BLAGSS (Brighton Lesbian and Gay Sports Society) Tennis Group are holding an Open Tennis Day on Sunday, August 11 at Hove Park Tennis Courts, Old Shoreham Road and Goldstone Crescent, Hove from 11am to 2pm.
Thirty six players of all standards of play will complete in a round robin tournament. BLAGSS expect a great day of tennis amongst a friendly group of tennis players and hope to make this an annual post Pride event on the weekend following Pride.
For more information about BLAGSS (Brighton Lesbian and Gay Sports Society), click here:
Intrepid local father and son-in-law will travel to Marrakesh to compete two marathons in two days in the gruelling Saharan challenge to raise funds for Martlets.
IN the past, family duo Mick and his son-in-law, Christie have completed half marathons, marathons and the London to Brighton challenge side-by-side.
Having reached 65 and deciding that a quiet retirement is not for him, Mick signed himself and Christie up to undertake the Saharan Challenge in Africa.
Heading to the Draa Valley the course will take them over sand dunes and along rocky trails with rugged mountain scenery in the largest hot desert in the world.
Mick and Christie are taking on this challenge to support Martlets, helping the charity to provide free life changing hospice care for people in Brighton and Hove with terminal illness .
To support Mick and Christie’s fundraising, click here:
Michael said:“I’m not one for sitting still and I really believe that life is for living and making the most of every moment. It helps to have my fantastic son-in-law by my side taking on these challenges and I have now definitely signed us up for our biggest one yet! We wanted to fundraise for Martlets as they provide incredible care to people to help them live well in the time they have left. We would be so grateful for any donations big or small.”
For more information about the Martlets, click here:
Charity and community groups make up two thirds of the Brighton & Hove Pride, LGBT+ Community Parade.
Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Alexandra Phillips
MARKING 50 years since the Stonewall uprising, it was another fantastic year of celebration, campaigning and reflection for Brighton & Hove Pride with charities and community groups from our combined LGBT+ communities making up two third of the parade entries alongside local businesses, the NHS and blue light services as well as partners and sponsors celebrating their LGBT+ employee networks.
This year’s campaign #We Stand Together, was a call to action for all in the LGBT+ communities and their allies to unite and stand together against all types of discrimination and to defend the advances in equality and inclusion over the last five decades, since Stonewall.
The LGBT+ Community Parade remains one of the highlights of the Brighton & Hove Pride Festival weekend and enjoyed record entries this year.
Charity partners The Brighton Rainbow Fund were at the head of the parade along with representatives from the #WeStandTogether campaign bringing awareness to the alarming increase in attacks on our communities and to defend the progress that has been fought for over the past five decades.
As one of the biggest and brightest events in Brighton & Hove’s events calendar, over 300,000 people poured onto the city’s streets to participate in and watch as the colourful carnival processed its way from the Hove Lawns to the Pride festival at Preston Park.
A spokesperson for Brighton & Hove Pride said:“We also like to express our thanks to the 300+ volunteers who gave their time and helped facilitate the safe delivery of the weekend events.”
This weekend, local independent travel agent, Marc Silver and his team, will be out in force promoting his new travel business aimed at the LGBT+ communities.
MARC’S business –beOUTbeFREE.com – offers LGBT+ holidaymakers and travellers the opportunity to travel the world in comfort while feeling safe in their own sexuality.
Marc believes there is a huge gap in the market for gay LGBT+ friendly holidays and is already helping customers travel the world in a safe and welcoming environment where everyone is equal.
He offers LGBT+ luxury bespoke and tailor-made travel options from short-haul holidays to popular European resorts, to long-haul holidays of a lifetime to exotic destinations.
Marc said:“We scan the world looking for hotels that welcome the LGBT+ community with equality open arms, where our community is treated equal and safe”
“Over the last 20 years I have travelled the world and experienced first-hand the issues of staying in hotels with my partner and have felt the pain we have when travelling. and was frustrated by the lack of real choice for LGBTQ+ travellers, when visiting overseas destinations outside of Europe, I believe that there is a huge demand for this type of service within the LGBTQ+ arena, as we, the LGBTQ+ community wants to see the world too, but we want to feel safe and we want to feel welcome.”
Mr Silver found in particular a lack of choice of LGBT+ friendly hotels in Brazil, Japan, China and Hong Kong. He has now secured accommodation in all these destinations and many others around the world, who openly welcome gay travellers. The choice is getting bigger and the destinations are increasing.
LesFlicks website promotes films that show women loving women on screen; have a central lesbian or bisexual storyline; or which have a strong lesbian or bisexual presence which shows these women in a positive light.
LesFlicks launched on March 1, 2019 because they were tired of seeing so many great films with lesbian and bisexual storylines that either weren’t getting distribution, or even with distribution just weren’t reaching their audience, yet the clear message from the industry is that there isn’t an audience and filmmakers can’t get funding to make these films.
To prove there is an audience for lesbian films LesFlicks visited LFEST Lesbian Festival in North Wales to collect key audience data last month.
Over 65% of women surveyed had not heard of the film they saw before seeing it at LFEST, despite all being fans of lesbian films and many subscribing to video on demand channels and regularly attending cinemas.
Over 100 women were surveyed as they left the twenty film screenings across the weekend. The analysis showed some exciting trends, that indicate that whilst queer women do enjoy lesbian films, they are not finding out about screenings and there is a clear disconnect between film distribution and film consumption for this demographic. Simply put the women want to see these films, but they don’t always know of their existence.
Naomi Bennett
Naomi Bennett, CEO and Founder of LesFLicks said:“This initial data confirms what I had suspected all along. The women are desperate for representation on screen and to see lesbian films – both at home and in the cinema. Cinemas are reluctant to screen these films at key times due to low attendance, but the research shows if the women knew the film was on then they would attend. We can use this data to work with distributors and cinemas to help connect these films with their intended audience. It is very exciting and shows we really can have a positive impact on this industry.”
Cindy Edwards
Cindy Edwards, director of LFEST added: “The cinema returned to LFEST this year after popular demand from the women who attend, and I’m delighted it was full all weekend. We’re already in talks with LesFlicks to have them return next year in a larger space so they can meet the demand. LFEST prides itself on providing a range of arts and culture and social activities across the festival weekend and the cinema is a key part of this festival. The data collected by LesFlicks is a really interesting snapshot of the festival attendees.”
♦ How do you like to watch lesbian films: computer or tablet 65.09%; Mainstream public cinema 45.28%; Women only cinema 36.79%; DVD at home alone 37.74%; DVD at home with friends 42.45%; Mobile device 13.21%
♦ Do you think that mainstream platforms provide you with the lesbian films you want to see? Not at all 19.81%; Not really 46.23%; Sometimes 33.02%; Yes 0%
♦ What kind of films do you like to watch: Features 86.79%; Documentaries 69.81%; Web Series 42.45%; Shorts 48.11%
♦ Are you interested in donating to future lesbian films? Yes 20.37%; No 30.56%; Maybe 49.07%
♦ Had you heard of this film before seeing it at LFEST? Yes 15.50%; No 68.22%; Not Sure 4.65%
LesFlicks has published the survey on their website and will continue to collect this key data on an ongoing basis.
The results will be published on a quarterly basis, and will be available to filmmakers to use when pitching for funding or to show potential supporters that there is an audience for their content.
Green Councillors on Brighton and Hove City Council condemn Brexit impact and lack of support for businesses, council and EU residents.
LOCAL Green Councillors claim that continued uncertainty over Brexit is putting residents, businesses and council funding at risk.
At a meeting of full council on July 25, local councillors were asked to support a set of proposals designed to support residents and businesses affected by a potential ‘no-deal’ Brexit.
It is estimated that Brighton and Hove receives an estimated £340k a year in European funding, with council ‘Brexit scenario testing’ stating that no-deal could lead to business closures and recruitment and retention problems.
Pointing to statements that indicate new Prime Minister Boris Johnson would be prepared to take the U.K out of the European Union on a ‘no-deal’ basis, Green Councillors urged the council to establish how E.U funding programmes for the city would be replaced.
Green Councillor Marianna Ebel also asked the council to provide better support to EU citizens hoping to stay in the U.K in the event of the U.K’s exit from the EU. An estimated 20,000 EU citizens reside in Brighton and Hove, but will be expected to apply for U.K settled status, to keep living in the city.
Cllr Ebel voiced the concerns of EU residents who say they have been provided with little information on how to apply for settled status, including how to manage the online application, which to date is only available on an Android phone.
Green Councillors Siriol Hugh-Jones and Cllr Ebel called on all councillors to consider how the council can do more to support our European ‘colleagues, partners, family and friends.’
Cllr Siriol Hugh-Jones
Councillor Siriol Hugh-Jones, who put forward the proposals to the council, said: “It is estimated that a ‘no-deal’ Brexit could mean the loss of 3,950 jobs in Brighton and Hove alone. When I first saw this, I admit I found it remarkable that a UK Government would allow a ‘no-deal’ Brexit to happen. After all, Brighton & Hove would be far from suffering alone.
“Sadly, the incoming Prime Minister appears to care little about people’s jobs and livelihoods or the impact of any loss of EU funding. Greens refuse to allow this critical issue to be neglected by our council.
“We have secured Labour backing for the council’s Chief Executive to write to the Minister to find out how the government intends to replace this funding. We have also requested that Government consider a freeze on business rates for local businesses to help them weather the loss of staff and potential downturn in the economy following a no-deal Brexit. I am disappointed that our Tory colleagues failed to support local business and instead chose to abstain. But perhaps this is the logical outcome of their new leader’s dismissive attitude towards the impact of Brexit on our economy.”
Cllr Marianna Ebel
Councillor Ebel added:“In addition to the impact that will be felt by our businesses and council in terms of funding and jobs, the prospect of Brexit is also causing a great deal of anxiety and distress for EU citizens living in Brighton and Hove. EU citizens are our friends, partners, family members, neighbours and colleagues. The Government’s expectation that people who have already been living and working here apply for ‘settled status,’ has not been matched with good support. Instead, they have created anxiety, fear and uncertainty. EU citizens who have lived and worked here for years should not have to fear deportation. Instead, we want to see the council do all it can to ease the pressure, provide support with applying for settled status – and demand that the Government rethink the entire, failed, ‘no-deal’ Brexit process.”
Labour councillors voted in support of the Green proposals at a meeting of full council on July 25. Conservative councillors abstained.
The Macmillan Coastal Garden Trail, took place over the weekend of July 27-28.
TWENTY one gardens across the city opened to the public over last weekend (July 27-28), with eleven brand-new to this year’s trail. Organiser Geoff Stonebanks says on several levels it was the best ever trail he has produced over the last eight years for MacMillan Cancer Support.
Two of the favourite gardens based on feedback to Geoff were the walled garden in Bishopstone and a new garden in Wivelsfield Road, Saltdean.
Geoff said:“Despite the poor weather on the Saturday, which saw TV gardener, Christine Walkden and Macmillan’s Head of Volunteer Development, Ruth Leonard deliver their speeches in the rain, while the assembled forty present stood in my garage, we raised well over £9000 for the charity.”
Ruth added:“Every day, twenty eight people in Sussex hear the devastating news that they have cancer, with more than 10,000 people diagnosed every year it is expected that the amount of people living with and beyond cancer in Sussex will be 95,000 by 2030.
“Fundraised income makes up 98% of Macmillan’s income – which means the dedication and generosity of our supporters like Geoff is absolutely essential to changing the lives of people living with cancer. Geoff has singlehandedly raised nearly £80,000 for the Horizon Centre through his Driftwood Fundraising Group Committee; including £54,000 from this amazing Macmillan Coastal Garden trail alone.
“We hope to continue to inspire people like Geoff and others to donate, volunteer and campaign so we can be right there for years to come.”
Christine Walkden loved the day and spent seven hours with Geoff at Driftwood before visiting three of the other gardens too.
She said:“What is really obvious from all the gardens that opened is the very hard work and effort that everyone puts in to make the day a success. It’s not just this effort but the emotional journey that takes place for everyone involved. From despair to success when a visitor turns up. The gardens, all in their own way were special and really worth seeing. What an amazing effort from all involved. I admire the determination, flair and love that is shown in each garden.”
Geoff has already had three more brand-new gardens put their names forward for the 2020 event, which will be held on the weekend of July 25-26.
To read more details about the 2019 event, click here:
New figures show discrimination in both professional and grassroots football rose significantly in the 2018/19 season with reports up by 32 per cent.
STATISTICS from Kick It Out, football’s equality and inclusion organisation, show reports rose to 422 in 2018/19, up from 319 in the previous year.
Alarmingly, incidents of racism continue to rise. It remains the most common form of discrimination in both professional and grassroots football, constituting 65 per cent of reports – a 43 per cent rise from 2017/18.
Although an increase in reports could highlight a more confident approach to reporting incidents, the leap in reports could also identify that discrimination across the game is still an issue which needs ongoing and constant education and the application of appropriate sanctions.
Faith-based discrimination, which includes Islamophobia and antisemitism, rose higher than any other across this period, with reports increasing by 75 per cent from 36 to 63.
Discrimination related to sexual orientation increased by 12 per cent from 61 to 68. Reports related to gender remained at the same level (eight), while disability discrimination reports dropped from 15 to nine.
In the overall figures, which include social media incidents, discrimination reports increased to 581, a 12 per cent rise from the season before (520).
The FA have not informed Kick It Out of the outcome in seventy-nine per cent of the 109 cases reported in grassroots football. Forty per cent of these reports were from youth football (under-18). Of this figure, The FA have not informed Kick It Out of 80 per cent of the County FA verdicts.
Discrimination reports in the professional game rose by 46 per cent to 313, with an outcome received in 62 per cent of cases.
The statistics are compiled from all levels of English football, including the Premier League, English Football League (EFL), FA Women’s Super League, non-league and grassroots fixtures.
The 2018/19 season saw a change in the way online discrimination is recorded.
The organisation received 159 discrimination reports from social media in 2018/19. Again, the most common form of reported incidents was racism (62 per cent).
Historically, each individual discriminatory comment on social media was recorded as an incident.
However, from the 2018/19 season Kick It Out developed a systematic approach to its monitoring and recorded only the initial comment in order to capture a more concise record of such posts. Kick It Out, over a number of years, has stated that football discrimination online is a significant issue that must be addressed.
Even with a new way of compiling social media reports, there was an increase in discrimination reports for the seventh consecutive year.
Roisin Wood OBE
On the numbers, Kick It Out CEO, Roisin Wood OBE said:“Football reflects the society it is played and watched in and these figures are sadly not surprising. The fact that racist reports have risen by 43 per cent clearly shows the massive work that all of football still needs to do to challenge this. In 2019 we need to ask the question what can we do better and what is not working?
“The sharp increase in faith-based based discrimination is also worrying and represents a challenge to us all – what are we doing to address this intolerance?
“We feel that incidents at grassroots level are still under-reported and this could be due to the length of time it takes a complainant to get their case satisfactorily concluded, and even then there’s often disenchantment in the type of sanctions handed out. We need to build confidence that if you report a grassroots incident it will be dealt with effectively and efficiently.
“The online statistics in our view represent the tip of the iceberg and we renew our call for social media platforms – and the government – to help tackle growing incidents of online hate.”
New study suggests Muslim LGBT+ refugees more likely to gain asylum in Germany if they conform to stereotypes.
LGBT+ Muslims seeking asylum are more successful if they speak, dress and act in accordance with Western notions of homosexuality, according to a new study.
The study, published in the journal Ethnic and Racial Studies, found that LGBT+ asylum applicants reported they were often expected to be “flamboyant” and “outspoken” in their asylum interview, and that overall, asylum seekers were more successful if they could prove their ‘gayness’ by being involved in gay/queer activism in their country of origin, visiting gay bars, being members of lesbian and gay groups and attending gay pride marches.
For the study, Dr Mengia Tschalaer, an anthropologist at the University of Bristol interviewed 15 lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex (LGBT+) refugees and asylum seekers from Tunisia, Syria, Lebanon, Iran and Pakistan. She also talked to asylum lawyers and judges from Berlin and Cologne, as well as representatives of LGBT+ refugee counselling centers in Cologne, Munich, Heidelberg and Mannheim.
She found that the vast majority of successful applicants were from middle to upper-class backgrounds, were assigned male at birth and had been actively involved in gay/queer activism in their country of origin.
Along with class and educational background, membership of LGBT+ organisations and access to local queer and gay refugee organisations in Germany were the most important factors in securing a successful asylum claim.
Dr Mengia Tschalaer
“In order to gain asylum, asylum seekers must convince officials of their permanent identity as ‘gay’, ‘lesbian’, trans’, ‘bi’, and/or ‘intersex’,” says Dr Tschalaer. “They also need to demonstrate that their sexual and gender identity has led to them being persecuted in their home country.”
“My research showed that most successful applicants were very well informed about what is expected from them at the asylum interview – which was for their asylum story to align with Western notions of queer/gay lifestyles, i.e frequent visits to gay discos and parties, public display of love and affection, wearing rainbow-coded clothing etc.”
In addition, and despite efforts to render the asylum process safer for LGBT+ individuals, it was reported there were still incidences where asylum seekers were expected to answer questions about their sex life during their asylum interview – despite this being against EU law – and some interviewees stated they felt judged on their clothing, or how they acted in the interview.
The study also found that people who were more open about their sexuality and gender identity in their country of origin as well as the country of arrival were much more likely to be granted asylum, in part because they were more likely to seek out LGBT+ refugee organisations in Germany and receive support for the preparation of their asylum interview.
However, people who were not ‘out’ at the time of their interview, or who found it difficult to speak about their sexuality due to fear of persecution, stigma or shame felt marginalised.
“LGBT+ asylum seekers who felt forced to hide their sexuality and/or gender identity, and who felt uncomfortable talking about it were usually rejected, as were those who were married or had children in their countries of origin. This was either because they were not recognised or believed as being LGBTQI+, or because they were told to hide in their country of origin since they had not come out yet,”says Dr Tschalaer.
“Quite a few of my interviewees also mentioned that they felt that their translator held a homo-/transphobic attitude or did not translate properly due to their lack of knowledge of gay/queer/trans issues. For example, one Somalian man said that his fear and shame of coming out as gay – coupled with his translator’s known negative attitudes toward homosexuals – stopped him from being able to talk openly about his sexuality, leading to the rejection of his asylum claim.”
The study also found that asylum applicants who portrayed Germany as a liberal, tolerant country free of discrimination, while portraying their Muslim countries of origin as homophobic and morally ‘backwards’ were more likely to receive refugee protection. While Germany, and Europe more generally are traditionally seen as a safe havens for LGBT+ refugees compared to many majority Muslim countries – where homosexuality is illegal – there is a concern that the narratives and stereotypes perpetuated by the German asylum system may serve right-wing discourses on immigration in Germany.
According to Tschalaer, the findings suggest that more needs to be done to ensure that all Muslim LGBT+ individuals enjoy the same right to asylum.
“We need to train decision makers, judges and translators around the topic of LGBTQI+ so that they are more knowledgeable about LGBTQI+ identities and sexualities, and so as not to reproduce Islamophobic tendencies in the current immigration practices and debates in Germany.”says Tschalaer.
“Access to legal resources and support for LGBTQI+ also needs to be streamlined, as LGBTQI+ asylum seekers who had access to information on the asylum process in Germany were much more successful.”
Brighton Council leadership agree to challenge local arms factory linked to unlawful bombing in Yemen.
A local arms factory connected to bombs targeted at civilians in Yemen will be challenged after a Green intervention.
A United Nations (UN) Security Council report into war crimes in Yemen found evidence that the Brighton-based EDO MBM arms manufacturer has provided parts for bombs targeted at civilians in Yemen – attacks that the UN say “violate international humanitarian law.”
Speaking to a meeting of all local councillors, Green Councillor Sarah Nield called on Brighton & Hove City Council to take a ‘clear stand’ and denounce the arms manufacturer’s operations, stating: “it is now time to call time on the bomb factory.”
Following Cllr Nield’s concerns, Labour leader of the council Nancy Platts will now write to the Government calling for an inquiry into the incident, asking whether the arms factory should have their licence revoked.
Cllr Sarah Nield
Councillor Nield said: “Sadly, the continuing existence of this arms factory based in our city goes against everything we stand for as a ‘City of Sanctuary’ – one that supports people’s right to safe haven, free from violence and persecution. We cannot ignore the harrowing findings of the UN Security Council that bombs used in unlawful humanitarian attacks were made from parts linked to this company.
“Following our request for a further probe into this disturbing information, news that the Labour leader of the council will write to the government to call for an inquiry into this incident will be incredibly welcome to all those in our city deeply alarmed by the operations of this arms manufacturer.”
This weekend, local independent travel agent, Marc Silver and his team, will be out in force promoting his new travel business aimed at the LGBT+ communities.
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