Tag Archives: Campaign Against Homophobia

“Treat Homophobia Like Racism” Says Deputy-Head Teacher

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Already active against homophobia in his own school, deputy-head teacher of a primary school in London, Shaun Dellenty, is now trying to improve the attitude within other schools towards stopping homophobia and homophobic bullying.

Shaun deliberately “came out” to his students in an attempt to provide a real, non-stereotypical role model for any LGBT students in the school, and to “normalise” the issue amongst the young people – something he notes that was lacking when he was their age. He said: “Not having people to aspire to was difficult, so I thought I was cheating kids who are questioning themselves. It’s a great unsaid in primary schools because people don’t like to think about it. People think children are too young to know, but I’m sorry, some aren’t.”

Shaun is now speaking more publicly about homophobia in schools after learning that there is only one openly gay headteacher in the UK. It is no secret that being a teacher makes you vulnerable to sex-related accusation, but gay teachers seem to be particular targets of this cruel victimisation. This tragically results in many talented gay people shying away from a career in education due to fears of homophobia, and many gay teachers avoiding applying for promotion because they are afraid of the increased publicity that it will bring.

Like many of us, Shaun is passionate about reducing this injustice, “I don’t want special treatment for gay teachers, but I do want equal treatment.” In addition to his ‘It Gets Better’ style video below, he is calling on people to recognise homophobia as inexcusable, in the same way that racism is today. He said “Schools are pretty hot on dealing with racism, but I don’t think most head[teacher]s see homophobia as important. The will to tackle homo-phobia is lagging behind.”

 

 

Video – GLAAD Media Award Nominee Miller Brewing Company Airs Homophobic Commercial.

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GLAAD has nominated  the Miller Brewing Company for a Media Advertising Award this year for its Miller Lite brand making the case once again that there is no reason for GLAAD to exist and they are woefully out of touch, off base, and in it for the money. 

If not how could they nominate Miller for an award while the company is responsible for this commercial.

GLAAD you are an embarrassment.

New York Times Columnist Frank Rick Tackles Washington DC’s Internalized Homophobia

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“It still seems an unwritten rule in establishment Washington that homophobia is at most a misdemeanor. By this code, the Smithsonian’s surrender is no big deal; let the art world do its little protests. This attitude explains why the ever more absurd excuses concocted by John McCain for almost single-handedly thwarting the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ are rarely called out for what they are — ‘bigotry disguised as prudence,’ in the apt phrase of Slate’s military affairs columnist, Fred Kaplan.

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council has been granted serious and sometimes unchallenged credence as a moral arbiter not just by Rupert Murdoch’s outlets but by CNN, MSNBC and The Post’s ‘On Faith’ Web site even as he cites junk science to declare that homosexuality poses a risk to children’ and that being gay leads to being a child molester. [snip]

Has it gotten better since AIDS decimated a generation of gay men? In San Francisco, certainly. But when America’s signature cultural institution can be so easily bullied by bigots, it’s another indicator that the angels Keith Haring saw on his death bed have not landed in Washington just yet.” – New York Times Columnist -Frank Rich in his Sunday Op-Ed column “Gay Bashing at the Smithsonian” 

The full column is a  totally awesome read. Highly recommended.

Thank you Frank Rich

Polish Gay Rights Activist Robert Biedroń Brutally Beaten By Police In Warsaw

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Robert Biedroń (pictured left) a member of the board of the Polish gay rights group Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH) was arrested and beaten by police officers in Warsaw on Thursday afternoon, the group has revealed. 

Biedroń was observing, on behalf of KPH, the ‘Independence March’ organised by radical right wing nationalist groups National Radical Camp (ONR) and the All-Polish Youth (MW). When antifascist groups tried to block the march. “I went there as an observer for the Campaign Against Homophobia,” Mr Biedroń told a press conference at the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights on Friday

“They took out individual people, including me, from the crowd,” Mr Biedroń said. “But the worst thing happened in the police car. There, I was left alone with an officer. And, in simple words, I was brutally beaten.  “I’ve dealt with human rights protection for many years now and I’m devastated by what happened.”

Tomasz Szypuła, president of KPH issued this statement on Sunday:

“Robert Biedroń, member of the KPH Board and its former President, accidentally fell victim to this violent behaviour.  He was apprehended and beaten, not only at the moment of arrest, but also later, when he was handcuffed in a police car. For over 20 hours he was not advised of the grounds of the apprehension, the police did not provide him with the record of apprehension and denied him contact with his lawyer and his next of kin.

We are appalled and saddened by the conduct of the police. We fail to understand how such situations can still take place in a democratic state. For many years now, KPH has worked with the police to further improve the enjoyment of human rights and freedoms. On 11 November our trust in the police was abused. We demand that the misconduct of the officers be investigated and the perpetrators be punished.”
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