Tag: UK
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Stonewall Speaks Out On NUS LGBT+ Decision To Drop Gay Male Reps
Britain’s largest LGBT charity Stonewall has spoken out against the NUS LGBT+ for its stance on gay male representation in the UK’s university system.
CREDIT: © feedough | Depositphotos Stonewall has spoken out against the NUS LGBT+’s decision to rid gay male representation from its societies across the UK University system. A statement from the charity said that the best way to achieve diversity was to proactively engage with all parts of the LGBT community rather than “excluding specific parts of the community.”
NUS LGBT+ has come under considerable criticism after it said it would seek to eradicate gay male representation from its societies, after it claimed that “misogyny, transphobia, racism and biphobia were more likely to happen if societies were “dominated” by white cis gay men.”
A claim it made without providing proof.
Stonewall joined the growing concern about the NUS LGBT+ societies remit saying,
“We believe that LGBT societies should represent the full diversity of the LGBT community, including the multiple minority identities that exist within it. Gay men experience homophobia and oppression daily, both inside and outside the LGBT community. This could be because they are of faith, or have a disability, or are part of an ethnic minority. They also continue to face discrimination in the workplace, at school, in church, in institutions, or on the sports field. The fight against homophobia isn’t over yet.
“We think the best way to reflect diversity is to proactively engage with and encourage others to apply for positions on the board rather than excluding specific parts of the community.”
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TheGayUK reached out to NHS LGBT+ specifically for comment on its decisions but were directed to the NUS press office, who said,
“All delegate who attend NUS LGBT+ conference are free to submit motions for discussion but they do not necessarily represent the views of NUS if at all.
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THEATRE REVIEW | Into The Hoods: Remixed, National Tour
★★★★ | In The Hoods: Remixed
Two children are lost on the Ruff Endz Estate and in exchange for a bus ticket home; they agree to help The Landlord, who sends them out on a quest to find the gifts he wants to give his daughter for her 18th birthday.
Their search, to find an iPhone as white as milk, a hoodie as red as blood, weave as yellow as corn and trainers as pure as gold, leads them on an adventure with the residents of Beanstalk Towers. Spinderella, wants to DJ at the ball, Lil Red has just signed a recording deal with Wolf, of Big Teef Records, Jaxx lives in the basement and is trying to avoid eviction and Rap-en-Zel will do anything to escape her room.
In this hip-hop, street-dance fairy-tale, the story is little more than an excuse for some spectacular choreography, made up of routines laced with humour and character. There are some superb set pieces, nowhere more evident than in the 70’s style afro-tastic party of the local gangster and the explosion of break-dancing pensioners in Grandma’s retirement home.
Borrowing from the familiar fairy-tale stories which are re-written for the hip-hop generation, the show is incredibly well presented, made up of superb animated backdrop projections, clever lighting and simple division of the four intertwining stories by use of colour and character. The routines provide for clearly defined and detailed characters that come across solely by the use of dance and music; and Kate Prince’s confident direction is effective in conveying the narrative and bringing out the best in the ridiculously talented cast.
Based loosely on the Stephen Sondheim musical, of a similar name, Into the Hoods: Remixed is a streetwise, mash up of music with a smart, sassy and humorous personality performed by a slick, polished and disciplined cast. With its use of snippets of a variety of songs from different genres and styles to tell the story, it has a hint of “Moulin Rouge” about it and an energy which falls somewhere between relentless and jaw dropping. Into The Hoods is both impressive and great fun, and you cannot help but be swept up by this very entertaining and vivacious production.
Into the Hoods is currently on national tour until the 9th April 2016. Full details can be found on the show’s website at www.intothehoodsremixed.co.uk .
Into the Hoods: Remixed was reviewed at Sheffield Theatres , who have recently launched their new season, which includes No Man’s Land starring Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart.
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HOTEL REVIEW: Hotel La Tour
If you’re planning a city break in Birmingham, then you should check out the modern design of the Hotel La Tour. ★★★★
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All Party Parliamentary Group On Gay Blood Donation Launched
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Blood Donation, a group of MPs and Peers from across the political spectrum who will inform on the Government’s review of blood donation in the UK was launched today in Parliament.
© belchonock | DepositphotosA group of MPs and Peers from across the political spectrum came together today to promote the importance of donating blood and to inform on the upcoming review into who is able to safely donate blood.
The APPG has been set up to help inform the Government review on blood donation rules which will determine whether gay and bisexual men will be able to donate blood unrestricted.
The review will also take in to consideration those who have ever injected drugs or had money for sex and their viability on blood donation.
At the present time gay and bisexual men are able to donate in England, Wales and Scotland but only if they are HIV negative and have not had sex with another man in the year.
In Northern Ireland men who sleep with men are one of the groups who are still not permitted to donate blood.
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The review was announced in Parliament in November in response to the campaign from FreedomToDonate and the Government is currently in discussions with stakeholders as to the terms of the review and its timeline.
Speaking on the launch of the APPG, the Co-Chair, Stewart McDonald MP said,
“Donating blood is a lifesaving action. It’s something that all those who can safely donate blood should be able to do so that’s why I’m proud to be Co-Chairing this APPG with Paula Sherriff MP.”
Founder of the FreedomToDonate campaign, Ethan Spibey said,
“Securing the review into who is able to safely donate blood was a huge milestone for our campaign and the setting up today of this APPG is yet another way we can ensure the best possible outcome for the review for all those affected. I set up this campaign when my Grandad went through a major operation, it’s my hope that I and many others can safely donate in the near future.”
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Gay Male Reps To Be “Dropped” From LGBT Societies At University
Gay male students will no longer have a “reserved” space for a representative at their University after NUS LGBT+ calls for gay men representatives to drop their positions claiming cis white gay men do not face discrimination.
CREDIT: ©-pressmaster / Depositphotos.com FILE PHOTO
Gay male students in the UK’s University system are facing the prospect of not having a representative at their LGBT+ society after the NUS LGBT+ voted to abolish a reserved space for gay male reps.
It also called for current gay male representatives to relinquish their role if it already exists within a LGBT+ society.
A reserved space for a representatives will remain for lesbian, bisexual, trans and asexual reps, however gay male representatives will no-longer be mandatory after claiming that misogyny, transphobia, racism and biphobia were more likely to happen if societies were “dominated” by white cis gay men.”
No evidence was submitted to prove its claim.
The resolution to remove gay men’s reps was made in motion 408, Defending Safe(r) spaces and No Platforming.
ALSO READ: COMMENT | Militant Left Wing LGBT Student Extremists Are Destroying Free Speech
It made the moves after it stated:
Gay men do not face oppression as gay men within the LGBT+ community and do not need a reserved place on society committees.
The conference resolved that they would “encourage” LGBT+ societies that have a gay man’s rep to “drop the position”.
Officers For All.
CREDIT: ©-katukphoto1 / Depositphotos.com During the conference students did however vote on Motion 407, “LGBT+ Officers For All” in which it called upon NUS LGBT+ to encourage and empower students to demand LGBT+ representation.
TheGayUK reached out to NUS LGBT+ for comment.
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THEATRE REVIEW | Miss Atomic Bomb
★★ | Miss Atomic Bomb
It’s a bomb that goes off during the production of ‘Miss Atomic Bomb.’ It’s not an actual bomb but a stink and sink bomb.
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Government U Turns On Banning Poppers
The Government has confirmed that it will not press ahead with plans to ban poppers through its psychoactive substance bill due to go live on the 6th April.
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HIV Charity Shocked At Government “U-Turn” On PrEP
A leading HIV Charity in the UK has blasted the Government after NHS England announced plans to make PrEP more widely available were shelved.
(C) marcbruxel Depositphotos Leading HIV Charity Terrence Higgins Trust have said that plans to hold off on making PrEP more widely available across the NHS was failing groups of people who are at risk of being infected with HIV.
In a statement released by NHS England, it affirmed that rolling out the drug to groups most at risk of new infection, was not their responsibility- despite initial results of drug trials showing a dramatic decrease in new infections.
NHS England said it was “committed to working with local authorities, Public Health England, the Department of Health and other stakeholders,” in order to bring the drug to a wider audience.
The pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug if taken as directed is successful at reducing new HIV infections by 86%.
Terrence Higgins Trust’s CEO said,
“Over 2,500 men who have sex with men are diagnosed with HIV each year in the UK. This figure has not changed in a decade. It is quite clear that although we have had some huge advances in HIV treatment, HIV prevention is something that we are still struggling with.
“By denying full availability of PrEP we are failing those who are at risk of HIV. Today’s decision by NHS England to depart with due process, and, instead, offer a tokenistic nod to what has the potential to revolutionise HIV prevention in the UK, is shameful.
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£2 Million – “Tokenistic”
NHS England announced that a £2 million fund would be created to ‘run a number of early implementer test sites’ and would include a further 500 500 men at high risk of HIV infection.
According to NHS England these will be undertaken in conjunction with Public Health England and will seek to answer the remaining questions around how PrEP could be commissioned in the most cost effective and integrated way to reduce HIV and sexually transmitted infections in those at highest risk.
THT have called the £2 million figure ‘arbitrary’.
Ian Green continued,
“£2 million over two years for 500 gay men ‘most at risk’ is an arbitrary figure which seems ill thought out and will still deny the protection that PrEP offers to the people who most need it. We know that PrEP works and already have substantial data from a real world setting from the PROUD trial. PrEP has already been approved in the US, Kenya, Israel, Canada, France.
“And yet, our own government refuses to take responsibility for PrEP. Today’s statement makes it no clearer who is responsible – is it the Department of Health, local authorities, the NHS or Public Health England? We need answers , we need access., and we demand both.”
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Owner Of AXM Dies After Battle With Cancer
The owner of one of Britain’s largest club brands, AXM has died at the age of 49.
