Tag Archives: Stonewall UK

New UK Group LGB Alliance Labeled Transphobic For Not Including The "T"

New UK Group LGB Alliance Labeled Transphobic For Not Including The “T”

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A newly formed lesbian, gay and bisexual alliance group in the UK has come under heavy criticism for making their focus of issues pertaining to ” the right of lesbians, bisexuals and gay men to define themselves as same-sex attracted.” and for excluding the transgender community, prompting some to label it transphobic for its vision that ” gender is a social construct.”

Bev Jackson, a co-founder of the Gay Liberation Front one of the first gay activists groups formed after the Stonewall riots of 1969 and spokesperson for the LGB Alliance, told  Britian’s The Independent: “​We did not, do not, exclude trans people. Several trans people attended the meeting, one as a guest speaker. We are not attacking trans people.

“Our group focuses on sexual orientation. This has become necessary, because lesbians in particular, and recently gay men too, are suffering from the confusion between sex and gender. Lesbians and gay men are people who are attracted to others of the same sex. I fought for their rights to be respected fifty years ago and am sad that I need to defend those rights again today.”

Stonewall UK , Britain’s main LGBT activism and charity group has been trying to distance itself from the new group after reports have claimed the that major supporters and donors of the new LGB group have left Stonewall and are now supporting them.

Paul Twocock, Stonewall’s interim CEO said: “There is no truth to reports of Stonewall ‘splitting’, so please ignore the alarmist headlines.

“These stories don’t refer to any current Stonewall staff or trustees. There is no equality for lesbian, gay and bi people without equality for trans people. We’re all united in our mission to achieve acceptance without exception for all LGBT+ people.”

LGBTQ+ rights activist Alok Vaid-Menon, took to Instagram to condemn the group. 

“A new trans + non binary exclusionary alliance organization between cis lesbian, gay, + bisexual people was just announced in the UK as a reaction to the quote rise in ‘gender extremism.’ Let’s be clear: the real extreme gender ideology is the colonial gender binary forcibly imposed on indigenous peoples across the world, erasing thousands of alternative gender-sex systems, responsible for countless murders of trans + gender variant people + spreading the pervasive myth that we are ‘new.

Feminism without respecting trans women & non-binary people is just patriarchy,” they continued. “Reducing women to their genitalia & reproductive capacity is just misogyny. Fortifying gender and sex binaries is not progressive, it is racist and conservative.”

Comments on Twitter have also not been kind to Britain’s new LGB Alliance.

Does the LGBTQIA+ umbrella always have to be together? Or should specific sub-sections of our community be allowed to work separately or together on their own issues without being labeled “phobic”?

Leave your comments below.

Coronation Street Cast & Crew Worried That "The Street" Is Becoming "Too Gay"

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Coronation Street, Britans longest running  soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on Salford has become famous for its inclusion of LGBT characters.  But some cast members are beginning to get bent over the fact that soon there will  a THIRD homosexual couple on the Street. Currently Sean Tully and Marcus Dent are in a big storyline – as well as the return of Todd Grimshaw and boyfriend Jools. The Street is also home to lesbians Sophie Webster and Sian Powers and a transexual, Hayley Cropper

Jean Alexander who has played Hilda Ogden for 23 years claims Corrie is becoming too far fetched: “Every community has people who are gay and they are very nice people but three couples seems excessive.”

And Nick Cochrane who played Andy McDonald has this to say:

I’m not sure these storylines are realistic. I’ve got plenty of gay friends but they don’t all live in a street full of gay people.  How many streets in Britain would have schoolgirl lesbians, gay married couples, a transexual and children to gay couples? It is a little bit far-fetched.

Fans love Corrie for its traditional values. I don’t think it’s the right platform to highlight so many gay issues all at the same time

Ben Summerskill, chief executive of gay rights charity Stonewall

“Corrie picked up Stonewall’s Broadcast of the Year trophy because it’s streets ahead with its gay characters, About six per cent of the population is gay – and more in and around cities. So of 66 Corrie characters it’s not in the least inconceivable that more than four might be gay.”

Ratings have been holding steady sinceex-Doctor Who producer Phil Collinson (who is also gay) took the job last year at about 8 Million viers  But one Corrie insider said: “It’s not a happy place to be at the moment – and there is growing unrest that the show is losing its way,”

via: newsoftheworld.co.uk

Hollyoaks Star Kieron Richardson Comes Out! "I’m Gay."

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24 year old Kieron Richardson, who plays Ste Hay in the popular  UK drama Hollyoaks, revealed on a morning show  that not only will his character be having a gay relationship, but he is in fact gay also.

“When I was on Dancing on Ice, newspapers speculated and tried to say we kind of know and if you want to say you can do your story with us and get it out there. At that point, my personal life took a back step and it was more about the competition and trying to get through the next week rather than get a few column inches in the newspaper and maybe raise my profile at the time. But it wasn’t about that. But now I feel that it’s relevant and the storyline’s relevant to some situations in my life then if maybe I can help people that are going through the same thing then it’s a bonus.”

Welcome to the tribe cutie! 

Meanwhile closted American stars stay silent.  *crickets chirping*

Back2Stonewall’s Friday Night Movie: "Jerry Springer: The Opera" (2005) FULL BBC2 Presentation – 120 Min.

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Watch The Full BBC2 – 2005 presntation of “Jerry Springer: The Opera” below Starring: David Soul as Jerry Springer!  (Yes the David soul from “Starsky & Hutch)

Jerry Springer: The Opera is a British musical written by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, based on the television show The Jerry Springer Show..

The Opera tells the story of a day in the job of world famous talk-show host, Jerry Springer. Jerry has to sort out a number of guests problems; including a man who wants to dress up as a baby, a man with 3 lovers (one of them a transexual) and a fat woman who wants to be a pole dancer.

The musical ran for 609 performances in London from April 2003 to February 2005 before touring the UK in 2006. The production won four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical.

Jerry Springer: The Opera was the subject of controversy beginning in January 2005, when its UK television broadcast on BBC Two elicited 55,000 complaints. The organisation Christian Voice led street protests against the screening at nine BBC offices and announced their intention to bring blasphemy charges, due to the depictions of the Judeo-Christian characters in Act II. The Christian Institute attempted to bring a private prosecution against the BBC, but the Magistrates Court refused to issue a summons, a decision which was later upheld by the High Court of Justice. Protests continued at tour venues in 2006 and on the internet.

Why Hasn’t Stonewall UK The LARGEST LGBT Equality Organization In Europe Been Pushing For UK Marriage Equaility? – Let’s Give Them A Shove Okay?

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Back2Stonewall.com reader Andy Godfrey sent me an email today alerting me to the fact that Stonewall UK, the largest gay equality organization in Europe has been surprising silent about full marriage equality in the United Kingdom and that many of our LGBT brothers and sisters across the Atlantic are extremely frustrated about this.

Now I know those of you who live in America might think that at least they have legally recognized civil partnerships in the UK and we have almost nothing. here.  But that’s not the point.  Time after time we always say “Separate is not Equal” and that’s not only true for us.  But  also for our LGBT brothers and sisters in the UK, Europe, and everywhere around the globe and we should stand with them and help them in anyway that we can.  And who knows maybe KARMA will come back to us and they will publicly stand for us.

I find it APPALLING that EVERY UK Gay Rights Group EXCEPT for Stonewall UK has set out positions on gay marriage equality. This coming from the largest LGBT Equality Organization that has the nerve to name itself after the most defining event in LGBT Movement is not only unacceptable but also circumspect.  They should be not only be supporting marriage equality but should be a leader in the marriage equality cause.

I am asking EVERYONE, NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY THAT YOU LIVE IN to take a minute and go join  the “Why The Silence, Stonewall? Marriage Equality Now!” Facebook page and in doing so attaching your name and supporting an open letter to Stonewall.UK to get off their asses and actively support and push for Marriage Equality in the United Kingdom.  Aside from the obvious inequality of having separate institutions for straight and LGBT people, the current situation is detrimental for married trans people undergoing gender reassignment (as they are legally obliged to divorce their partner), for foreign married same-sex couples (whose marriages are not recognised as such by the UK government) and also for opposite-sex couples who would prefer a civil partnership without the baggage of marriage.

We must all start to stand together and help each other when it comes to LGBT Equality and Rights issues.  Whether it be in the next city, in the next state, or in a different country. 

Please take a trip over to the Why The Silence, Stonewall? Marriage Equality Now!” Facebook page and show your support. for FULL EQUALITY

Read the Open Letter To Stonewall UK after the jump.

          Dear Stonewall

We are writing to ask you to end your silence and openly support full marriage equality.

A recent PinkNews survey found overwhelming support (98%) for full marriage equality. Other LGB&T organisations, including the LGB&T groups of the three main political parties, have also professed their support. However, Stonewall have declined to do so.

At present, there is segregation between the institution of marriage for opposite-sex couples and the institution of civil partnerships for same-sex couples. “Separate but equal” is not equal, and many couples who wish to have their relationship recognised as a marriage are denied this right (conversely, there are also opposite-sex couples who are denied the right to a civil partnership).

Although civil partnerships were a huge step forward and you are to be commended on your work to bring them about, they do not have the same status as marriage. They confer the same legal rights, but there are nonetheless still some significant differences. For example, transgender individuals must divorce their partner if they wish to undergo gender reassignment. Furthermore, at present revealing one’s status as a civil partner (for instance, on forms) is tantamount to revealing one’s sexuality – often in wholly irrelevant contexts. Finally, civil partnerships are not recognised internationally in the same way as marriages – and it is demeaning that the UK does not recognise the marriages of foreign same-sex couples.

At present, your website contains no mention of your position on marriage equality and you have repeatedly declined to respond to questions on the subject (including an invitation from PinkNews to clarify your stance). If Britain’s largest and most influential LGB rights organisation refuses even to support the principle of marriage equality, calls for marriage equality from the LGB&T community (and its allies) will be undermined.

You have a duty to the people you represent and we urge you to make your voice heard on marriage equality.

Yours sincerely,