fringe - ScotsGay Magazine

NEWS
DRINK AWARE
TWITS
GIVE STIGMA THE INDEX FINGER
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Chief Inspector David Lyle
(General Secretary and Scottish Coordinator
of the Gay Police
Association) writes:
The Assistant Chief Constable has
contacted me, in response to my
request, to him, to look at the issue of
the rejection of licence extensions on
the day of Pride Scotia.
He tells me that there were only
two applications for extensions, one,
from 0100 to 0300, the other, from
0300 to 0500. Both were rejected,
with the reason given that, as the
Parade had concluded by 1400, and
the main events by about 1700,
having licences already available to
0100 and 0300 allowed plenty of time
for the provision and consumption of
alcohol in connection with the
occasion.
This is a reason for rejection that
is by no means unique and he does
not feel that there was any issue of
discrimination being applied to the
applications.
I'd be obliged if you could pass
this information on. Obviously, if the
licensees concerned remain
unsatisfied, it is open to them to write
to the Chief Constable and/or the Chair
of the Council's Licensing Board, to
register a complaint.
YOUTH GATHER
Are you fed up doing the same
old things every weekend? Does it feel
like there's nothing else to do? LGBT
Youth Scotland will be holding a three
day National Gathering in Glasgow
which is all about Alternatives. Over
the weekend of 11th-13th Sep you'll
get the chance to try a whole range of
different activities and learn new skills.
To find out more and how to
register, and to nominate people,
groups, events and projects for a
National Gathering Award, please visit:
www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/ng09.htm
EVERYONE IN
EveryOne IN: Working towards
Equality for Minority Ethnic Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People
in Scotland is the first research of its
kind in Scotland and tackles a subject
that has long been ignored or deemed
"too controversial" to openly discuss.
Funded by the Equality & Human
Rights Commission and delivered in
partnership by Equality Network and
Black and Ethnic Minorities
Infrastructure in Scotland (BEMIS),
EveryOne IN details the findings from
nine months research and will be
launched in Glasgow on 28th Aug. E-
mail Tim Cowen
(timc@equality-network.org) for an
invitation. http://www.equalitynetwork.org/minorityethniclgbt
You can now follow the Equality
Network's LGBT News on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/EN_LGBTNews
CAN'T HELP SINGING
Edinburgh Gay Men's Chorus will
be taking part in the New Town Bar's
big fundraiser on Sat 23rd Aug. They
will perform at some point between
4pm and 6pm.
PROM
"The Big Gay Prom, Big Enough 4
All" has been developed by the West
Lothian LGBT Practitioners Forum and
local young people and will take place
on Fri 21st Aug, 6-10pm, Strathbrock
Partnership Centre, Broxburn.
REGE LEGE ET GREGE
The next date for the brand new
drop in for LGBT young people in
Perth is Wed 26th Aug, 5.30-6.30pm.
For more details, please visit:
www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/perthandkinros
s.htm
IT’S YOUR POLICE SERVICE
– BE PART OF IT
Strathclyde Police is actively
encouraging members from the
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender (LGBT) communities
to come along and find out more
about careers within Scotland’s
largest force on Sat 22nd Aug.
The event, which will run
from Noon-4pm is being held at
The Gallery of Modern Art, Royal
Exchange Square in Glasgow City
Centre.
It’s hoped that people will
take the time out to pop in and
have a chat with officers about
careers, salaries and Accelerated
Career Development Programme
for Graduates.
Staff from the diversity recruiting team and organisations such as The Gay
Police Association and The National Trans Police Association will be available to
provide advice and information on the roles of police officers, police staff and
special constable as well as answer any questions or queries.
Constable Susan Phee from Strathclyde Police Diversity Department said,
“At Strathclyde Police we encourage people from all walks of life and diverse
backgrounds to join the force.”
“The idea behind this recruitment and information day is to inform anyone
from the LGBT communities about what opportunities are available within the
police, to encourage them to find out what roles are most suited to them and to
potentially join us.”
“Officers and staff from the other organisations will be available for one to
one chats throughout the session and will be able to answer questions, allay any
fears or reservations people might have about joining the police.”
“We really hope people will take the time to drop in to see us”.
Stigma relating to HIV remains significant in the UK. A survey by the
National AIDS Trust in 2007 indicated that 71% of people agree more needs to
be done to tackle prejudice, and that attitudes such as rejection by family and
friends, blame, and guilt relating to HIV transmission remain and are highly
stigmatising. Inaccurate or sensationalised media coverage of issues relating to
HIV fuels stigma.
The People Living with HIV Stigma Index provides a tool that will measure
and detect changing trends in relation to stigma and discrimination experienced
by people living with HIV—it is a research and advocacy initiative that is by and
for people living with HIV and is generating a positive energy for change. It is a
community drive initiative that is generating evidence to better inform and
improve policy and practice to address HIV related stigma in the UK
(www.stigmaindex.org).
-“It’s a big rollercoaster for me—it’s a journey I will never ever forget. I am
not alone. I have been hiding—for what?” [Researcher, London, June]
-“When the nurse put on two gloves I was so humiliated, I mean who
taught her to do that? If this interview is going to make a difference you can ask
me anything you like.” [Participant, London, May]
-“You’re all positive too? OK count me in” [Participant, Manchester, June]
More than 10 HIV organisations in Scotland and the UK and working
together to reach out to many different people living with HIV. We want to hear
your story. If you are living with HIV and would like to get involved, contact the
Stigma Index team by E-mail: UKstigmaindex@ippf.org or phone 020-7127 0017
to participate. Participants will be offered £20 (inclusive of travel expenses) for
completing the questionnaire and the interviews in Scotland will take place in
August-September.
VOTES FOR WOMEN
Edinburgh Young Women's
Suffragettes Project are aiming to put
on an event celebrating the upcoming
100th anniversary of the October 1909
Suffragettes march in Edinburgh. They
want to mark those areas in which
much has changed for all women over
the past century, while also
highlighting those areas where too
little has changed.
The first planning meeting will be
on Mon 24th Aug from 6-8pm at 40
Commercial Street, Leith. For more
information, E-mail:
j.c.ware@sms.ed.ac.uk
ScotsGay: a monthly magazine for
LGBT folk and friends.
ISSN: 1357-0595. Unless otherwise stated © Pageprint
Publishers Litd, August 2009. PO Box 666, Edinburgh.
Non profit use of material in the magazine, to which we hold
copyright, will normally be permitted free of charge, but you must
contact us first for permission.
Views expressed in ScotsGay don't necessarily
reflect the views of ScotsGay. People featured in
ScotsGay may identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, straight, or all or none of the above.
Editorial 0131-539 0666
editorial@scotsgay.co.uk
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editor John Hein
fringe Andrew Doyle & Martin Walker
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