THEGAYUK

Tag: Petition

All the latest breaking news on Petitions. Browse The THEGAYUK’s complete collection of features and commentary on Petitions.

  • 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.

  • 11,000 people really don’t want Frozen’s Elsa to be lesbian

    A petition urging Disney not to portray Elsa as a lesbian in Frozen 2 has reached almost 11,000 signatures. The action was launched after Jennifer Lee, the film’s co-director, replied “we’ll see where we go” when asked whether script writers had decided the sexuality of the fictional Queen of Arendelle. (more…)

  • LGBT Campaigners At Odds Over Gay Village Redevelopment Plans

    Local LGBT+ campaigners are today at odds over plans to develop the Portland Street area of Manchester, which forms part of Manchester’s world-renowned Gay Village.

    A local campaign group has launched a petition after Manchester Council published plans for a consultation on the new Portland Street SRF. The petition, which now has over 10,000 signatures, was launched by Manchester Shield and argues that the plans don’t go far enough to protect the heritage of the Gay Village.

    If approved, the proposal would result in the most extensive works to take place around the Village in some time and include the demolition of Yates Bar as well as possible demolition of its neighbour and Village stalwart, Thompson Arms. In addition to Yates Bar, the Coach Station, often used during Manchester Pride’s Big Weekend, would be completely demolished also. The proposal (or SRF – Strategic Redevelopment Framework) details plans for a multi-storey car park, offices, flats and a hotel.

    The plans don’t go as far as proposing demolition of Village mainstay New York, New York but some campaigners fear building work around it would most likely cause a catastrophic decrease in footfall which could also impact other businesses within the Village.

    Speaking to THEGAYUK.com, Loz Kaye, who is a co-author of the petition, argues that “[the SRF] simply is not ready to bring to the public. We’re not saying the area shouldn’t move forward, we are saying we have to get proposals right. LGBT people will not be written out of our own area. Our history, our lives, our deaths are in these streets. Any plans must reflect that.”

    Manchester Shield, an organisation that seeks to ensure the integrity of Manchester’s history, is particularly concerned with the effect on the Pride Parade. However, Manchester Pride, the charity that organises the event, is yet to provide a formal statement on the matter.

    Lack of consideration in the plans for the village

    Manchester Shield also argues that the plans are “typical of a lack of consideration of The Village” and queries why more has not been done to improve the Village as it currently exists. In a statement, Independent Council Candidate Adam Prince argued, “communication failures and noted omission of the LGBTQ community are undeniable in this document. Many consider the erosion of the area to be intentional, as the area has faced a lack of advocacy, a long-term failure in creating or supporting community infrastructure. There has been an unwillingness to protect the area or struggling businesses. Now, this backdoor gentrification property takeover is proposed, hurting this world-famous area”.

    However, Councillor Carl Austin-Behan disagrees that the plans would cause great issue for the Village. Speaking exclusively to THEGAYUK.com, Councillor Austin-Behan, who rose to local fame after becoming Manchester’s first out gay Lord Mayor, felt that the plans were “very positive for the area”. He acknowledged that the SRF had many “silly errors” but felt that plans for hotels and residential buildings could lead to greater footfall and increase visibility for Village businesses.

    Establishing an official authority for the village

    The concern over the matter has also led Councillor Austin-Behan, who is also an ambassador for Manchester Pride, to establish a Friends of Manchester’s Gay Village workgroup. The group will be established as an official authority on all matters regarding the Village. During its first meeting, last week Council Leader Sir Richard Leese attended in an attempt to quell the concerns about the SRF.

    Speaking about the event in his Leader’s Blog, Sir Richard noted he felt that the SRF had been “deliberately misinterpreted” and the petition was “an unexpected bit of controversy” but did go on to admit more needed to be done.

    Three commitments

    “My colleague Councillor Carl Austin-Behan organised a public meeting last week which allowed me to talk to loads of interested people and put the record straight”. Sir Richard went on to concede that more needed to be done for the Village and stated he had given three commitments. He promised to extend the consultation to late March, to ensure a long-term future for Pride “including the identification of a suitable event space” and finally that the Council would “work with businesses, residents, and users of the Gay Village to develop the vision and strategy to ensure it had an undiminished and sustainable future.”

    The Village and it’s future has been a hot topic as of late, with many local groups and bars calling for more policing of the area due to increased crime with 85 violent and sexual offences recorded in August 2017 alone.

    The Village is world renowned as a safe haven for LGBT people and received notoriety in the late 1990s thanks to the hit show Queer as Folk. A survey by The Lesbian and Gay Foundation in 2012 put the LGB population of Manchester at approximately 34,930. In addition to this, a report submitted to Manchester Council in 2013 noted that The Village makes a significant economic contribution to the local economy with an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 visitors each weekend.

    Manchester Pride’s 2017 annual review also published figures for its 2017 Big Weekend, estimating gate interactions at around 167,000 people.

    Whilst Sir Richard did commit to an extension of the consultation to Late March, the Council’s official website still states all comments must be received by Friday 23rd February 2018.

    THEGAYUK.com has reached out to Stephenson Studio, who put forward the proposal but are yet to receive a response.

  • Time to end the inequalities faced by gay men who want to become fathers

    A new petition has been created on the official UK Parliament website which highlights the inequalities gay men face if they want to have children by surrogacy.

    Time to end the inequalities faced by gay men who want to become fathers

    Surrogacy is an expensive process, particularly for gay men and is difficult to achieve in the UK. Outside the UK, where rules are more relaxed about the advertising for surrogate mothers and payment process, just a quick read of our Journey To Fatherhood columns will show that a hopeful father could be spending over $150,000 in order to find a surrogate to carry a child.

    In the UK it is illegal to advertise for a surrogate and illegal to pay them to carry your child. You can offer to pay “reasonable expenses” however because of these restrictions it can be near impossible to find a partnership.

    Speaking in 2013, an associate from Pinder Reaux told us,

    In the UK, although surrogacy arrangements are permitted by law, it is illegal for a woman to make a profit from offering a surrogacy service. Any such commercial contracts are not legally binding or enforceable and any person, who charges for negotiating a surrogacy arrangement, or advertising such arrangement, will commit a criminal offence under the Surrogacy Arrangements Act 1985. For those who are considering surrogacy, it is therefore imperative to be aware of the law before such time as you engage in the process.

    As well as limiting any payment to ‘reasonable expenses only’ the UK law states that the surrogate woman who gives birth, whether she is genetically related to the child or not, is regarded as the legal mother of the child, with the absolute right to change her mind following the birth (s33 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008). It is only the subsequent granting of a parental order transferring the legal parentage to the married/unmarried couple which makes the process complete.

    The petition’s creator, Scott McKinnell states,

    “IVF treatment for couples that are unable to have children naturally is a fantastic way to have a precious family. Gay women are also able to have IVF treatment to be able to have a biological family which is also a blessing, but for gay men, there is no way of doing this.

    “Women around the country are happy being surrogates but you are not allowed to advertise this making surrogacy being legal very hard to come by. The greatest gift is a gift of life to someone that cannot produce it”.

     

    If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures by 14th March 2018, the Government will respond to the petition. If it reaches 100,000 the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    To sign the petition visit https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/200291

     

  • A petition has already formed over a Conservative and DUP coalition

    A petition stating no confidence has already gone live over a coalition between the Conservatives and the DUP.

    A petition of no confidence has emerged over a coalition of the Conservatives and the DUP.

    The Conservatives have failed to achieve an overall majority in the General Election, securing 318 seats. A party needs 326 seats in order to have a majority.

    Theresa May looks to have negotiated with the DUP, who have 10 seats, in order to take their total number of seats up to 329, a majority of just three seats. However, the coalition will not be welcome news for many in the LGBT+ community has the DUP has run on a platform of conservativism which includes anti-LGBT equality and anti-abortion.

    The DUP have earned themselves a reputation for being homophobic after voting against same-sex marriage four times.

    Lorraine Carter who created the petition writes,

    “The UK electorates have spoken. The Conservative majority has been lost. The PM stated through all her campaging for strong and stable, not for a Coalition of Chaos. Once again another U turn. This petition shows no confidence in this coalition make up.”

  • That 2nd referendum petition just hit 3 million

    That 2nd referendum petition just hit 3 million

    A petition calling for a 2nd EU Referendum has hit over 3 million signatures.

    CREDIT: EU
    CREDIT: EU

    Over 3 million people in the UK are calling on the Government to effectively retake a EU Referendum.

    The petition which was launched before the British referendum on the European Union calls for “a rule that if the remain or leave vote is less than 60% based on a turnout  of less than 75% there should be another referendum”

    Within hours of the EU ref results, which saw just a slim majority of the electorate voting to leave the European Union over 70,000 people had voted for a second referendum.

    Now just two days after the result which has left many in a state of shock, over 3 million people have voted on the  petition for a second referendum, which is sure to become one of the largest petitions to be delivered to 10 Downing Street.

    As is stands Petitions which garner over 100,000 votes are eligible to be discussed by MPs in the House of Commons.

    The petition is asking the Government to carry out another referendum due to low turnout and a result that is less than 60 per cent.

    “We the undersigned call upon HM Government to implement a rule that if the remain or leave vote is less than 60% based a turnout less than 75% there should be another referendum.”

     

    During the run up and during the voting on the EU, THEGAYUK asked its readers in a series of Flashpolls which way they were planning or hoping to vote. Overwhelmingly the readership said they were in the Remain camp, with 60 per cent saying they had voted for Stay.

     

    ALSO READ: David Cameron will resign in October

    ALSO READ: David Cameron booed at Pride after vowing to step down as PM

    ALSO READ: 79,000 people have voted for a 2nd referendum

     

  • Petition underway for 2nd referendum

    Petition underway for 2nd referendum

    A petition urging the Government to hold a second referendum has been launched following the historic decision for the UK to leave the EU.

    The Government’s petition website crashed after a new petition emerged demanding that they hold a second referendum after the UK voted to leave the European Union.

    The petition has already gained 79,000 signatures and is asking the Government to implement another referendum due to low turnout and a result that is less than 60 per cent.

    “We the undersigned call upon HM Government to implement a rule that if the remain or leave vote is less than 60% based a turnout less than 75% there should be another referendum.”

     

    ALSO READ: UK decides to leave EU

    ALSO READ: David Cameron to step down as Prime Minister

    ALSO READ: Members of the LGBT community react to EU referendum

     

  • Petition Calling On Government To Apologise For Discharging Gay and Lesbian Force Members

    A petition calling on British Prime Minster David Cameron to apologise to LGBT Armed Forces who were discharged for being homosexual has gone live.

    (more…)

  • Has The Scottish Parliament Failed LGBT Children?

    In a decision branded “shocking”, the Scottish Parliament has rejected a call to include LGBTI+ education in Scottish schools.

    Yesterday morning, Tuesday 12th Jan, a petition put forward asking the “Scottish government to make the teaching of LGBTI+ issues and topics statutory” was unanimously rejected by representatives of Scotland’s three majority parties according to Buzzfeed.

    The group of MSPs said it was unable to ask the Scottish government to force through LGBTI inclusion in its schools.

    The co-founder of the TIE campaign, Jordan Daly, said:

     

    “Absolutely the wrong decision has been made here. How many more chil

  • Petition To Halt The Sale Of Caitlyn Jenner Costume Reaches 1000

    A petition to stop the sale of a Caitlyn Jenner Halloween costume has reached over 2000 signatures.

    A petition calling for the sale, production and marketing of a “transphobic” Caitlyn Jenner Halloween costume to halt has garnered over 1,800 signatures.

    The petitioner demands that Spirit Halloween, the makers of the costume revoke their ideas and production of a costume which mimics the famous Vanity Fair cover, complete with sash that reads, I Am Caitlyn, the name of Jenner’s new reality show.

    The costume is currently on pre-order for $63.74 (£40.75)

    The statement from Addison Vincent, who started the petition says,

    “Yes, as your PR and marketing head Trisha Lombardo stated in an interview, Caitlyn Jenner is a hero and celebrated in modern day culture, but that doesn’t excuse the exploitation and transphobia you’ll be committing this Halloween.

    “To make a costume out of a marginalized identity reduces that person and community to a stereotype for privileged people to abuse. In this case, if you follow through with production of a Caitlyn Jenner costume, cisgender people will purchase it to make fun of her and our community.

    “At a time when trans women and GNC folx, especially black trans women, are being murdered at such a high rate, and homelessness, unemployment, and inaccessbility to healthcare run rampant in our community, making fun of one or all of us is utterly insensitive and deplorable.”

     

  • Katie Hopkins Has The Staying Power Of A Cockroach

    Outspoken Celebrity Big Brother star Katie Hopkins has the staying power of a Cockroach.

    Gay icon wannabe and generally outspoken former Apprentice turned Celebrity Big Brother star, Katie Hopkins has proven that she has the staying power of a cockroach after The Sun refuses to back down, keeping the controversial tweeter on staff, despite a growing petition calling for her sacking.

    The star, who recently angered many after writing in her column about migrants, has been backed by her employer, The Sun, who have refused to edit or pull the controversial article. In the article Katie writes,

    “NO, I don’t care. Show me pictures of coffins, show me bodies floating in water, play violins and show me skinny people looking sad.

    “Make no mistake, these migrants are like cockroaches. They might look a bit ‘Bob Geldof’s Ethiopia circa 1984’, but they are built to survive a nuclear bomb. They are survivors.

    “Once gunships have driven them back to their shores, boats need to be confiscated and burned on a huge bonfire.”

    More than 100 official complaints have been written to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) and over 230,000 people have now signed an online petition calling for Katie’s firing. She and the Sun’s editor, David Dinsmore have been reported to the police for incitement to racial hatred.

    In the petition to The Sun, Izzy Saunders, who created the missive says,

    “We live in a forward thinking society and Katie Hopkins’ views should not be encouraged; this is why I ask The Sun newspaper and editor David Dinsmore to remove Katie Hopkins as a columnist, at the very least to redeem yourselves from publishing this prejudiced article in the first place.”

    Katie Hopkins is not alone in causing controversy and remained in position, even after huge public outcry. In 2013, a petition calling for the resignation of The Daily Mail’s Richard Littlejohn after he ‘monstered’ trans teacher Lucy Meadows, who subsequently committed suicide, racked up over hundreds of thousands of signatures.