THEGAYUK

Category: News

  • Petition supporting Andrew Moffat’s No Outsiders programme surges

    Petition supporting Andrew Moffat’s No Outsiders programme surges

    A brand new petition in support of the No Outsiders campaign for Primary School ages gains thousands of signatures in just a few hours.

    Andrew Moffat’s No Outsiders campaign is getting a lot of love after a petition was created in support of the lessons which aim to teach primary school-aged children about LGBT+ acceptance, relationships and equality.

    Parkfield Primary school has become somewhat of a battleground as parents removed 600 pupils from the school in February, and then proceeded to demonstrate outside the school in protest at the lessons. The parents say that the lessons are not age appropriate and that they weren’t consulted with about the lessons.

    Critics of No Outsiders have called it “toxic” and parents and their children at the protest, last Thursday, shouted “shame, shame, shame” at the idea of teaching children that it is okay to be gay and Muslim.

    The No Outsider lessons include reading children, as young as five-year-old, story such as Mummy, Mamma and Me, which can be heard here:

    https://twitter.com/salxerribrooks/status/1103940178941374464

    The petition, which was created by Lacey McFadyen wll be delievered to Parkfield Primary School and reads,

    Andrew Moffatt is the deputy headteacher at Parkfield Community School near the deprived Bordesley Green area of Birmingham. Birmingham is home to a diverse range of people from different backgrounds and beliefs, which is what makes our city inclusive for everyone.

    Andrew’s “No Outsiders” programme reflects this and teaches children about inclusiveness and diversity. This ethos has been extended to parents too through parent/child workshops, where the message can be continued at home. The programme has also been extended to other schools in cities across the UK.

    Andrew also runs a “Parkfield Ambassadors” after-school club that creates opportunities for children at his school where 99% of students are Muslim to meet others of different races, religions and cultures around Birmingham.

    In May 2016 Ofsted awarded the Parkfield School ‘Outstanding’ status, recognizing Andrew’s project as a strength, saying: “The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength and permeates the school’s work. This is an inclusive school that celebrates diversity.”

    In November 2017 Andrew was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty the Queen for services to equality and diversity in education.

    Programmes like “No Outsiders” are more than ever needed to ensure future younger generations learn about acceptance and respect of others.

    In recent media there has been a backlash of the project with concerns that inappropriate material is being taught to the children. This includes a concern over topics such as LGBT+ being included in the programme. Concerns raised have included the stereotype that LGBT+ is ‘inappropriate’ and ‘sexualised’. This project does not include topics of this nature and instead teaches children about different family dynamics in general.

    Please show your support for Andrew’s “No Outsiders” programme by signing this petition and to support the inclusion of LGBT+ topics in this programme.

    You can add your support by click here.

  • This is what Barbie would like today, if she was actually allowed to age

    This is what Barbie would like today, if she was actually allowed to age

    It’s Barbie Bi**h!: With Barbie’s 60th birthday approaching on the 9th of March. London based artist and illustrator Phaedra Peer has captured what Barbie would like today if she was a real woman.

    (C) Phaedra Peer

    Phaedra has created this painting as a way of dispelling the myths of celebrity and model perfection. She highlights with this piece the fake and unrealistic representation of perfection within our society. A representation that has become more prevalent with the rise of social media platforms such as Instagram. Let’s face it who hasn’t used Face Tune to iron out last night’s mistakes in Heaven…

    We all now seem obsessed with the concept of being “perfect” but this concept isn’t realistic. “Perfection” is unattainable and that isn’t a bad thing. Phaedra emphasises that we should celebrate natural beauty and diversity, not just the blonde, tanned and blue-eyed doll.

    Now you may be thinking what has Barbie got to do with the predominantly male readership of THEGAYUK?

    “…increasingly men are being put under the same pressure of being “perfect”, as our female counterparts. Whether you’re gay, straight, bi or anything in between, this pressure applies.

    Well to put it bluntly for every Barbie, there is a Ken and increasingly men are being put under the same pressure of being “perfect”, as our female counterparts. Whether you’re gay, straight, bi or anything in between, this pressure applies. If I scroll down my Instagram feed now, I will be swamped with pictures of fitness models and influencers with Adonis-like bodies and flawless skin.

    Now the fact is, these people don’t look like this in real life. By no means am I bashing fitness models or influences and I’m not saying they are not attractive people. What I am saying though, is that the perception of these people given through social media is highly edited. Working in this industry, I know that these photos are edited and the images are composed in a specific way, with specific lighting. This is all done to create the desired effect for the shot and portray a specific and often unrealistic representation of reality.

    So, what should we take away from this representation of Barbie?

    We should remember that beauty comes in all shapes and forms. That there is no such thing as “perfection” and we should all really aspire to be people not because of their looks but for their actions.

    If you would like to see more of Phaedra’s work, check out her Instagram.

  • Birmingham Cllr, speaks out over Parkfield Parents LGBT Protest

    Birmingham Cllr, speaks out over Parkfield Parents LGBT Protest

    The Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities, Cllr John Cotton has spoken out at the anti-LGBT protest held at Parkfield Community School in Birmingham.

    As hundreds of parents and students stood in protest outside Parkfield Community School yesterday shouting “Shame” over lessons aimed at teaching inclusivity and equality for LGBT+ people, one of Birmingham‘s leading politicians, Cllr John Cotton has spoken up to remind Birmingham’s residents that the city has been built on “tolerance and mutual respect” and that insulting language has no place in the city.

    His statement read,

    “Birmingham City Council’s first priority will always be to stand up for the rights of all children, whoever they are and whatever kind of family they are from. This city is built upon diversity and we value and celebrate difference as a strength.

    “For many years, the council has supported various programmes, including No Outsiders, as a means of promoting the values of the 2010 Equality Act and ensuring all protected characteristics are respected. We have also championed the importance of ongoing dialogue and consultation with parents, so everyone is clear about what is and is not being taught in the classroom.

    “We remain concerned at the continued protests by parents of Parkfield School and urge both the school and parents to come together in the spirit of cooperation in the best interests of the children. Parkfield School is an academy, but in spite of the restrictions this places upon the council’s scope to act, officers have been closely involved in supporting Parkfield and its staff.

    “We are working with the Regional Schools Commissioner – which is responsible for academies – to address this issue. Whilst we recognise that parents have concerns, continuing protests only serve to attract extreme fringe movements taking an opportunity to further messages of division and hate.

    “In recent days, we have been appalled to see attempts to divide the people of our city by using insulting and incendiary language targeting the LGBT community. This has no place in our city. Birmingham is a place of tolerance and mutual respect, where people of all faiths and none, all sexualities, all ethnicities, come together in pursuit of a common aim. This council will continue to champion these values and support all communities in putting them into action.”

  • Stonewall affirms its support of No Outsiders

    Stonewall affirms its support of No Outsiders

    The UK’s largest LGBT+ charity Stonewall says it is pleased that Parkfield Community School has reaffirmed its approached to LGBT+ acceptance.

    Stonewall UK, the UK’s largest LGBT+ charity has stood by Parkfield Community Primary and its “No Outsiders” campaign saying that it is vital that children “learn about and celebrate diversity at all ages”, but added that it was essential for the school to work with the parents and the wider community to resolved their concerns.

    The statement was released on the 6th March by Mo Wiltshire, the Director of Education for Stonewall.

    Today hundreds of parents protested outside the primary school in Birmingham and demanded that the “No Outsiders” classes be abolished and called for the resignation of its creator, Andrew Moffat.

    The school has been planning to deliver around five lessons to its pupils during the year.

    “This approach also teaches children the invaluable lesson of acceptance, reducing the likelihood of bullying in the long run”

    Wiltshire continued, “Schools that strive to create inclusive environments do so because they know the benefits this has for the whole school community. Not only do children feel able to talk about who they are and who their families are, but this approach also teaches children the invaluable lesson of acceptance, reducing the likelihood of bullying in the long run.

    “We work closely with many faith schools and faith communities around the country to help them deliver LGBT-inclusive education to children and young people.

    “We’re pleased Parkfield Community School has reaffirmed its commitment to creating an inclusive environment for all its pupils and we’re also pleased that it’s planning more conversations with parents and the wider community to resolve concerns, because the support of the community is essential in creating this inclusive approach.’

     

  • Man stabbed in Soho dies from his injuries

    Man stabbed in Soho dies from his injuries

    Police in London have launched a murder investigation after a man who was stabbed in the heart of Soho dies.

    A man who was stabbed in Soho, London has died from his injuries. Although police have said that they don’t believe the vicious attack to be a hate or homophobic crime, the stabbing happened in the centre of London’s LGBT+ scene.

    On Sunday, 3 March just after 6:00 AM  police were called to Romily Street, in W1.

    Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service and found the 37-year-old man suffering stab injuries. He was taken to hospital with critical injuries and he was pronounced dead at 19:42 hours on Wednesday, 6 March.

    His family are aware of the victim’s death. Formal identification awaits.

    A post mortem examination is due to be held in due course.

    A murder investigation has now commenced which is being led by Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin.

    A 34-year-old man was charged on Monday, 4 March with two counts of attempted murder, in relation to this incident along with another stabbing on the same day, of a teenager which occurred in University Street, WC1.

    The charge for attempted murder will be subject to a review by the CPS.

    A 41-year-old woman who was arrested remains released under investigation.

  • Parents at Parkfield School say they’ll protest every Thursday until No Outsiders is cancelled

    Protesting parents outside Parkfield Primary school in Birmingham have said that they protest every Thursday until the pro-LGBT+ equality lessons provided by the school are cancelled permanently.

    Parents of children at the Parkfield Primary School in Birmingham have said that they will protest outside the school grounds every Thursday until equality lessons, called No Outsiders, dealing with LGBT+ issues are cancelled permanently.

    The school is due to provide just five of its No Outsider lessons for its students over the course of the year.

    Last week around 600 children were removed by their parents in protest to the planned lessons. The school has said that it will continue with the lessons next term.

    A crowd of parents and their children gathered outside the school this morning from around 8:20 AM with at least three speakers present, including one from an American Christian organisation, who congratulated the parents on their protest. The protests have taken places for around four weeks.

    There was also a large media presence and police presence at the demonstration.

    The protest was filmed and streamed on Facebook live.

    Parents at the school have suggested that the lessons are “not age appropriate” and that they infringe of their children’s belief as well as their own religious beliefs and suggesting that the lessons were a “safeguarding issue”.

  • Noxious substance thrown in the face of two men in ‘homophobic assault’

    Noxious substance thrown in the face of two men in ‘homophobic assault’

    Police in London are looking to speak with victims of a suspected homophobic assault where a corrosive substance was thrown in the faces of the victims.

    Police were called to McDonald’s on Brixton Road, SW9 at 04:00hrs on Saturday, 19 January following reports of an unknown substance being sprayed in the face of two men.

    Officers attended and found two 22-year-old men who said they had been attacked at a bus stop.

    Police report that the men advised they had been sprayed in the face with a noxious substance, believed to be pepper spray, by a man in a hate crime attack.

    The men were treated at the scene by paramedics and did not require hospital treatment.

    Two other men were allegedly attacked in a similar assault 20 minutes earlier.

    Detectives investigating the assault have identified that two other men may have been the victims of a similar assault in a nearby KFC 20 minutes earlier on the same night.

    “Unprovoked Attack”

    geralt / Pixabay

    Detective Constable Amy Cross, of Lambeth CID, said, “This was a completely unprovoked and targeted assault on at least two members of the public, with a possible further two victims not yet in contact with police.

    “Both the attack and the homophobic motivation of this assault are abhorrent and I appeal to anyone with any information that could assist the investigation to come forward.’

    Anyone with information is asked to contact Lambeth CID by dialling 101 and quoting reference CAD 1206/19JAN19, Tweet @MetCC or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

  • Parents are planning another mass protest outside Birmingham school over LGBT+ classes

    Parents from Parkfield Community school are planning a protest outside the school on Thursday over LGBT+ equality classes.

    CREDIT: © tomwang Depositphotos

    Parkfield Community Primary school in Birmingham is to become a protest ground for parents who are against the school’s plans to hold No Outsiders classes – a campaign where the ethos is to promote LGBT+ equality, inclusivity and to question transphobia and homophobia in primary schools.

    In an interview on Facebook live on the ArunRock community page, one community leader said that there was to be a mass protest outside the school on Thursday and told viewers to attend whether they were parents of children at the school or not.

    On Friday last week, around 600 children were removed by their parents from the school in protest of the No Outsiders lesson.

    The school have said that there are no plans to hold these lesson this term – as it focuses on religious studies for the rest of the term.

    A statement from the group reads,

    “The majority of parents at Parkfield are extremely unhappy with the fact that no consultation has taken place on the age appropriateness of the material used to teach their children.

    “As a result of this most parents have signed a letter to the governors calling for the immediate abolition of the “No Outsiders” programme.

    “As parents we have a right over our children & want to make sure we are consulted what is being taught.”

  • So much emoji diversity is coming your way

    So much emoji diversity is coming your way

    Interracial couples are now going to get the inclusion they deserve.

    smartphones
    This autumn, interracial couples will be included in an emoji update which sees all different types of races of couples included, and will be available on all smartphones. The new emojis feature same-sex couples as well as opposite couples and has 12 different permutations.

    Behind this great news is one of the world’s biggest dating apps, Tinder, which told THEGAYUK, “Tinder advocates for the freedom of people to live how they want to live and love who they want to love,” said Jenny Campbell, CMO, Tinder.

    “The success of our Interracial Couple Emoji campaign shows how powerful the voices are of the more than 50,000 people who joined our cause by signing our petition; together, we effected change and ensured visual representation for interracial couples around the world. I couldn’t be more proud of this incredibly positive outcome.”

     

  • School at the centre of LGBT+ lesson protest, says headlines are misleading

    School at the centre of LGBT+ lesson protest, says headlines are misleading

    Parkfield Community school in Birmingham, which has been at the centre of a row over its LGBT+ equality lessons says that headlines about it stopping lessons is “misleading”.

    stevepb / Pixabay

    The school, which was faced with the removal of hundreds of children over plans to introduce LGBT+ relationship and equality lessons, called No Outsider, has said that headlines suggesting it had stopped the lessons was “misleading”. It quoted a headline from The Guardian newspaper.

    In a single Tweet, the school, wrote, “We are concerned this headline is misleading. Parent meetings/ workshops are soon to begin and our no outsiders work continue”.

    https://twitter.com/ParkfieldSchool/status/1102684438583042048

    The tweet echoed a letter sent to the parents of children at the school which said,

    “Up to the end of this term, we will not be delivering any No Outsiders lessons in our long term year curriculum plan, as this half term has already been blocked for religious education (RE).

    “Equality assemblies will continue as normal and our welcoming No Outsiders ethos will be there for all.

    The school has now confirmed that they have put the lessons on hold and will, according to The Guardian, “resume only after a full consultation with every parent”.

    The letter continued,

    “The discussions were a helpful first step and identified the key issues that are concerning parents, including the ethos, the books, the age appropriateness, the lessons and the assemblies. The agreed outcome of the meeting was the need to have a discussion with the school community about the No Outsiders curriculum and how it should be delivered.

    According to The Guardian, around 600 children from predominately Muslim families were removed by their parents from a school in Birmingham on Friday in protest.

    THEGAYUK has reached out for comment from the school, but has not heard back.

     

     

  • School stops LGBT+ lessons after hundreds of parents withdraw their children from classes

    School stops LGBT+ lessons after hundreds of parents withdraw their children from classes

    Around 600 children were removed by their parents from a school in Birmingham on Friday in protest of a lesson that helped children understand about LGBT+ life.

    Wokandapix / Pixabay

    The Parkfield Community primary school in Birmingham has cancelled lessons aiming to teach primary school-aged children about same-sex relationships and gender after the parents of around 600 students at the school withdrew their children in protest.

    The children are thought to be from predominately Muslim families, according to The Guardian.

    The lesson was the brainchild of Andrew Moffat, who was awarded an MBE for his work in LGBT+ equality through the campaign, No Outsiders, where the ethos was to promote LGBT+ equality and to question transphobia and homophobia in primary schools.

    Students were being taught five No Outsiders lessons each school year.

    In a letter to parents, the school said, “Up to the end of this term, we will not be delivering any No Outsiders lessons in our long term year curriculum plan, as this half term has already been blocked for religious education (RE).

    “Equality assemblies will continue as normal and our welcoming No Outsiders ethos will be there for all.

    The school has now confirmed that they have put the lessons on hold and will, according to The Guardian, “resume only after a full consultation with every parent”.

    The letter continued, “The discussions were a helpful first step and identified the key issues that are concerning parents, including the ethos, the books, the age appropriateness, the lessons and the assemblies. The agreed outcome of the meeting was the need to have a discussion with the school community about the No Outsiders curriculum and how it should be delivered.”

    Some parents have argued that their children are “too young” to be learning about same-sex relationships.

    One mother, Fatima Shah said, “We are not a bunch of homophobic mothers. We just feel that some of these lessons are inappropriate. Some of the themes being discussed are very adult and complex and the children are getting confused.

    “They need to be allowed to be children rather than having to constantly think about equalities and rights.”