THEGAYUK

Tag: Birmingham News

Get the latest LGBT+ Birmingham news from THEGAYUK. Breaking news, features and interviews from the gay community in Birmingham in the UK.

  • 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.’

     

  • 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”.

  • 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.”

  • 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.

     

     

  • Why is Section 28 trending on Twitter?

    Following on from the news that one Birmingham school has stopped its LGBT+ relationships and equality lessons, Section 28 has started trending on Twitter.

    CREDIT: © tomwang Depositphotos

    So for those who don’t know what Section 28 is here’s a little summary.

    What was Section 28?

    Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 meant that local authority employees, including school teachers, could not “intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality” or “promote the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”.

    Section 28 was supported by a number of religious groups including, Salvation Army, the Christian Institute Christian Action Research and Education, the Muslim Council of Britain, and groups within the Catholic Church and the Church of England.

    It became law in England, Scotland and Wales on the 24th May 1988 under Margaret Thatcher’s Tory government. Section 28 was repealed in 2003 by the Labour government. The Scottish government was able to repeal this bill in 2000 and was, in fact, one of the first pieces of legislation enacted by the new Scottish Parliament.

    Why is it trending now?

    The Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood, Shabana Mahmood gave a speech at the end of February in which she raised concerns from her constituents that there was no consultation with parents before schools embarked on the No Outsiders campaign in Birmingham, where the ethos  of the campaign was to promote LGBT+ equality and to question transphobia and homophobia in primary schools.

    Many critics have called the speech shameful and homophobic.

    What’s happened?

    Embed from Getty Images

    Hundreds of predominantly Muslim parents at the Parkfield Primary removed their children from the school on Friday in protest at the No Outsiders lessons.

    The school removed the lesson and in a letter to the parents it 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.”

    What are critics saying?

    https://twitter.com/Tonyblaney/status/1102866557795999745

     

    https://twitter.com/MarkBinmore/status/1102855095753105408

  • 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.”

  • RuPaul drag queens are coming to Birmingham and this is how you can see them

    RuPaul drag queens are coming to Birmingham and this is how you can see them

    Asia O’Hara, Detox, Eureka O’hara, Kameron Michaels, Kim Chi, Monét X Change, Naomi Smalls, Sharon Needles  Violet Chachki and Michelle Visage are all coming to Birmingham in 2019 here’s where you can get tickets.

    RuPaul’s Drag Race ‘Werq The World Tour’ is returning to Birmingham in 2019 with its biggest UK show ever. The tour which showcases some of the best stars from the hit TV series will play Birmingham Symphony Hall  Arena on the 3rd May 2019.

    BOOK TICKETS NOW FOR THE WERQ THE WORLD TOUR IN BIRMINGHAM

    Produced by Voss Events, Drag Race producers World of Wonder and VH1, the all-new production follows a team of intergalactic queens including Aquaria, Asia O’Hara, Detox, Eureka O’Hara, Kameron Michaels, Kim Chi, Monét X Change, Naomi Smalls, Sharon Needles and Violet Chachki on their mission to the sun to save our solar system from a dark entity intent on harnessing its power.

    Mission leader Michelle Visage guides the audience through the universe for a dynamic display of the wonders held by each planet and its regal sovereign.

    Tickets go on sale December 19 (pre-sale begins December 17), just in time for the holidays.

    “This is the biggest, most elaborate production we have ever created,” says an exuberant Brandon Voss, the show’s producer.

    “The music, sets, fashion, choreography and lighting are all a cosmic feast for the senses. Audiences will be in awe as their favourite queens come together on some incredible numbers.”

    “Werq the World is the official Drag Race tour for a reason,” continues Visage. “The show has always been a theatrical production of the highest calibre but in 2019, we’re stepping it up into the stratosphere. This show is going to leave fans gagging and I’m not afraid to say that my performance, in particular, will give you life.”

    Voss Events is a leading production company that consistently delivers superior entertainment programming. Past events have featured stars such as Lady Gaga and Cher.

    The queens will be coming to Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester, London, Bristol, Glasgow and Sunderland.

    The WERQ THE WORLD TOUR will travel major cities in Europe, Asia, Australia, North and Latin America in 2019. To book tickets for the Birmingham date click here

  • Gay bar security staff sacked after asking customers for money to free event

    Gay bar security staff sacked after asking customers for money to free event

    Security staff at a bar in Birmingham have been dismissed after it was revealed that they were asking for money from patrons before allowing them to enter the premises.

    Missing Bar in Birmingham has fired their on door security team after it was revealed that the bouncers were demanding money from patrons before allowing them to enter the building, even though the venue itself does not charge an entrance fee.

    The bar’s management offered an apology to its customers and told patrons that the security staff were dismissed “on the spot” and the money collected was donated to charity.

    Patrons of the bar were quick to congratulate the bar’s owners on their swift decision making and resolving the issue quickly.

    Taking to Facebook Missing bar wrote,

    “AN APOLOGY
    “We were made aware that our door security team were asking customers to pay an entrance fee last night.

    “We have never charged for entry at Missing and never will.

    “Both of the security team were dismissed on the spot and any money they collected will be donated to charity”.

    One user who was asked to give money to the door staff on Thursday night last week did say that the bouncers had made it clear that the money “was non-obligatory”.

    One Facebook fan said that the behaviour from the door staff was “shocking”. Another added that it was good that the bar hadn’t taken the side of the bouncers, while another agreed saying, “I totally agree with this from past issues with their bouncers”.

     

  • Students singing ‘fagg*t’ from Fairytale Of New York is disturbing

    A  video of students at a Birmingham university singing along to ‘Fairytale of New York’, but only knowing the lines including the homophobic slur “faggot” has gone viral.

    The video which was captured by Georgia Walshe shows how, as she describes, a “upper-class, homophobic, racist” group of “Tory” students singing along to the Christmas classic, ‘Fairytale of New York’, however the only words they know is the line proceeding the homophobic insult “faggot” – to which they sing at the top of their voices.

    The video has been retweeted over 500 times and “liked” over 3700 times.

    The song was being played at a party at which Walshe did not attend but could hear throughout the student halls. She made the video to demonstrate the level of noise past midnight when the Christmas hit started to play.

    Writing on Twitter, Walshe wrote, “As soon as I heard what song was on I knew straight away when they were gna [sic] get louder – absolute tories”

    In the evergreen Christmas-hit, Kirsty MacColl sings the line “You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot.” The line causes a debate every year about whether the slur should be removed or censored from the song as some people in the LGBT+ community find it very problematic.

    The video which Walshe shared has now gone viral.

    Speaking to Gay Star News Walshe said, “I just don’t associate with these people, they’re not my type of people. I don’t know them by name.

    “I’ve met a lot of those lot in the first few weeks [from freshers parties]. I’ve heard them sing along and use the ‘N’ word in songs.

    “When I heard Fairytale of New York come on, I knew what I was going to hear. It’s part of their entitled homophobic bigotry.”

    Number 1 Christmas Song

    The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” has been crowned the best Christmas song of all time.

    However, the song crowned number one contains a homophobic slur and is found problematic by some. Every year a debate rages about whether the song should have the word “faggot” bleeped or silenced when it is broadcast publicly.

    Topping Mariah’s “All I Want For Christmas” and WHAM!’s “Last Christmas”, “Fairytale of New York” has been crowned the nation’s favourite Christmas song.

    It also managed to top Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas“, which took the fourth spot.

    In 2007, BBC’s Radio 1 in the UK, censored the offending word, but soon reinstated it after a public backlash.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Wizard Of Oz, Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★★ |The Wizard Of Oz, Birmingham Rep

    • a marvel spectacle matching the West End

    This seriously was the most fun I’ve had at a theatre for a long time. My jaw dropped countless times at the set, costumes, effects and the talent of the ensemble. The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum, with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E Y Harburg, is a story that has been part of every generation, and The Rep pulled out all the stops with this gem.

    From the start, you were gripped by Dorothy’s plight, and we highly sympathised with her not wanting to give such a cute dog away. The first scenes, our hearts melted with the use of a real dog who just looked adorable as the scenes moved and swished around him. Chisara Agor played Dorothy with much sweetness and love, making for a very heart-wrenching story live on stage. Chisara was very dexterous with her singing and movement abilities; it made for an unstoppable watch.

    The three main characters, Scarecrow (Ed Wade), Tin Man (Dillon Scott-Lewis) and Lion (Kelly Agbowu) were surreally brilliant; sublime in their characterisation. Other than the original film, their portrayal was my favourite, and I felt like a kid again. I was a little nervous that the show may have been more for children, but every generation was in awe and drawn in with the magic and illusion. Ed was superb as the scarecrow with mannerisms being truly identical to the film, but with his own twist, rolling around and walking differently. Dillon was a movement mastermind. His dance ability resulted in a masterpiece performance of Tin Man – the way he walked and moved was an eye-popping effect on its own. I would watch it again purely to watch Dillon as Tin Man. Lion, played by Kelly, though lacking in courage, had vocal chords of an Angel, seriously what a voice! I can see why Lion had many songs as Kelly‘s voice was heavenly.

    The set, designed by Angela Davies, was honestly spectacular. I have seen many shows now, but this show really made me feel like it was my first time experiencing new wonders. I can’t imagine how excited the children must have been in the audience.

    The character of Oz was incredible – a massive head with eyes and mouth that moved as Oz spoke, and it made to appear like it was a real giant’s head. This was worth the wait.

    The highlight of the show for me was the Munchkin dance when Dorothy arrives into the land of Oz and crushes the Wicked Witch of the East. The puppets, designed by Samuel Wyer, together with performers puppeteering them, dazzled the audience, and I just kept hearing ‘wow’ and ‘oh my god’ from all around me. The detail of the characters and the versatile movement of each character was a stroke of genius. I could watch that routine over and over again.

    Never have I wanted to recommend a show as much as The Birmingham Rep’s The Wizard of Oz.

    Running: 24 November – 13 January

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Lovely Bones – The Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★☆ | The Lovely Bones

    – a chilling and sombre affair

    A lot of people celebrated Halloween dressed up in fancy and harrowing costumes while others chose to visit The Birmingham Rep to watch The Lovely Bones adapted by Bryony Lavery.

    This production was a visual marvel with versatile, complex sets and effects that made you jump. It was 1 hour and 45 minutes long without an interval, so you were drawn to the story and scarcely had a chance to breathe.

    Based on the novel by Alice Seabold, it depicted well the account by Susie Salmon as a ghost, and the frustration of the book though the intensity of the book was way more gripping. Adapting a novel with nail-biting tension and translate it to the stage was always going to be a big ask. This play, however, did a great job with multi scenes going on at once which helped cancel out really drawn out scenes which can happen when an adaptation is too literal.

    Charlotte Beaumont played Susie and she was very believable. Her growing anger and annoyance were superbly achieved. Mr Harvey played by Keith Dunphy was exactly how you would imagine him to be in the book, said my friend. His voice and slow movement made for a very sinister character – the audience felt on edge whenever he appeared on stage as he was getting away with murder, literally. Jack Salmon played by Jack Sandle was very captivating with his passionate and energetic portrayal. Karan Gill was a dexterous multi-part player and was brilliant at playing Holiday, having the whole auditorium in stitches with embodying typical characteristics of a dog. Abigail Salmon player by Emily Bevan performed her last speech with emotion and sincerity, but there was some inconsistency with emotion when finding out about her daughter, or it was perhaps the very fast changes of time that did not allow for Abigail’s grief to be fully explored. Pete Ashmore played Detective Fenerman, and he was brilliant in this role really adding to the frustration of the unsolved murder. As a teenager, it was not as convincing, for his voice was too mature. I struggled to imagine him as Lindsey Salmon’s boyfriend. Susan Bovell brought out the comedy in this dark story with her bad-mother act and stirring issues within the family. Her portrayal of Lynn was a great fete.

    The set, designed by Ana Inés Jabares-Pita, really was the highlight for me with chalk becoming luminescent and the ingenious mirror effect, so it looked as though Susie was looking down from heaven as the scenes unfolded.

    Running: 30 October – 10 November 2018