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City celebrates IDHOBIT in New Steine Gardens

The International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia was supported by local politicians, students and voluntary LGBT/HIV sector organisations this evening.

IDAHOBIT 2014

Leaders of the Labour and Conservative group on Brighton and Hove Council were keynote speakers at tonights IDAHOBIT event in New Steine Gardens.

Rainbow Chorus IDAHOBIT 2014

May 17 commemorates the day in 1990 when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its list of mental health diseases. In 86 countries globally, homosexual acts remain illegal while in many countries lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and those who identify as trans are often murdered simply because of their sexuality or gender identity.

IDAHOBIT 2014

Green Councillor Geoffrey Bowden read a message from Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighon Pavilion who had to withdraw due to family commitments. Cllr Bowden a former Pride trustee recently controversially said “Pride is not a sacred cow” at full council in defending his decision not to reinstate the annual £25,000 council grant to Brighton Pride. His decision was successfully reversed with support of an ammendent by the Labour and Conservative Groups on Brighton & Hove City Council.

IDAHOBIT 2014

Students from Brighton’s Universities carried a 60 metre rainbow flag up St James Street and into New Steine Gardens and the Rainbow Chorus conducted by their musical director, Aneesa Chaudhry sang beautifully at the beginning and end of the evening.

The Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Brian Fitch welcomed everyone to the event and Katy Bourne the Police and Crime Commissioner congratulated the LGBT Community Safety Forum on organising the evenings proceedings and their work helping reduce hate crime in the city.

IDAHOBIT 2014

Dr Sam Hall from the Clare Project spoke passionately about the importance of getting the prefix right when addressing a trans person while the contribution of Nick Douglas a paid worker at Switchboard, highlighted why some volunteer LGBT/HIV organisations choose not to work in partnership with Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard.

The evening finished on a positive note with Joanna Rowland-Stuart speaking on behalf of Regard, the national organisation of disabled LGBT people explaining how this year, special efforts were being made to include the needs of deaf and disabled LGBT people at this years Pride by the LGBT Community Safety Forum who are organising all access issues at this years event.

A minutes noise followed as the Rainbow Flag was raised to bring the evening to a close.

IDAHOBIT 2014

Speakers during the evening included:

The Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Brian Fitch

Katy Bourne, Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner

Cllr Geoffrey Theobald, Leader of the Conservative Group on Brighton and Hove City Council

Cllr Warren Morgan, Leader of the Labour and Cooperative Group on Brighton and Hove City Council

Dr Sam Hall, The Clare Project

Shane Murray, co-president of Allsorts Youth Project

Gary Pargeter, Lunch Positive

Rory Smith: LGBT Liaison / Hate Crime Co-ordinator

Aneesa Chaudhry: The Voice Box

Ed Whelan: FTMB

Pc Rich Bridger: Brighton & Hove Division, LGBT Neighbourhood Policing Team

Alex Hyatt: MindOut Mental Health Project

Amaryllis Strong: Brighton Bothways bi-sexual group

Simon Dowe: Chief Executive at The Sussex Beacon

Rev. Michael Hydes: Metropolitan Community Church

Nick Douglas: LGBT Switchboard

Anthony White: LGBT+Campaigns officer, Brighton Student’s Union

Joanna Rowland-Stuart: REGARD, the National LGBT disabled organisation

For more information about the LGBT Community Safety Forum, CLICK HERE:

 

 

Labour candidate accuses Kemptown MP of failing to support vote against a letting agency fees ban

Nancy Platts, Labour’s parliamentary candidate for Brighton Kemptown is disappointed that Simon Kirby MP failed to support an amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill that would have banned letting agent fees for tenants.

Nancy Platts, Labour candidate for Kemptown & Peacehaven
Nancy Platts, Labour candidate for Kemptown & Peacehaven

Nancy wrote to Simon Kirby personally to ask him to support the amendment.

Nancy said: “Conservative MP Simon Kirby has missed an opportunity to stand up for people who live in rented accommodation in Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven and they will rightly feel let down.

“If you buy your home, most estate agents will not charge you fees, but people in Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven who rent are given no protection and they get charged £350 on average. That’s a lot of money for a lot of people and that’s why Labour will legislate to ban these rip-off charges by letting agents.”

“Nine million people are living in rented homes today, more than a million families, and more than two million children. Nancy says that while tenants across Brighton and Peacehaven face rip-off fees from lettings agents and insecure tenancies, Labour has announced the biggest change in a generation to make the system fairer for renters.”

Nancy maintains that tenants are hit by huge upfront costs through unfair letting agent fees. A survey of letting agents found that 94 per cent imposed additional charges on tenants on top of the deposit and rent in advance. Fees are extremely variable, but on average tenants are forced to pay £355 to their lettings agents every time they move house with some paying as much as £500. These costs she claims put additional pressure on renters with 54 per cent of people surveyed saying they faced financial difficulties covering fees.

She says the amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill gave all MPs the chance to stand with renters and make a real difference to their lives by banning letting fees to tenants.

The next Labour government say they will pass legislation to ban letting agent fees for tenants and will introduce longerterm tenancies with predictable rents.

Simon Kirby, MP
Simon Kirby, MP

“In a written response to Nancy, Simon Kirby, said: Thank you for writing to me about Ed Miliband’s latest scheme for rent controls and letting agents fees.

“Industry experts are clear that Labour’s scheme for rent controls would lead to less investment and fewer homes to rent. This would force up rents, as people chase fewer and fewer properties.

“Similarly, your Party’s plans on letting agents fees will, according to Shelter and other housing experts, lead to higher rents. This is because agents will simply charge landlords higher fees, who will pass on the cost to tenants in turn.

“It is for this reason that I have not supported Labour’s amendment today – to have done so would have been to vote for higher rents and higher charges. This would make life more difficult for people who rent.

“By contrast, Conservatives in Government is taking real action to make sure tenants are protected and get a fair deal. We are:

1) Changing the law to make it easier for tenants to get their complaints addressed.

2) Requiring letting agents to publish all their fees and charges, so that the minority of rogue agents can no longer impose unreasonable, hidden charges. If they don’t publish their fees they will be fined.

3) As part of our long-term economic plan, investing over £1 billion to build thousands of new, good quality homes to rent.

4) Helping people to get on the housing ladder through the Help to Buy scheme, which has already enabled over 27,000 families to achieve their dreams and buy their own home.

“I support measures that make it easier for people to rent and also deal with the small minority of rogue letting agents and landlords.

“But, I won’t support Labour’s political gimmicks designed to grab headlines. Because in the long-term they would just hurt people who rent.”

Purna Sen
Purna Sen

Purna Sen, the Labour candidate for Brighton Pavilion sent a similar letter to Caroline Lucas the Green MP for Pavilion asking her to support the same ammendment.

Caroline Lucas MPIn a written response, Caroline said: Many thanks for your letter asking me to support an amendment to the Consumer Rights Bill about the rip-off fees that tenants in Brighton Pavilion face.

“I doubt you’ll be surprised that we are on the same side on this one! Indeed, I am a top sponsor of the amendment that you ask me to support in your letter. My support was already in the public domain here.

“As you’ll know, Brighton and Hove has an expanding private rented sector which already includes 28% of all homes in our City, well above the national average of 16.5%.

“It is plain the Government do not care about ‘generation rent’. Our City faces a grave housing crisis, which is why I have been working to support tenants’ rights in Parliament since day one. For example, as you may know, I tabled a Landlord Accreditation Bill in support of Shelter’s work. As MP for Brighton Pavilion, rights for people in the private rented sector and a sustainable programme to build and repair council housing are things I have consistently pushed for.

“There are some good landlords but unfortunately rogue landlords are still all too common, as I know from my constituency surgeries. What people need and want is to be protected from rip-off fees, to have security of tenure with 5 and 10 year tenancies and for rents to be kept under control. Many want access to council housing but the stock just isn’t there.

“Affordable housing stock isn’t available because of the failure of successive Governments to build the homes we need and to protect the stock the taxpayer once owned. ‘Right to Buy’ takes no account of the ‘Right to Rent’ which must surely come first. We now have the appalling situation where we have given away our housing stock and we are now paying housing benefit to Landlords at extortionate market rates for good houses that once belonged to the taxpayer. It is a scandal.

“To address this point, yesterday, I put down New Clause 8 to the Deregulation Bill to replace homes lost through right to buy. I have reproduced the text of the amendment at the end of this letter, which the National Housing Federation are backing. I’d be interested to know if you support it. It would be really great if you could speak to those front bench Labour MPs that you know and ask them to support it, for the benefit of the people who are trying to rent in Brighton Pavilion. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if I can provide any further briefing on the amendment.

“I hope you will join me in calling for a real central government commitment to council housing, funded by direct capital investment, so individuals and families can stay in Brighton and Hove; so they are not at the mercy of rip-off landlords; so they can put down roots and not be forced to move their children from school to school.

“I hope you’ll be able to get colleagues to back NC 8 – I’ll keep an eye out!”

 

 

 

 

Brighton buildings bathed in blue for ME

ME that is classified as a neurological illness affects over 6,000 adults and children across Sussex many of whom are virtually housebound and in need of care.

ME Association

Three of Brighton’s top destinations – The Brighton Wheel, the Grand Hotel and the Sea Life Centre – were bathed in blue, green and purple light, the colours of International ME Awareness Day, on the night of Monday May 12 in an awareness-raising event organised by the Sussex ME Society and ME Space.

For more information about ME, CLICK HERE:

 

 

The greatest gayest sporting event of the year is back!

The GMFA/RVT Sports Day returns on August 25 in London.

Vauxhall Sports Day

This annual carnival of athletic mayhem takes place on bank holiday Monday, August 25, at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens (just behind the Royal Vauxhall Tavern) and will be hosted by Timberlina.

Registration for teams is now open so it’s time to get training and help raise vital funds to support HIV prevention for gay men and to benefit the local community.

As is now traditional, the Vauxhall Sports Day will revisit old-skool sporting events with a big gay twist, so you can thrill to the Handbag Toss, gasp at the 50m mince and jump for joy for the Space Hopper relay.

If you’re fed up of watching from the sidelines and want to show off your sporting prowess, form a team and register now. Everyone is welcome to take part, whatever your sexual preference, gender or athletic ability but there are only a limited number of places for teams.

This year’s (optional) theme is Superheroes!

To register, email michael.flaherty@gmfa.org.uk

Or CLICK HERE:  to view videos and pictures of previous events.

Matthew Hodson, GMFA’s Chief Executive, said: “Each year Sports Day gets bigger, better and more outrageous. If you’ve never been to a Sports Day before, you’re missing a real treat. It’s like the World Cup but with bigger balls.”

The Gay Sports Day is an institution dating back to the 80s. This is the 8th successive year that GMFA, the gay men’s health charity, and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern have joined forces to host the event. Money raised from the event funds GMFA’s sexual health work for gay men, including HIV prevention campaigns like ‘Think Again’.

GMFA currently receives no money from the Government for their HIV prevention work and relies upon the support of the gay community to fund this work. Money raised will also go to two organisations that help look after the local Vauxhall community – Vauxhall City Farm and The Friends of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens.

Each team of five collects sponsorship for the event, with a minimum of £500 expected from each team. There are three award categories with medals for the winning team, for the team that raises the most money and for the team with the best outfits.

Matthew added: “Sports Day is all about fun, celebration and giving back to the community. The money raised at this year’s event will help GMFA to prevent new HIV infections by giving us money to run campaigns, like the ‘Think Again’ ads, which have got young gay men to consider how HIV could affect them. We’ve got more campaigns coming up this year and every penny raised will help us to ensure that we can reach more gay men with HIV prevention information. So whether you want to show off your sporting prowess, your finest fancy dress, or just to cheer from the sidelines, we hope to see you there.”

Vauxhall Sports Day

 

 

REVIEW: Entertaining Mr Sloane

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Joe Orton’s play of sex, intrigue and murder amongst the lower middle-class is now fifty years old. Not surprisingly it’s lost some, perhaps most, of its power to shock and is now a respectable classic of English theatre. But of course shock will get you only so far – will its cast of scheming, hypocritical, and manipulative characters still have the same fascination it had in 1964? The Emporium Rep’s production is a decent stab at Sloane but never quite makes the grade.

A young man with a dubious past finds himself lodging in a house built on a rubbish dump presided over by Kath (Bridget Mastrocola), who is a traditional lusty landlady. She lives with her elderly father Kemp (Rory McCallum) who hasn’t spoken to his son Ed (Mike Goodenough) for twenty years after catching him in some unspecified act of immorality – though after Ed hires Sloane to be his chauffeur on the condition the uniform includes leather trousers we can make an educated guess.

Sloane is harder to perform than reading the play would suggest. This production – like many others – can see very good lines simply lost through the timing being a beat out, or getting the rhythm slightly wrong. After her father stabs Sloane with a toasting fork Kath asks ‘Did he attack you? He’s never shown signs before‘ which is a great line with its vaguely surreal suggestion that old people, like dogs, may suddenly turn. But here it doesn’t get a laugh or even raise a smile. Though I also feel that the press night was a bit too early in the run as there were quite a few missed cues and the occasional fluffed line. Hopefully, after a few more performances, it will get the delivery it deserves.

Goodenough is excellent as the repressed East End queer who wouldn’t be out of place amongst the gay hoodlums of Performance. He’s domineering and menacing but also shows a wickedly funny side. The scene where he quizzes Sloane about growing up in an all-boys orphanage with a barely concealed lubriciousness is an absolute joy. Mastrocola gives Kath some depth, making her pitiable as well as a willing exploiter of the young man who she will end up sharing with her brother as if Sloane were the spoils of some domestic war. McCallum makes a wonderfully irascible, crotchety and generally unlovable old man. Unfortunately, I really didn’t get on with Drury’s Sloane. Certainly not a bad performance but it didn’t have nearly the power, the sense of swagger, that the role demands.

If you haven’t seen Sloane before this is a very good introduction; and when it hits its stride it is very funny. If it’s a play you’re familiar with you may end up just a tad disappointed at its missed opportunities.

Continues at the Emporium, London Road, Brighton until June 22.

For more information and tickets click here.

New location for Brighton IDAHOBIT event today

The location of IDAHOBIT 2014 has been moved from Old Steine and will now be held in New Steine Gardens, on Saturday, May 17 starting at 6.30pm.

IDAHOBIT

May 17 commemorates the day in 1990 when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its list of mental health diseases. In 86 countries globally, homosexual acts remain illegal while in many countries lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and those who identify as trans are often murdered simply because of their sexuality or gender identity.

This year’s event in New Steine Gardens will include:

• Performances from The Brighton & Hove Rainbow Chorus.

• A minute’s ‘noise’ to remember the international victims of homo, bi and transphobic violence; (so bring a whistle, horn, bell, tambourine, trombone etc to make some noise!)

• Raising of the Rainbow flag and release of balloons as a symbol of hope for the future.

• Speeches will come foremost from key personalities within the LGBT community.

Confirmed guest speakers include (in no particular order):

The Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Brian Fitch

Katy Bourne, Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner

Cllr Geoffrey Theobald, Leader of the Conservative Group on Brighton and Hove City Council

Cllr Warren Morgan, Leader of the Labour and Cooperative Group on Brighton and Hove City Council

Dr Sam Hall, The Clare Project

Shane Murray, co-president of Allsorts Youth Project

Gary Pargeter, Lunch Positive

Rory Smith: LGBT Liaison / Hate Crime Co-ordinator

Joanna Rowland-Stuart: REGARD

Aneesa Chaudhry: The Voice Box

Ed Whelan: FTMB

Pc Rich Bridger: Brighton & Hove Division, LGBT Neighbourhood Policing Team

Alex Hyatt: MindOut Mental Health Project

Amaryllis Strong: Brighton Bothways bi-sexual group

Dulcie Weaver: Director Brighton Pride

Simon Dowe: Chief Executive at The Sussex Beacon

Rev. Michael Hydes: Metropolitan Community Church

Nick Douglas: LGBT Switchboard

Anthony White: LGBT+Campaigns officer, Brighton Student’s Union

Flag Raisers: Sj Ramage and Ted Talbot

Flag Bearers: Students from the Brighton LGBT Students Union

Cllr Geoffrey Theobald
Cllr Geoffrey Theobald

Brighton & Hove City Council Conservative Group Leader, Cllr. Geoffrey Theobald, is supporting IDAHOBIT 2014 and the vigil in New Steine Gardens.

He said:  “It is quite astonishing to think that as recently as 1990 homosexuality was still officially considered to be a mental illness. Thank goodness we have moved on a long way since then – not least with the recent introduction of same-sex marriage in the UK. Indeed, this country, and Brighton & Hove in particular, stand out as beacons of tolerance and diversity internationally. But much still remains to be done. The Conservative Party in this city, be it councillors, MPs or activists, is fully committed to working with our partners to continue to tackle the scourge of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia wherever it occurs and supporting events such as IDAHOBIT is a vital part of that.”

Brighton & Hove IDAHOBIT is organised by the Brighton & Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum and is an open and inclusive event that everyone is welcome to attend.

A British Sign Language interpreter will be present throughout the event and refreshments will be provided by the THT Outreach Service. Tented areas will be available in case of adverse weather conditions.

IDAHOBIT 2014 has been staged with financial support from: The A-Bar, The Amsterdam Hotel, Billie Lewis Promotions, Tesco Shoreham and B&Q Shoreham, The Ambassador Hotel, James Tomlinson lighting, MBI Sound & Light, The Brighton & Hove LGBT workers forum and the New Steine Hotel.

For more information about the LGBT Community Safety Forum, CLICK HERE:

For more informationa about Brighton and Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum, CLICK HERE:

 

Record your coming out stories for IDAHOBIT

Today, Saturday May 17 is IDAHOBIT: International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.

OUT140

LGBT people across the globe will be staging a day of action today to fight for LGBT rights, which are basic human rights, the right to exist, the right to be yourself, the right to love.

Poets and campaigners Shelly Telly and Vince Laws are delighted that IDAHOBIT organisers are promoting OUT140 as a quick action that people can take part in to mark this special day. They are looking forward to getting OUT140 stories from all over the world.

OUT140 stories are coming out stories told in 140 characters or less, i.e. a tweet on Twitter.

Here are 3 examples…

• I told my parents I was bisexual when I was 16. They said go to your room.

• My friends changed my world by being so supportive. My family took longer 2 come to terms with it but now I couldn’t be happier! GAY IS FAB!

• 3, told parents was girl, beat me. I stopped speakin. Married, wife died. Transitioned, family, pals OK. New people no idea past. I am free.

If you would like to tell OUT140 your coming out story to celebrate IDAHOBIT you can:

• tweet on Twitter using the @OUT140 and #IDAHOT tags

• message them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OUT140

email your tale to shell@shellytelly.co.uk

If you not LGBT, tell OUT140 about someone who came out to you… Be out, be proud, be yourself!

For more information, CLICK HERE: 

Telly Shelly

UKIP and Tory MEPs named and shamed over LGBT voting record

New research reveals that UKIP and Conservative MEPs are amongst those with the worst records on LGBT rights in the European Parliament.

Sarah Ludford MEP
Sarah Ludford MEP

The research by the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights shows that:

· UKIP voted against EU-wide recognition of same-sex marriages, while the Conservatives abstained.

· UKIP failed to condemn homophobic legislation in Russia.

· UKIP and the Conservative MEPs did not support the call by MEPs for the protection of freedom of expression for LGBT people in Lithuania.

· The introduction of an EU LGBT Roadmap to tackle discrimination was not supported by UKIP and Tory MEPs

Liberal Democrat MEPs supported LGBT rights in each of these votes while only 33% of the Conservatives’ ECR group and 13% of MEPs from UKIP’s EDF group supported these measures to promote equality.

Liberal Democrat MEP and European justice and home affairs spokeswoman Sarah Ludford, said: “This exposes Nigel Farage’s fraudulent claim to be standing up for British values.”

“UKIP MEPs have consistently failed to support persecuted LGBT people abroad in countries such as Russia, undermining Britain’s image as a compassionate and tolerant country.”

“The UK has the best record in Europe for gay rights, partly thanks to introduction of same-sex marriage by the LibDems in government. But with half of LGBT people in Europe subject to discrimination, we need to work with other countries to defend equality, diversity and respect regardless of a person’s gender or sexuality.”

New service from Macmillan Cancer Support

Macmillan Cancer Support has recently launched a new service in Brighton and Hove called Team Up.

Macmillan Team UpIf you’re affected by cancer, or a friend or family member providing unpaid care for someone who is, then you can access this great free service.

Post a task online to connect with friendly, security checked helpers in your area who can lend a hand.

Whether it’s a spot of vacuuming, sprucing up the garden or picking up some shopping, Team Up can help.

For more information, CLICK HERE: 

Pink Fringe and Traumfrau organise the Midsummer Backyard Festival

Traumfrau, in collaboration with Pink Fringe, are organizing The Midsummer Backyard Festival, a mini festival featuring performance, dance, food, music and music outdoors at the Wagner Hall in Brighton on Friday, June 20 from 6pm.

Traumfrau

Performers will include the Greek-born diva A Man To Pet; Katy Baird will perform All By Myself, a ten minute performance about the wonderful world of the Internet; Cool Hunting will be running The Exchange, a car boot sale with a twist; and Lego Queen Anne-Sophie Cochevelou will be roaming around.

Event: The Midsummer Backyard Festival

When: Friday, June 20 at 6pm.

Where: Wagner Hall, 9 Russell Place, Brighton, BN1 2RG.

Tickets: £7/£9

To book, CLICK HERE: 

For Facebook, CLICK HERE:

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