the rule rather than the exception. But it’s a fact: we in today’s LGBT community are being targeted in similar ways with the same element of prejudice. Even today, in various parts of the world, gay people are thrown off high-rises, beheaded, lynched and stoned to death, lashed, chemically castrated and even sent to camps for so-called ‘conversion therapy’. Doesn’t this sound a lot like what has happened to every minority group in history?

We as a community need to keep ourselves informed. We must turn out and vote in elections, and show that we will not be sidelined whether it be over a cake, a hotel room, a kiss or just holding hands walking down the street.

We must always be sure to stand up for our rights.

.
Further reading:

BBC – Strange Fruit: A protest song with enduring relevance
Youtube – Billie Holiday – Strange Fruit
The Guardian – Civil rights, civil wrongs
In these times – The War on Billie Holiday
BBC -BBC Podcast – Strange Fruit: Emmet Till’s Cousin Speaks

http://youtu.be/h4ZyuULy9zs

Britain's first gay school

16/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

Youth group unveils controversial plan to help bullied LGBT pupils in Manchester

Centre for 60 teenagers is by taxpayer-funded LGBT Youth North West
Group says it could prevent suicides like that of Elizabeth Lowe, 14
But MPs said idea would not reduce prejudice in mainstream schools
Tory Tim Loughton: ‘It seems a step backwards from achieving tolerance’

By JACK DOYLE and JAMES TOZER FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 20:46, 15 January 2015 | UPDATED: 00:58, 16 January 2015

A taxpayer-funded youth group has drawn up controversial plans for Britain’s first school for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pupils.

LGBT Youth North West wants the school to cater for children aged 13 and older who have been bullied and hopes the idea will be copied across the country.

Organisers yesterday denied that the school would become a ‘ghetto’ for gay children and said mainstream schools can be ‘one of the last bastions of homophobia’.

Scroll down for video

Controversial: A youth group has unveiled plans for Britain’s first all-LGBT school (posed by model)

But critics said the move would amount to segregation and would harm efforts to improve tolerance of gay people.

Amelia Lee, the group’s strategic director, said the idea was based on the Harvey Milk School in New York, named after the American politician later played by Sean Penn in a Hollywood movie.

She visited the Harvey Milk school last year, and said she had secured a meeting with officials at the Department for Education.

But Tory MP and former education minister Tim Loughton said: ‘We need to do a lot more to combat homophobic bullying and to create a more tolerant society.

Elizabeth Lowe, 14, killed herself in misplaced fear that her Christian parents would reject her

‘But I cannot see how segregating a group of young people identified by their sexuality can aid better engagement and understanding.

‘The way to achieve more integration, understanding and empathy is not by segregating members of one group, and this would seem to me to be a step backwards from achieving tolerance.’

Miss Lee said her organisation has carried out a survey of gay, lesbian and transgender young people which found many felt teachers had been unsupportive and in some cases simply urged them to ‘ignore’ bullying.

‘Teachers in mainstream schools have problems in tackling issues like homophobic bullying and coming out,’ she said. ‘Unfortunately, schools can be one of the last bastions of homophobia.

‘We have also seen tragic cases such as that of Elizabeth Lowe, a 14-year-old who committed suicide in a park in Manchester because she was struggling with coming out and was worried about telling her parents.

‘It’s to combat problems like those that we want to work with schools and pupil referral units to help young people who are struggling in mainstream education.’

The group received a grant for £63,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government to enable it to purchase the building where it is based, the Joyce Layland LGBT Centre in central Manchester.

And it used part of the funding to conduct a feasibility study into setting up a school. Miss Lee paid for the visit to the U.S. out of her own pocket.

Miss Lee said that by coincidence Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was also visiting the Harvey Milk School last year at the same time she was there.

She also praised the ‘climate of change’ within the department towards homophobic bullying in schools.

City: City council officials in Manchester (pictured) say they are open to the idea, which is in early stages

A source close to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan told the Mail: ‘There is simply no way that we will approve a free school specifically for LGBT young people.

‘Pupils regardless of their sexuality should be educated in mainstream schools which should be equipped to tackle any bullying that should occur.’

Miss Lee said the proposed school would also be open to pupils who were not gay or transgender but felt more comfortable in such an environment and those who are questioning their sexuality.

Critic: MP Tim Loughton said the idea would segregate students from one another even more

The group said it had already had backing from Manchester City Council as well as the Schools Out anti-homophobic bullying campaign.

LGBT Youth North West is a regional organisation that seeks to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people in the North West of England.

It receives funding from a raft of state funded bodies, including the region’s councils and parts of the NHS. It also says its work is ‘supported by’ the National Lottery, Comic Relief and Children in Need.

Miss Lee said she intends to wait until after the General Election to decide whether to go ahead with an application to set up a free school, with the first pupils starting in around three years’ time.

She said around two-thirds of the anticipated 60 pupils would be full-time, with the rest attending for around a day a week from their usual schools.

‘The last thing we want is for young people to fall out of mainstream education permanently, or for this to become a ghetto for lesbian, gay and bisexual students,’ she said.

‘This would be somewhere that students who are struggling with the negative effects of issues like bullying could attend classes for a period of time while ensuring they get the grades they are capable of.’

She said children would not be enrolled in the school as their first-choice secondary, but referred there if they were having problems in mainstream education, potentially staying for a year or more.

A spokesman from the Department for Communities and Local Government said the grant was to help the group purchase the community centre from Manchester City Council and was not to set up a school.

A spokesman said: ‘The Department for Communities and Local Government has not funded this school.’

‘Rather, through the organisation Social Investment Business, grants have been given to local areas wishing to run buildings for community uses.’

A spokesman for Manchester City Council said: ‘We supported LGBT Youth NW in their bid for funding to look at the feasibility of expanding their premises and developing the work they do.

‘One of their development ambitions is around how they might make additional educational support available to LGBT young people. We’ve had an initial discussion with them about that, but there are no current plans that we’re aware of to open a LGBT school in the city.’

Gay twin models come out to their dad (Video)

16/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

A feel good story and vid from the USA – maybe we in time will have similar stories to tell:

Twin brothers have some big news to break to their father in this heartwarming video – they are both gay.
Aaron and Austin Rhodes, 19, run a YouTube channel called The Rhodes Bros which follows their attempts to make it big in LA, as well as insights into their personal lives. But their latest video was perhaps as personal as it gets.
Austin explains that their family and friends all know that the brothers are gay – except their dad. As they are based in Los Angeles, two thousand miles away from their hometown in Ohio, they have to tell their father via phone.
Before making the call, Aaron and Austin admit that they feel ‘sick’ and ready to ‘pass out’.
Aaron tries to be the one to break the news, but he gets too choked up as he tries to explain why they are calling. Austin swoops to the rescue, but also breaks down before he can spit it out.
In the end, it’s Aaron who manages to say it: “I don’t really know how else to put it, but, like… I’m gay and, um, Austin is too,” he says, as both brothers wipe their eyes.
Luckily, their dad’s reaction is enough to warm the coldest cockles of your heart. “You know I love you both – that will never change,” he tells them. “You gotta live your lives. You gotta do what you gotta do.”
When Austin says he hopes that things will stay normal between them, Dad is quick to reassure them : “You are normal.” Aww!

Research – non-inclusive workplaces have a negative impact on businesses

16/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

Suki Sandhu

A new study of 200 senior LGBT business figures highlights that non-inclusive workplaces have a negative impact on their employees and can damage productivity.

85% of those polled think closeted LGBT professionals waste energy pretending to be someone they’re not and 61% worry this group are less committed toward their organisation. In addition, 80% of respondents believe if people are not openly themselves at work it damages their confidence; 86% think it leaves them isolated from their colleagues and 86% believe the fear of being ‘found out’ causes anxiety.
The experience of the survey respondents, 99% of whom are ‘out’ at work, also suggests that, although daunting, being open about your sexuality at work is often a less traumatic experience than expected. 60% don’t see sexuality-based, workplace harassment as an issue and nearly three quarters (74%) don’t think being out has a negative impact on their career progression.
However, for those working further down the ladder, the view is not so bright. Just 24% of the executives polled believe middle managers have an inclusive attitude towards LGBT colleagues. This compares to 45% holding this view of executives.
In order to remedy this disconnect, almost a third LGBT executives believe there is a need for more openly LGBT executive role models (27%) and more mentoring opportunities for LGBT employees (25%). A greater level of boardroom diversity would also give those employees working in the middle of an organisation the confidence to smash through the ‘glass closet,’ according to 24% of respondents.
Suki Sandhu, CEO and founder of OUTstanding, which commissioned the survey, said: ‘Whilst we’ve taken huge strides in terms of diversity and LGBT equality in the UK, for many, the perception is that it’s safer to stay in the closet if they want to get on at work; in fact 62% of students who were out at Uni go back into the closet when they start work². It’s vital that those in leadership positions use their influence to communicate that by being authentic and yourself at work; business professionals will be more confident, perform better and ultimately boost the business’s bottom line’.
There are big businesses which are starting to make a difference. The respondents highlighted IBM, Google and Barclays as the organisations they admire for taking the greatest steps to encourage LGBT diversity, both in the UK and abroad.
Claudia Brind-Woody, Vice President and Managing Director of Intellectual Property Licensing at IBM said: ‘At IBM, we are passionate about creating a working environment that enables employees to be themselves, so we’re delighted to be recognised for this by the wider LGBT community. Fostering an openly diverse working environment is good business, it allows us to retain the best talent, encourage innovation and empower our employees to bring their whole selves to work’.

Could one court ruling force Northern Ireland to allow gay marriage ?

15/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

Gay couple married in England are hoping to have their marriage recognized in Northern Ireland

13 JANUARY 2015 | BY JOE MORGAN

Northern Ireland's gay marriage ban could be overruled this week.

A gay couple married in England could be the key in same-sex marriages being recognized in Northern Ireland.
In a court ruling this week, to be heard at Belfast high court, a decision could lead to the UK as a whole allowing gay couples to get legally married.
The couple, who have asked to remain anonymous, will call on Northern Ireland to make a declaration their marriage remains lawfully constituted where they are living now and should be recognized on Thursday (15 January).
John O’Doherty, director of The Rainbow Project, is backing the couple.
‘We are very happy to support this important legal challenge. While same-sex marriage legislation in Westminster had many positive aspects, we believe that its provision forbidding the recognition of lawful same-sex marriages in Northern Ireland is irrational, contrary to principles of British constitutional law and incompatible with the European convention on human rights,’ he said.
‘We are resolute in our assertion that no one can be married in one part of the United Kingdom and then not married in another.
‘Once a couple is lawfully married in the UK, we contend that their relationship cannot be reclassified as a civil partnership without their consent, which is exactly what the law currently does.
‘The legislation says to lawfully married people that they are no longer married. This is unconscionable and cannot be permitted to continue.
‘Marriage is a fundamental human right, which is now recognised in the UK as including same-sex couples. We will work to ensure that this right is realised for everyone in the United Kingdom and we are confident that marriage equality will be achieved in Northern Ireland.’
Without the ruling, Northern Ireland is expected to be the only main part of the British and Irish islands that ban same-sex marriage by the end of the year.
Ireland itself will be voting in a referendum in May. In the last Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll, it found 71% supported marriage equality in Ireland.

– See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/could-one-court-ruling-force-northern-ireland-allow-gay-marriage130115#sthash.QY9YasKu.dpuf

Jeffrey Dudgeon – MP in Waiting

14/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

Jeff is the current Treasurer of NIGRA, a councillor for the Balmoral ward within the Belfast Council, an established author (Roger Casement: The Black Diaries – With a Study of His Background, Sexuality and Irish Political Life), was awarded the MBE services to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community in Northern Ireland.

He is mainly known for Dudgeon v United Kingdom, the case which led to the legalisation decriminilising homosexuality in Northern Ireland.

Jeff is an active politician, and the result of the South Belfast Ulster Unionist Association vote for a Westminster candidate on Wednesday 7 January 2014 was declared.

Michael McGimpsey MLA withdrew the day before the selection vote to concentrate on the Assembly.

(And two of Jeff’s supporters, Roberta Flack and George Fleming, were hospitalised earlier in the week!)

‘All present gave me a preference! A bit humbling.’ Jeff stated after the vote.

Party officers will now choose between the top two names after an interview.

Obviously a deal with the DUP standing down in South Belfast and the UUP doing the same in East Belfast is vital, along with Fermanagh South Tyrone and North Belfast being so arranged.
Unionism could regain three seats on a very good day

Further reading:

Mass gay wedding in Toronto for 115 couples

13/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

Queerspace, Belfast are excited to be screening a very special short documentary giving a unique & facinating insight into one of the largest same sex marriage events ever held. 115 couples, individuals from all over the world committed to each other in the magnificant grounds of Casa Coma Toronto on 26 June 2014, it was the start of World Pride in Toronto & Sam was there with his camera up close & personal capturing it’s message of hope & equality in its simplest form… That everyone should have the right to marry a person that they love.

Sam is showing his documentary in Belfast LGBT centre on Saturday 17 Jan, 5.15 pm

Map Link:

Vito Russo – Visionary and Humanitarian

13/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

Vito Russo (July 11, 1946 – November 7, 1990), was a visionary, a humanitarian, an evangelist and a activist. Everyone who met him became part of his campaign group, whether that campaign was about LGBT rights or about the provision of medical aid to cover AIDS in the USA during the time of the Regan administration.

He was a writer, a historian, and an acclaimed presenter on ‘The Celluloid Closet’; he travelled the length and breath of the USA educating and trying to galvanize people into fighting for their rights and to stand up for themselves.

He was in the forefront of the battle to get the US administration to invest in developing a medical solution to AIDS and also in the provision of support for those suffering from this disease – President Reagan did not recognise the LGBT lifestyle, and through his direction the administration did nothing to help those suffering from ‘the gay plague’. Indeed Vito’s partner later developed AIDS, as did he himself some years after Jeff’s death.

Vito was a great orator, who had the ability to bring people from all walks of life on board to the campaigns – gay straight, black, white, red – the ordinary man and woman on the street to high profile stars like Liz Tayle or Lily Tonlinson – and through this ability society recognised the injustice of the administration’s stand and practice.

Vito was born in New York City , and grew up in East Harlem, graduating from New York Universityand died in 1990, having been in slow decline due to AIDS for some years. The LGBT community, indeed a much wider community than this, came out for his funeral and expressed their feelings at the loss of his life – his life stands out for those who have listened to him speak, watched him campaign and read his writings; indeed he is comparable to Martin Luther, Ghandi and others who stood up and fought injustice I believe.

I would urge you to make the time and find his book, watch him on YouTube and read about his life – become inspired to fight injustice no matter where you see it – your life will be enriched and so will society’s.

Nothing Like A Dame… Part 2

12/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

By The Gay UK, Dec 31 2014 03:00PM

In the New Year Honour List announced yesterday Kirsten Scott Thomas became one of the youngest women ever to be made a Dame.

The actress who resides in France these days and best known for her Oscar nominated performance in The English Patient is a mere 54 years old. Most members of this group of illustrious women she is now joining are ‘elderly’ although this not a term one would dare to use describing another new ‘member’ Dame Joan Collins even though she is now 81 years old.

Fashion designer Mary Quant credited with introducing the miniskirt in the Swinging Sixties is also made a Dame some 50 years after the Queen gave her an OBE, and joining her on the list is the ex Television Presenter and founder of Childline Dame Esther Rantzen.

Also amongst the List we espied that the wonderful actor John Hurt had finally been knighted. Sir John is hardly a Dame, but we hold him in such high esteem after his unforgettable performance as Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant that we feel like he could be an ‘honarary one’.
by Roger Walker-Dack

Top 10 Gay Icon Dames

12/01/2015 By David McFarlane Leave a Comment

By The Gay UK, Dec 31 2014 12:01PM

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A DAME.

(and we don’t mean the Pantomime ones)

We are fast approaching the NEW YEARS HONOURS LIST when HM The Queen will make a few more illustrious women who have made significant contributions to society a DAME (of the British Empire to be exact). It’s a very select ‘club’ and includes some of very favorite ladies who have enriched all our lives one way or another. So to honour them, here’s THE GAY UK‘S TOP TEN DAMES

1) DAME JUDI DENCH: if you can win an OSCAR for a performance that lasts no longer than 8 minutes (‘Shakespeare in Love’) then you really are a Star in every sense of the word.

2) DAME MAGGIE SMITH: two-time OSCAR winner and the cutting queen of the perfect put-down with her scary withered looks, we’d watch this grand Dame if she was just reading the phone directory out loud.

3) DAME HELEN MIRREN: whom we actually call Deputy Queen after she stole our hearts and her first OSCAR for playing H.M. with such dignity and style.

4) DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY: the brassy girl from Tiger Bay who has belting out hits for years and sued for belting her staff too. We love her regardless.

5) DAME KIRI TE KANAWA: we fell for this operatic diva from New Zealand when we saw her recording ‘West Side Story’ with Leonard Bernstein (later parodied by French and Saunders who both should be made Dames too)

6) DAME JOAN PLOWRIGHT (Baroness Olivier): if you had ever had the good fortune to see this sublime actress on stage you’d appreciate that she was every bit as good as her famous late husband.

7) DAME EILEEN ATKINS: celebrated actress & writer (she co-created Upstairs Downstairs) with a lengthy stunning resume, but in our eyes she will always be the wonderful snobby Miss Deborah (and big sister to Dame Judi as Miss Matty) in ‘Cranford‘ TV series

8) DAME DIANE RIGG: a multi-awarding winning ‘serious’ actress and one of the first to ‘bare all’ on a West End stage, she is still however best known for her sexy leather clad Emma Peel in the hit TV series ‘The Avengers ‘in the 1960’s

9) BARONESS BAKEWELL D.B.E.: one of very first female TV presenters on the heavyweight current affairs programmes to be taken seriously. Never afraid to be forthright and frank with her views she was dubbed ‘the thinking man’s crumpet’.
We couldn’t decide on 10th place so we are awarding this spot to two great Dames

10) DAME JULIE ANDREWS: probably one of the most ‘English’ of our list even though she left our shores many years ago to climb every mountain and fly over chimney pots.

LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 27: Actress Julie Andrews attends the 13th annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at UCLA on April 27, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

10) DAME EVELYN GLENNIE: profoundly deaf since 12 years old this Scottish virtuoso percussionist not only doe she make such incredible music, Dame Evelyn has a seemingly limitless capacity to inspire all of us.

Compiled by Roger Walker-Dack

Archives for January 2015

We must always be sure to stand up for our rights.

Youth group unveils controversial plan to help bullied LGBT pupils in Manchester

He is mainly known for Dudgeon v United Kingdom, the case which led to the legalisation decriminilising homosexuality in Northern Ireland.

Jeff is an active politician, and the result of the South Belfast Ulster Unionist Association vote for a Westminster candidate on Wednesday 7 January 2014 was declared.

Michael McGimpsey MLA withdrew the day before the selection vote to concentrate on the Assembly.

(And two of Jeff’s supporters, Roberta Flack and George Fleming, were hospitalised earlier in the week!)

‘All present gave me a preference! A bit humbling.’ Jeff stated after the vote.

Party officers will now choose between the top two names after an interview.

Obviously a deal with the DUP standing down in South Belfast and the UUP doing the same in East Belfast is vital, along with Fermanagh South Tyrone and North Belfast being so arranged. Unionism could regain three seats on a very good day

Obviously a deal with the DUP standing down in South Belfast and the UUP doing the same in East Belfast is vital, along with Fermanagh South Tyrone and North Belfast being so arranged.
Unionism could regain three seats on a very good day