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Simon Kirby’s ‘Disabled Person’s Parking Badges Act’ comes into force

Simon Kirby, MP
Simon Kirby, MP

Simon Kirby MP’s Disabled Person’s Parking Badges Act has come into force today. Simon is MP for Kemptown & Peacehaven

The Act received Royal Assent and passed into law in January 2013, however it required a number of regulatory changes to be made and Statutory Instruments to be laid before coming into force today, October 8 2013.

From today the Disabled Person’s Parking Badges Act will:

•  Provide local authorities with a power to cancel badges that have become lost or stolen or which are no longer in the holder’s possession;

•  Extend local authority inspection powers to officers in plain clothes;

•  Enable local authorities to recover badges that have been cancelled, have expired, are being misused by a third party or are fake;

•  Remove ambiguity from the existing Blue Badge misuse offences so that it is clear that it is an offence to use a badge that should have been returned to the issuing authority;

•  Remove the requirement for the Government to publish the full badge specification in regulations;

•  Extend eligibility for a badge to Armed Forces personnel and their families resident overseas on UK bases who meet the qualifying criteria for a badge; and

•  Remove the route of appeal to the Secretary of State in cases where a badge is withdrawn for misuse so that the Local Government Ombudsman will instead review complaints against local authorities.

Simon said:

“The Disabled Person’s Parking Badges Act 2013 will make significant improvements to the Blue Badge scheme, making it much better for disabled people who rely on the availability of disabled parking spaces.

“It is rare that a Private Member’s Bill makes it onto the statute book. This Bill has succeeded because it has received widespread support from all parties, as well as backing from local authorities and disabled person’s charities across the country. I am very grateful for this support, which has ensured the Bill’s efficient progression through Parliament.

“I know that many disabled residents in my constituency rely on the availability of disabled parking spaces for their independence. This Act will ensure that those spaces are not abused, and I am very pleased that the legislation has come into force today.”  

 

IGLTA to host its first convention in Africa

Cape Town

The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) will host its 33rd Annual Global Convention in Cape Town, South Africa in 2016. This marks the first time IGLTA will hold its premier educational and networking conference in an African country in its 30-year history.

Convention bids were evaluated during the association’s October 4-5 board meeting in Madrid, host city of IGLTA’s 2014 convention next May.

Dan Melesurgo, IGLTA Board Chair, said:

“Cape Town is a world-class city – incredibly scenic and with a vibrant LGBT community. It has all the right ingredients to ensure a successful convention.”

“Bringing the convention to Africa for the first time is an opportunity to grow our membership there and create greater understanding and awareness of the LGBT travel market on the continent.”

South Africa, which became the world’s first country to enact a constitutional ban against discrimination based on sexual orientation in 1996, is considered the most progressive country on the continent for LGBT issues.

In July, the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights chose South Africa for the launch of its “Free & Equal” global campaign to promote LGBT equality.

Laura Saeger, Meeting and Convention Sales Manager of South African Tourism North America, said:

“Securing the bid for the IGLTA Annual Global Convention in 2016 is a major triumph for South Africa as a leading destination for LGBT travellers.” 

“Cape Town is the ideal backdrop for the IGLTA convention. We’re confident this event will set a new precedent for our destination, and we look forward to forging deeper connections with the committee and its partners moving forward.”

IGLTA’s next Annual Global Convention is set for Madrid, May 8-10, 2014.

For more information on the upcoming conference, CLICK HERE:  www.igltaconvention.org

IGLTA is the leading member-based global organization dedicated to LGBT tourism, and a proud Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. The association represents LGBT and LGBT-friendly accommodations, destinations, service providers, travel agents, tour operators, and events, as well as the LGBT travel consumers they wish to serve. For more information, visit www.iglta.org and follow us at www.facebook.com/IGLTA or www.twitter.com/iglta

Cape Town

Spice and everything that’s nice. That’s what Sri Lanka is made of : By Alan Stables

Sri Lanka

What do you want out of a holiday? If it’s a friendly quality service, the sun and a stone’s throw from an international port, then you can’t go wrong if you choose Negombo in Sri Lanka.

Some 20 minutes by taxi from Colombo International Airport, you will find the jewel in the crown of Negombo, an eight room exclusively gay boutique hotel called Dickman Resort http://www.dickmanresort.com/

Dickman Hotel

It’s an exclusive hotel with swimming pool, pool table and bar, but what differentiates this hotel from others are the levels of service and attention to detail.

The guest rooms, named after colours such as aqua, green and blue,  look out onto the pool, so as you open your doors in the morning you look out onto a tranquil pool with deck chairs waiting to entrance you out into the sun. Two patio doors at water level flank a mirror at the centre of the pool giving an optical illusion that the swimming pool extends through the patio doors. Very clever.

Dickman HotelThe rooms come with all mod cons – television, video player, air-conditioning, remote light switches and mini-bar. Not only are there tea and coffee making services in the room, but you can order your pot of tea free of charge anytime throughout the day. That’s bliss for you tea drinkers out there.

The bathrooms have papaya scented soap and scented shampoo sets from Ayur, whilst the rooms have candles and flowers too. The beds have split tennis balls on the corners to prevent you from hurting yourself on the edges. It’s this type of attention to detail that other hotels trying to imitate the standards simply do not reach.

Dickman HotelIt’s not only the setting and rooms that are outstanding, the service is too. Nothing is too much trouble for the staff, and they will go out of their way to ensure you have a pleasant stay here. From the earlier hours of the morning, they are sweeping and cleaning, all to make sure that everything is spotlessly clean. Breakfast is how you want it – from fruit platters containing passion fruit, papaya, mango and banana with full a English breakfast set of eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes plus toast, butter,  jam and marmalade.

Dickman HotelThe owner, Dickman, or Dick for short, a tall Dutch guy, has chosen his staff well. They are courteous at all times. Shahan, the receptionist will sort out your internet connection for you, the manager Damith will ensure that everything is right for you, Rishan cooks you the breakfast and the house boy Mahenda will  clean your room. Many other boys are around too doing pool chores, cleaning and night security. The resort also hosts various special parties throughout the year including Christmas, New Year and St.Valentines.

There’s nature around too. Four tortoises and a friendly squirrel come out to play occasionally. Whilst shorts are de rigor during the day, you are better off wearing trousers in the evening as there may be a few midges.

Dickman HotelIf you want to pamper yourself with a spa treatment, besides the in-house masseur, both Jasmine Villa and Body Zone are recommended. Both will collect you from the hotel, take you to their premises, and return you back to the hotel. Best to ask the receptionist to sort it out for you. The same goes for tour information such as visiting the other major attraction of the island Kandy (2 ½ hrs drive away), Galle (pronounced “goal” by the locals) or the capital Colombo.  Negombo by the way is the fourth largest city in Sri Lanka with a population of 128,000 inhabitants.

Sri LankaNegombo itself is a small beach town with the one main street containing hotels, bars, restaurants and tourist shops selling leather goods, batik style clothes and several gem stores all authorized by their respective gem and jewelry authorities to ensure authenticity. Getting about is easy too as tuktuks (small three wheel transport vehicles), will take you from one end to the other for a couple of pounds. The tuktuk drivers though are excellent salesman and will try to sell you all types of services and tours. Locally they will show you the Catholic churches (90% of the people in the area are catholic and proud of their religious beliefs), or the Buddhist temples, the fish market or take you to Negombo town some 3 kilometres away.

Whilst much has been done to clean up the Negombo beach area, you will be approached. from supposedly teachers of deaf children to poor fishermen. They have one aim in mind and that is to get extract some money from you to support their meagre income.

Negombo was first populated by the Moors in the seventh and eight centuries as they dominated the spice trade, then the Portuguese and then the Dutch in 1644. There is a Dutch fort which was constructed in Negombo in 1672, which is now utilised as a prison. The Dutch were also responsible for the canal from Colombo to Puttalam in the North, passing through Negombo and still present today. With the decline of the cinnamon trade, the British took over in 1815 and their influence spread throughout Sri Lanka until independence in 1948.

Dickman Hotel Staff
Dickman Hotel Staff

For restaurants it is hard to beat Lord’s Restaurant http://www.lordsrestaurant.net/.  A starter will cost around 750 rupees (3.50 GB Pounds), and main dishes double that. With an international selection of dishes from Sri Lankan cuisine to salads, curries, seafood platters, vegetarian and meats, it is hard to go wrong. Under the management of the philanthropist Martin Fullerton, you can get to read his life story too. Walk further into the Lord’s complex and you can have a free fish foot spa, as well as see an art gallery hosting local artists.

For nightlife there are several gay friendly bars in the area such as Tastees Banana, and especially Serendib on Fridays and Saturdays after 11 pm.. The local beer is called Lion, and look out for the witty posters advertising the No. 1 Sri Lankan beer. I was not however impressed by Rodeo Bar when the barman tried to short change me. Having said that Negombo is full of people wishing you a good day, and is you are single, somebody will come up and chat with you. It is that friendly.

You need not travel alone in Sri Lanka as Negombo is one of the destinations offered by Holiday House Boys www.holidayhouseboys.com. Advertised as “getting the most from your holidays”, a Holiday House Boy is like your personal travel guide who looks after your safety and welfare. Note though you must provide a separate room and bathroom for him, but at least you get to choose who you want.

Temperature wise, the average annual minimum temperature is 24 C with average maximum annual temperature of 30 C. The high season is November to March, with the low season being the monsoon season from May to August.

All in all if you are looking for a relaxing holiday with attentive service and excellent restaurants in the area, but do not mind missing out on the clubbing, then Negombo could be that dream holiday that you always wish you had but never yet taken. I would also recommend it for singles just as much as I would for couples. Try it and you will see.

GETTING THERE

British Airways http://www.britishairways.com/ flies three times a week from London Gatwick Airport for 575 GB Pounds return. Also check out the local airlines Srilankan Airlines http://www.srilankan.com/.

PRICES AT DICKMAN RESORT

At Dickman Resort, the prices for single occupancy range from 85 to 115 euros (72  to 97 GB Pounds) per night, whilst doubles range from 95 to 125 euros (80 to 106 GB Pounds) per night, all depending on the type of room you book and time of year. There is an extra surcharge of 25 euros (21 GB Pounds) per room per night for the top peak season from 24th December to 2nd January. Prices include that huge breakfast. Prices quoted do not include the 5% service charge . Note if you have an overnight guest, you are only charged for the extra breakfast.

For more information CLICK HERE:   

 

 

 

Out Now demands withdrawal of misleading LGB data issued by the ONS

Out Now Consulting
Out Now Consulting

Out Now Consulting, the global LGBT marketing agency, has written to the Director General of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) requesting the immediate withdrawal of data relating to gay and lesbian people on the grounds that it is inaccurate and misleading.

Out Now says that a flawed and poor research methodology used by the ONS renders it incapable of providing a correct measurement of homosexuality and bisexuality in the UK.

The ONS claims that research, part of the Integrated Household Survey, shows that “1.5 per cent of adults in the UK identified themselves as Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual.”

Out Now disputes this figure, saying:

“This claim is not only inaccurate as a true measure of the prevalence of homosexuality and bisexuality in the United Kingdom, it is dangerous as it is prone to misreporting and may lead to funding problems for organisations focused on the health of LGB people.

“The research methodology employed is not suitable for the purpose of obtaining an accurate measure of homosexuality and bisexuality in the UK.”

Out Now founder and Ian Johnson has written to the ONS saying:

“The data you are responsible for publishing is not fit for purpose and risks being used by those who may not ‘like’ gay, lesbian or bisexual people to undermine their rights. It may be used similarly to seek to reduce funding for government and NGO initiatives focused on LGB people in the UK.”

The full text of Out Now’s letter to the ONS reads:

REQUEST FOR WITHDRAWAL OF MISLEADING ONS DATA

I write to request you withdraw data published by the ONS last week (3 October 2013) as part of the Integrated Household Survey: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_329407.pdf

Out Now is a specialist global consultancy that has worked in the area of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) research since 1992 and we are very concerned that poor methodology employed in this ONS data has caused the results to be most inaccurate.

In the summary of Key Findings you claim that your research shows that “1.5 per cent of adults in the UK identified themselves as Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual.”

This claim is not only inaccurate as a true measure of the prevalence of homosexuality and bisexuality in the United Kingdom, it is dangerous as it is prone to misreporting and may lead to funding problems for organisations focused on the health of LGB people.

The research methodology you have employed is not suitable for the purpose of obtaining an accurate measure of homosexuality and bisexuality in the UK.

That this is so can be seen by reference to research from the United States which uses superior methodologies to arrive at vastly different results in measuring the prevalence of bisexuality and/or homosexuality in the USA.

So far as Out Now is concerned, the Yankelovich MONITOR Study of 1992 reported on in 1993 remains the benchmark standard for methodology when it comes to allowing respondents to identify as gay or lesbian to the researcher. That study was a household survey of US households but their methodology for data collection of such a sensitive metric as respondents’ sexual identity was far superior to yours. In this random-sample study, just under six per cent of the US population was found to identify as “gay/lesbian/homosexual”.

In the US Yankelovich research, interviews were conducted in respondents’ living rooms and the question related to sexual orientation was asked only on the third visit – once a rapport of confidence and trust could have been established between the interviewer and each individual respondent. The Yankelovich research used flip cards which were randomised such that the respondent knew that for the question set including the question on sexual orientation, each interviewer had no way of knowing what specific response an individual respondent had given for this question. In so doing, both researcher and respondent had vastly increased confidence levels that the responses given truly were confidential and not able to be linked back personally to a particular respondent.

In your most recent “Experimental Research” that you reported on last week, your interview subjects were contacted at home, by a stranger they had not previously met and were asked to reveal their sexuality to that person. Your ‘randomising’ of responses for that question and inviting the respondent to say “stop” when their own sexual orientation was mentioned does nothing to preserve the confidentiality between the researcher and the respondent in relation to what is for many people in the UK a highly sensitive piece of personal information.

If you doubt that your research is flawed by virtue of its poor methodology I suggest you consider the results given for “Don’t know / refusal” on the sexual orientation question.

For almost all age groups this result is approaching 4% of the total sample.

Does it not strike anyone at ONS as perhaps a bit ‘odd’ that this many people might not know their own sexual orientation? If we are therefore to conclude that these respondents are in fact refusing to divulge their sexuality – a not unreasonable assumption we contend, given the clumsy way in which respondents are expected in your research to ‘out’ themselves to a total stranger – then the only valid conclusion that your research ought to be able to make is:

“up to 4% of UK people prefer not to divulge their sexuality to a stranger when asked to for an ONS research study”.

Of course one could attempt to assert that respondents would be reassured by the researcher that this information is confidential – but that fails to understand a fundamental reality of being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) in the UK in 2013: large numbers of people are not ‘out’ about their sexual orientation – even with many people whom they know very well.

Out Now undertakes a global LGBT research initiative called LGBT2020 and since 2010 this project has sampled more than 15,000 LGBT people in the UK. In the next few weeks that study will be sampling its 100,000th respondent globally on LGBT issues.

What the LGBT2020 research shows very clearly is that for many people, revealing their sexuality is a ‘risky business’ and they employ a range of tactics in a range of scenarios.

For example, at work in the UK in 2012, the LGBT2020 study show that only 52% of LGBT respondents were out to all their work colleagues as an L,G,B or T person.

You can read more about this at this link in the “International LGBT2020 Homophobia Report“.

That report shows that, of the more than 2,500 UK respondents sampled in the Out Now 2012 study, only 56% of respondents feel able to be out to all their family members.

The reasons for such reluctance are not hard to discern when we consider that 53% of respondents also report experiencing issues related to homophobia in their workplaces. 49% of respondents reported personally experiencing at least one incident of verbal harassment last year due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

6% were harassed by their neighbours and 15% of respondents experienced harassment in their own workplaces because they are LGBT.

Given this background, it perhaps becomes more understandable why your sample reports such a high level of “Don’t know/refusal” to answer the question on sexual orientation, when asked by a stranger – a person they have not previously met who knows their phone number and/or their home address.

If you still doubt that your methodology on sexual orientation is to blame for such low reported levels of bisexuality and homosexuality, then you may like to also consider the findings of one of the largest recent peer-reviewed academic research studies on human sexuality:

“National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB)” undertaken by the University of Indiana and reported on in 2010. Details are here http://www.nationalsexstudy.indiana.edu and you will note that they report:

“While about 7% of adult women and 8% of men identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, the proportion of individuals in the U.S. who have had same-gender sexual interactions at some point in their lives is higher.”

Now we either need to conclude that people in the USA are around five times more likely to be gay, lesbian or bisexual or else we are left with the conclusion that Out Now has reached which is that your research is both misleading, inaccurate and dangerous.

In relation to this last point, consider the instances above from the LGBT2020 research by Out Now showing how many LGBT people experienced harassment and discrimination in the UK during the sample period of your own research.

I present as one example of how inaccurate data in this area can be used against LGB people this report from the Daily Mail of October 3, 2013:

‘1.5% of Britons say they are gay or bisexual: Number hasn’t increased in past year despite Cameron’s drive for equality
Office for National Statistics found homosexual population has not risen
Number is a quarter of the six per cent claimed by lobbyists and Whitehall’

The data you are responsible for publishing is not fit for purpose and risks being used by those who may not ‘like’ gay, lesbian or bisexual people to undermine their rights. It may be used similarly to seek to reduce funding for government and NGO initiatives focused on LGB people in the UK.

For this reason, on behalf of Out Now, I request the immediate withdrawal of this data – collected in both 2011 and 2012 – from your reported statistics.

I look forward to your urgent response.

Yours sincerely,

IAN JOHNSON
CEO, Out Now
www.OutNowConsulting.com

New choir needs singers

LGBT Chamber Choir

A recently formed lesbian, gay, bisexual/transexual and straight friendly chamber choir require more altos, tenors and basses to make music together.

They sing a classical repertoire and meet Tuesday/Friday evening near Seven Dials in Brighton.

An ability to read music is essential.

For more information contact Erika for further info: erikaschilsky@hotmail.com  

Inventing lives

Neil Bartlett
Neil Bartlett

The University of Brighton LGBTQ Lives Research Hub have announced their first annual lecture.  Open to all, these lectures seek to inspire and enthuse by inviting key speakers to develop research and understandings of LGBTQ Lives.

The first lecture will be by author/ director/ performer: Neil Bartlett on November 25 at the Sallis Benny Theatre at 6.30pm

In his lecture entitled INVENTING LIVESNeil talks about the creative process behind the reclamation and investigation of queer history in his fiction – the acclaimed novels Ready to Catch him Should he FallMr Clive and Mr Page and Skin Lane.

In particular, he’ll be talking about the role that historical research has played  in the writing of his new, Brighton-set novel, The Disappearance Boy, to be published in 2014.

For further information CLICK HERE: http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/projects/lgbt 

OR EMAIL: LGBTQ@brighton.ac.uk

The lecture will be followed by a wine reception.

Blind Veterans UK to receive £1 million from the LIBOR fixing scandal

Simon Kirby, MP
Simon Kirby, MP

Blind Veterans UK, an Ovingdean-based charity providing training and rehabilitation to blind ex-service men and women, is to receive a £1 million donation from banks involved in the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) fixing scandal.

Following the scandal, the government announced it is using money from the LIBOR fines, imposed on banks for misdemeanours in the financial markets, to support those who demonstrate the best of British values.

The money for Brighton Kemptown is the largest single donation the programme has made, and will be used to refurbish the Brighton Blind Veterans Centre, which provides veterans with accommodation and care services. This project will improve the quality of life for both permanent residents and those visiting on short stays.

Simon Kirby, MP for Kemptown and Peacehaven, said:

“It is only right that those who behaved so badly should make a donation to those who have given so much to the country. Blind Veterans UK is a great charity doing amazing work and I am certain this money will be put to good use.”

For more information, CLICK HERE:

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