The South west England LGBT Greens

Academies likely to create less tolerant society, Says South West Green party LGBT spokesman,

southwestlgbtgreens — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:37:17 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,

In the houses of Parliament Education Secretary Michael Gove recently laid out the plans for the Academies Bill, Saying that anyone can bid to run these academies and free schools, The South west Green Party spokesperson on LGBT rights Ryan Cleminson said this of the proposals,

“The worrying thing about these proposals of free schools and academies is that they are likely to create a less tolerant society and not a fairer society, We all know that many of these academies and free schools are likely to be run by religious organisations which signals that religious dogma about homosexuality being a sin will be taught.

Whilst we agree that schools should be given some more freedom and autonomy regarding how they are run, taking them out of Local Authority control is not the answer. Already there are examples of schools where Creationism is being taught (in religious schools), or where all children have to take part each week in a mini stock exchange (in Academies controlled by businesses). This is not acceptable and we are concerned that equalities in relation to LGBT rights will almost inevitably be compromised by these proposals.

For more information please contact – Ryan Cleminson on swlgbtgreens@greenparty.or.uk

Survey by Equality South West (ESW) WORRYING SAYS SPOKESPERSON

southwestlgbtgreens — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:50:09 +0000

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE SOUTH WEST GREEN PARTY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

05/08/2010

Survey by Equality South West (ESW) WORRYING SAYS SPOKESPERSON

A recent survey carried out by the group Equality South-West which revealed ONE in ten gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people in the South West have suffered harassment, abuse or physical violence at work in the last two years has today sparked comment from the South West Green Party’s LGBT spokesperson Ryan Cleminson who said “We find this survey deeply concerning when we are supposed to be an equal society. “It shows you that David Cameron is going to have work really hard on the issues raised if we are going to get a “Big society”, Its also showing that homophobia does still exist despite equality laws.

southwestlgbtgreens — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:24:43 +0000

So the Election has been called and the parliament

has been disolved, The situation in Gibraltar is in the courts again with the preliminary hearing on the 16th April

All thats left to be said is vote Green

for real change

spring conference

southwestlgbtgreens — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:13:11 +0000

Well spring conference has been and gone, we have had the leaders speech and the deputy leader as well. The motions have been voted in or out and the business has been concluded. So what next well the Election has yet to be called but its close.
There is Lgbt issues to deal with as well we are now fighting the Gibraltar issues again. The Fco are updating us as and when they can.

I will be writing again when getting back to base

See you all soon!

Launch of National LGBTGreens General

southwestlgbtgreens — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:54:01 +0000

22.1.10

LGBT Greens General Election Manifesto Launch
Friday 26th February
6:30PM
The Brighton Tavern
100 Gloucester Road,
Brighton, East Sussex BN1 4AP
all are very welcome!

LGBT Greens are gearing up for the General Election. Greens will announce their campaigning policies throughout the period of the General Election and leading human rights activist, Peter Tatchell and Green Party leader, Caroline Lucas MEP, will address some of the key areas of the manifesto.

Peter Tatchell commented on the launch:
“The Green Party will go into the General Election as the only party campaigning for marriage and partnership equality. We are calling for civil marriages and civil partnerships to be open to both same-sex and opposite sex couples, without discrimination. We reaffirm our opposition to the blanket, lifetime ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood. Our manifesto commitments show up the shortcomings of the other parties.”

Caroline Lucas, Leader of the Green Party, stated:
“We are delighted to be proudly launching a specific manifesto which will put on centre stage the Green Party’s firm commitment to LGBT equality. We will use the period up to the manifesto to promote re-writing of the Mental Health Act to remove trans people from the Psychiatric Disorder Register and lobby for training for head teachers to create safe environments for lgbt staff and students.”

Malawi ‘gay marriage’ trial on 15 January

southwestlgbtgreens — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 12:07:14 +0000

Malawi ‘gay marriage’ trial on 15 January

Defendants refused bail, face gay sex charges

Human rights defender arrested on false porn charges

London – 5 January 2009

A Malawian court yesterday refused bail to two men who celebrated their engagement

to be married in a traditional African ceremony, which they held late last year.

Giving his ruling at a court in the city of Blantyre on Monday 4 January, judge Nyakwawa Usiwa-Usiwa claimed Steven Monjeza (26) and Tiwonge Chimbalanga (20) were at risk of mob violence and would be safer in custody – a claim rejected by the defendants and their lawyers.

In Malawi, even people accused of serious crimes like violent robbery and assault usually get bail.

The same day the police arrested a worker from the human rights group CEDEP, which assisted the detained men and secured them legal representation.

“Steven and Tiwonge are the first same-sex couple to begin the process of getting married in Malawi,” said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell of OutRage! in London, who has been liaising with human rights defenders inside Malawi to support the detained men.

“The two men have been returned to Chichiri Prison pending their trial on charges of homosexuality, scheduled for Friday 15 January in Blantyre,” added Mr Tatchell.

“They face a maximum sentence of 14 years jail, under Malawi’s anti-gay law, section 153 of the penal code, which was originally imposed on the country by the British colonisers during the nineteenth century.

“Both men deny the charges and will challenge the prosecution on the grounds that it is illegal under the equal rights and non-discrimination clauses of the Malawian constitution.

“Tiwonge and Steven are quite fearful and dejected. They were jeered in court and have been disowned by their families. Conditions in Chichiri jail are appalling. They say they have been beaten in prison and they are now threatened with forced intimate medical examinations to determine whether they have had sex.

“Visitors have taken them food and clothing and given them some money. They encouraged them to stand firm and reassured them that they have support inside Malawi and worldwide. This has lifted their spirits.

“Steven and Tiwonge now have a good legal team, including Mauya Msuku, Felix Tandwe and Noel Supedi.

“They also have the support of the Malawian human rights group, the Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP), which works to defend the welfare of marginalised communities, including prisoners, sex workers and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

“Ominously, the administrator of CEDEP was arrested on 4 January on trumped up charges that the group’s safer sex HIV education materials are pornographic. His arrest is almost certainly in retaliation for CEDEP’s public support for Tiwonge and Steven. There are concerns that the Executive Director of CEDEP, Gift Trapence, may now also face arrest by the police.

“This prosecution is illegal. It is contrary to section 20 of the Malawi constitution, which outlaws all discrimination and it violates the equal treatment provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which Malawi has signed and pledged to uphold.

“Malawi’s anti-gay laws were not devised by Malawians. They were devised in London in the nineteenth century and imposed on the people of Malawi by the British colonisers and their army of occupation. Before the British came and conquered Malawi, there were no laws against homosexuality. These laws are a foreign imposition. They are not African laws,” said Mr Tatchell.

See details of the Malawian constitution and African human rights law below.

Donate to the Malawi Defence Campaign

To make a donation to support the jailed men, post a cheque payable to “OutRage!” to OutRage!, PO Box 17816, London SW14 8WT. Enclose a note giving your name and address and stating that your donation is for the Malawi Defence Campaign. OutRage! will pass all money donated to Tiwonge and Steven’s defence team in Malawi. Thank you.

OutRage! – 0208 240 0222 and outrage@blueyonder.co.uk

Further information:

Gift Trapence, Executive Director of CEDP

directorcedep@yahoo.com

+ (265) 888509732

Peter Tatchell, OutRage!

peter@petertatchell.net

0207 403 1790

Constitution of Malawi – Article 20:

1. Discrimination of persons in any form is prohibited and all persons are…guaranteed equal and effective protection against discrimination on grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, nationality, ethnic or social origin, disability, property, birth or other status.

http://www.icrc.org/IHL-NAT.NSF/162d151af444ded44125673e00508141/4953f2286ef1f7c2c1257129003696f4/$FILE/Constitution%20Malawi%20-%20EN.pdf

The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights – Articles 2, 3 and 4:

Article 2

Every individual shall be entitled to the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms recognized and guaranteed in the present Charter without distinction of any kind such as race, ethnic group, color, sex, language, religion, political or any other opinion, national and social origin, fortune, birth or other status.

Article 3

1. Every individual shall be equal before the law. 2. Every individual shall be entitled to equal protection of the law.

Article 4

Human beings are inviolable. Every human being shall be entitled to respect for his life and the integrity of his person. No one may be arbitrarily deprived of this right.

http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/z1afchar.htm

Happy New Year

southwestlgbtgreens — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:25:55 +0000

Well 2010 has arrived and the work continues. The South West LGBTIQ Greens are still very much in the frontline. The Gibraltar issue is still being fought here.

I am currently hoping the meeting with Chris Bryant is to be rescheduled after being canceled a few days before it was due to happen.

Plus with the prospect of an election soon we are starting to make plans…

a busy year me thinks

welcome

southwestlgbtgreens — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:59:42 +0000

Hello and welcome to the new south west of England Lgbt greens blog.The blog is managed by the coordinator who will add content such as press releases etc.

Please bookmark our blog to keep updated our

website is http://southwestlgbt.greenparty.org.uk

Kindest regards

Ryan Cleminson
SW Lgbt greens spokesman