Autumn 2012 £2.00 Brighton Diary .org.uk Delivering Full Equality For All LGBT+ Lib Dems Stall

The LGBT+ Lib Dems AGM The Expo, Brighton Conference Centre .libdems Sun 23rd, 1-2pm, Gloucester Room, The LGBT+ Lib Dems will have our regular stall The magazine for LGBT+ Liberal Hilton Metropole in the Expo throughout Conference. Find Plus Democrats, members and supporters Guest Speaker Stephen Williams MP; out what’s going on, or sign up a friend. updates on our work and our campaigns Volunteers for stall shifts welcome. including Equal Marriage, tackling Homophobia and Transphobia in Sport, the Social Evening at Bar Revenge Transgender Action Plan and the UK pride Sun 23rd, 8:30pm-late, Bar Revenge, events. All welcome. 5-7 Marine Parade, Brighton BN2 1TA LGBT+ Lib Dems present a social evening Changing laws and attitudes: at Brighton's premier gay venue Bar a more equal world Revenge. Come along to meet, chat, drink Browne Bears – Mon 24th, 1-2pm, Balmoral Room, and dance the night away! Hilton Metropole Tickets £1 for LGBT+ Lib Dems members, £5 others. Free glass of wine on arrival. Equality Abroad Presented by Kaleidoscope, LGBT+ Lib Dems, Liberal International British Group and Tickets will be available in advance from Liberal Youth. the LGBT+ Lib Dems stall. Join a passionate discussion on equal global rights in countries that persecute Tackling Homophobic, Biphobic people for their identity and sexuality. & Transphobic Bullying Speakers include: Jeremy Browne MP, Julie Mon 24th, 6:15-8pm, Queen’s Hotel Smith (Liberal International), Lance Price and Harjeet Johal (Kaleidoscope), Peter Presented by LGBT+ Lib Dems and Tatchell (invited tbc). . Join Stonewall & LGBT+ Lib Dems to discuss how we can tackle homophobic, Diversity Engagement Group biphobic & transphobic bullying. Speakers Activists’ Reception include MP, Cllr Sarah 50 Shades of Mon 24th, 9:45-11pm, King’s Terrace, Brown, Stephen Gilbert MP and . Chaired by Cllr Edward Lord The Grand, Brighton JP OBE. This is a reception for those working to Liberalism Refreshments provided. promote diversity within the Party, including members of the Diversity Engagement Group, Regional Party Chairs, Online Reminders Regional and SAOs. For a one-stop reminder and Facebook With Baroness and invited event links, head online to speaker, Lynne Featherstone MP. http://lgbt.libdems.org/a3vnM The Bi Report The 2012 Executive

Join us at the 2013 LGBT+ Lib Chair: Adrian Trett Vice-Chair: Ed Fordham Treasurer: Jen Yockney Dems Strategy Conferences “Youth Chances” is a social Secretary: Holly Matthies research and influencing project Ordinary Members: Dave Page, Gina Dungworth, Sarah Harding, Jennie Rigg, aiming to improve the lives of 16- Chad O’Reilly, Paul Trollope, Edward Lord, Sarah Brown, Zoe O’Connell, 25 year old lesbian, gay, bisexual, Rebecca Taylor, Bobbi White transgender and questioning young Hon President: people across England. It is in Year Dr Evan Harris Vice-Presidents: Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP, Jonathan Fryer, Bernard Greaves 3 of 5, a partnership between the You can contact any of the exec by email - the addresses all go Metro Centre, the University of [email protected] - or you can write to any of the exec c/o Greenwich and Ergo Consulting, Lib Dems, 8-10 Great George Street, SW1P 3AE. LGBT+ funded by the Big Lottery. The Youth Chances project believes that LGBTQ young people can still face disadvantage growing up in England today and we think this is a key area that needs to be The Bi Report explored to be understood better, for everyone’s benefit. Jen Yockney, Plus’ It has now launched a survey of 16 treasurer and one of the to 25 year olds lesbian, gay, authors of the Bi Report, bisexual, trans and questioning tells us all about this young people across England- groundbreaking research. youthchances.org/thesurvey Most Plus readers are It now has over 2,500 young Sat 12th Jan Sat 29th Jun familiar with lesbian and people who have completed the gay issues, and the moves survey on the way to a 15,000 from L&G to LGB&T has seen target. Great and a long way to go! Lib Dem HQ LGF lots of us get educated on By the time it’s finished, Youth the challenges that can face Chances will have delivered 3 core trans people. However the London outcomes: B in LGB&T... how is it June 2013 and June 2015 will see different from the the publication and dissemination experience of being lesbian of the first comprehensive, or gay? As campaigners, as It offers both information and a systematic and robust evidence of policy makers, what do we need challenge to a lot of LGB&T the needs of LGBTQ young people to know? organisations about whether in England, attained through a Help is at hand. In February their work is actually reaching study of over 15,000 LGBTQ 16-25 the Open University published bisexual people. yr olds. The Bisexuality Report, a And if a weighty academic By June 2015 it will be able to compilation of all the research report is a bit too heavy-going demonstrate considerable change that is out there about bi life in for you to face, there is a in the practice of 50 service the UK, and how it is different simple cut-down version of the providers across England as a result for bisexual people. report which summarises its of the recommendations based on It’s deliberately structured with five main findings, with the evidence collected. policy-makers in mind, so you illustrative quotes from bi Also by June 2015, it will be able can skip to findings and people’s experiences. to significantly influence the policy recommendations on health, You can download the report at of 50 commissioners across England the workplace, the media, crime bimedia.org/bireport/ RSVP: [email protected] in accordance to our findings. and so on. 2 11 50 Shades of Liberalism “Extreme Porn”, BDSM and Consent Dave Page looks at the recent court case under if some greater harm were to be prevented – but if Labour’s extreme pornography legislation, and people who practice consensual BDSM include PThe magazinelus of asks whether the party should champion a liberal barristers, aldermen and Members of Parliament, it’s 2012 has again been a momentous year for LGBT+ equality here attitude to consensual sadomasochism. hard to argue that the practice inherently harms. and abroad, and at the same time a momentous year for the LGBT+ Lib Dems We allow people to take part in painful, risky sports Recently, a Plus executive member, Cllr Ed Lord OBE with the Jubilee celebrations and the stunningly LGBT+ Lib Dems like skiing and rock climbing. BDSM should be no JP, was called as a character witness in the case of brilliant Olympics and Paralympics. It’s a shame that World 8-10 Great George Street Simon Walsh, a barrister and Alderman of the City of different. Yes, there are risks of abuse, just as some couldn’t live up to the standards it had set itself this year, but LGBT+ Lib Dems is Westminster London. Walsh was charged with possession of people who smoke dope will go on to crack. But the involved in upcoming discussions to rectify mistakes ahead of next year’s event. London SW1P 3AE “extreme pornographic community encourages socialising and Local Liberal Democrats were at major Pride events, including Cardiff, Liverpool, Web: lgbt.libdems.org.uk images” under section 63 Manchester and Brighton alongside new participation at Leeds, York, Hull and communication, and facebook.com/PlusLibDems of the Criminal Justice Nottingham, increasing our visibility at a local and regional level. Our national abusers are often named and Immigration Act media visibility has soared with the continuing battle for Equal Marriage. Plus mail: [email protected] 2008, and was later and shamed. Since its proposed this policy, and we have worked with Lib Dems nationwide to lead the Twitter: @lgbtld acquitted on all charges. activities are often illegal, campaign. The Government’s response to its consultation is due soon; we must be it has to self-police; ready to respond and show that it’s the Lib Dems who have delivered. Phone: 020 7227 1395 The law was introduced by perhaps not David We must widen our campaigning for LGBT+ equality to include Housing, Education, Labour Home Secretary Cameron’s first example of Health (and Mental Health) and service provisions along with international and Disclaimer, Credits Jacqui Smith, in reaction the Big Society in action! to the murder of Jane sporting perspectives. We will have a second Autumn Conference Fringe event & Contact Info Longhurst by Graham Consensual BDSMers are a jointly with Kaleidoscope, Liberal Youth and Liberal International with Foreign The views expressed in this Office Minister Jeremy Browne MP speaking on an international theme of human publication do not necessarily Coutts in 2003. Coutts was sexual and gender rights. We will have our traditional Stonewall debate on Homophobic, Biphobic and reflect the views of LGBT+ Lib a fan of consensual erotic minority oppressed by Transphobic bullying from across a range of institutions and views. Blood and Dems, the Liberal Democrats or our illiberal legislation, and printers. They might not even asphyxiation and claimed tissue donation is another policy which we need to reinvigorate for 2013. hence within LGBT+ Lib reflect the views of the writers - that the death was an The best-selling “50 Shades” series and has a dubious accident; the prosecution approach to consent, but remains unprosecuted. Dems’ expanded remit as Membership of Plus is an ongoing concern. We are proposing constitutional changes after all, we are liberals! at our AGM so more people to use our name and spread our influence throughout claimed that Coutts’ an organisation. But we also find that LGBT BDSMers are more likely to be the Party. We are still battling with numbers, largely due to national membership Nothing in this publication should possession of “violent pornography” showed be taken as implying anything prosecuted, such as in the Spanner case, and the drops, but also because many people don’t yet realise the work that Plus does. The premeditation. Labour repeatedly claimed that Lib Dems have a fantastic record on LGBT+ equality, but we need Plus to keep about the gender identity or sexual punishments more severe, suggesting that the law is orientation of any person. possession of extreme porn will drive people to advancing the party and national debates. At the core of the organisation, there is commit murder, but it remains no more credulous being unequally applied. continued work by five or six people and we need more active hands on deck. © 2012 Copyright of all material Liberals should also welcome the BDSM community’s than “gateway drug” arguments. The debate about out LGBT+ sporting people has increased. This year, I have been reverts to author. approach to power relationships. Rather than The law nonsensically makes it illegal to possess the Captain of the Irons Gay Golf Society, and my partner has been the first openly pictures of acts which are legal to perform, as automatically accept societally-imposed gender gay Captain of Woodford Golf Club. We saw the success of Pride House during the Submissions, letters etc. pointed out by Evan Harris during the parliamentary roles, BDSM encourages people to negotiate ad-hoc Olympics with lots of events and receptions, and following that an Out for Sports [email protected] debate. There is also no clear definition of “extreme power structures, and the dominant is ultimately week of taster sports sessions, and a rousing final event at Shadow Lounge. subject to the consent of the submissive. pornography”. That makes it a bad law to start with Politicians must get actively involved, and sporting ambassadors must get to grips Change of address: – but why are some acts illegal to perform? What Simon Walsh deserves credit for being prepared to with homophobia, biphobia and transphobia - particularly on the terraces at [email protected] right does the Government have to determine what stand up in court and make his case heard. The football matches. Sporting celebrities who make ill-judged and wrong comments on consenting adults get up to together? muck-raking from the Prosecution and media alike Twitter must be punished, to eradicate this prejudice so no 21st-century Contributors this issue: sportsperson at any level receives such abuse. The Bondage, Domination and Sado-Masochism was sickening, and the prosecution cost him his job Adrian Trett, Holly Matthies, (BSDM) community is based around the principle of and his reputation, which will chill others in similar Finally, the campaign for London to host the 2018 Gay Games is underway after Dave Page, Jen Yockney Safe, Sane, Consensual (SSC) activity, also known as positions. But we should take heart in the speed the release of the bidding document last week. Plus again is involved, as I am Risk-Aware Consensual Kink (RACK). Educational with which the jury acquitted him, and the positive leading the political engagement for the bid. After such an extraordinary Olympics, Published and promoted by it would be fantastic to bring the largest games (in terms of number of competitors) material on reducing physical and emotional risk is reaction even in the Daily Mail website comments. and on behalf of LGBT+ Lib to this great, diverse city with one of the largest LGBT+ populations in the World. freely available online, and in a wide variety of The liberal argument is clear – informed, consenting Dems, 8-10 Great George London has the facilities to put this show on, and I will be gaining support and Street, SW1P 3AE. books such as Screw the Roses, Send me the Thorns. adults should be free to enjoy each other’s company, backing with my Chair’s hat on during the course of the next year. As liberals, we should champion the idea of people and to take and share photos with each other. Printed by Print24 Online on I am always available for any comments, questions, queries or help or support which determining the level of risk they’re prepared to Liberal Democrats should not fear media pressure to Demand Limited, 6th Floor is requested in whatever way I can, so please don’t hesitate to ask me. take. The only right we might have to stop them is promote an idea uncontroversial to most. Westworld, Westgate, W5 1XP

10 3 Reporting Back Dave Page looks at what’s next for marriage However, the Scottish Government want to amend Dave Page reports back from Plus’ activities at equality in Scotland and the rest of the UK. the Equalities Act 2010 to allow individual religious Spring Federal Conference in Gateshead. officials to opt out of performing same-sex marriage even when their faith organisation permits it - but LGBT+ Lib Dems attend every Federal conference. not the other way round! They’re excellent for recruitment and networking. Plus will be advising the Liberal Democrats in the We ran a stall throughout the weekend in Westminster and Scottish Parliaments that if such Gateshead, staffed by volunteers from among our amendments are made, they should include the membership. It’s a great way to meet people, get possibility for a celebrant to opt in to performing involved in promoting our work, and even end up on same-sex marriage ceremonies. A situation where TV – Zoe and I were interviewed for the BBC’s The same-sex marriage can be denied if either the faith Revolution Will Be Televised. or the celebrant disagree, and can only be granted if Although Plus didn’t have any formal events Dave and Zoe at our stall on The Revolution Will Be Televised both agree, is clearly unequal. organised, there was plenty of work going on. With Our “It’s About Time” flyers were posted out to the Government consultation into marriage equality need to carry on. Some of those people will be dozens of activists around the UK, including big looming, Plus were liasing with Liberal Youth, reading these words right now thanks to the hard Our flyers were seen in LGBT+ venues nationwide flyering sessions in Manchester, London and and Party HQ to make sure work of our volunteers, and even when we didn’t get The Scottish and UK-wide consultations into equal Brighton. Our campaign site abouttime.org.uk still our “It’s About Time” campaign was widely people to join, our promotional trifolds let them marriage have been and gone, and the Scottish gets new supporters, and we have thousands of promoted, and positive responses to the know how we can help their local parties with LGBT+ Government has announced an equal marriage bill people on our e-mail supporters list. We’ll keep them consultation were submitted. campaigning and Pride presences. on its legislative programme, including religious up to date and make sure they know it’s Lib Dems We renewed people’s memberships and signed up If you’d like to volunteer to help out on our stall in same-sex marriage. Things are looking up! driving Equal Marriage! new members; this activity keeps the life-blood of Brighton this autumn, please see the organisation flowing, giving us the support we doodle.com/8ck3c6ubm9bdzs2e Downing Street Plus Holly Matthies (below, centre) on our Sum- in the wider party and our relationship with LDHQ mer Conference in Manchester with Tim Far- and the Federal Executive, and how we can work Adrian Trett and Ed Fordham, Plus’ Chair and Vice- ron MP. more closely with the Federal Party to achieve the Chair, were invited to an LGBT reception at Number Plus always holds its Summer Strategy Conference in best results for LGBT+ people, policy and action. 10 in July. Several other prominent Plus members Manchester, home of the Campaign for Homosexual During the afternoon we discussed further policy were present, including our Treasurer Jen Yockney, Equality and of course Canal Street. This year we directions on intersex issues and consensual BDSM, and exec member Ed Lord. Lib Dem equalities were at the Lesbian and Gay Foundation’s offices. and recorded a video for the Out4Marriage campaign minister Lynne Featherstone MP was also present. All members are welcome to our Strategy which you can see at youtu.be/PuNoR8Ijbxm Jen, invited in her capacity as editrix of Bi Conferences, and it was good to see some non- It was a good day, meeting new people and seeing Community News, said “It was a pleasant gathering executive members contributing to the discussion. old friends, and moving LGBT+ Lib Dems forward! of a bit over a hundred key people in LGB&T community work: from groups like Pride Sports, Despite the previous night’s social evening in Taurus Our Winter Strategy Conference is at Lib Dem HQ in , Albert Kennedy Trust, TREC, GIRES and Baa Bar, people were bright-eyed and bushy Westminster on Saturday 12th January. E-mail and so forth, grassroots and policy-wranglers alike, tailed to meet our party President who’d journeyed [email protected] if you would like to attend. down from the Lake District to discuss Plus’ position alongside various clergy on the side of the angels, and only a very small smattering of politicians. Like many LGBT conferences I've been to down the years, it was a chance to swap news and ideas, to find out what we're all up to, only this time with fewer workshops and speakers between those conversations.” The reception increased awareness of the number of prominent Liberal Democrats campaigning at all levels of the LGBT+ communities; Plus encourage all our members to be “out” as Lib Dems in LGBT work. Adrian, Ed and Jen outside 10 Downing Street for the re- ception 48 9 A More Equal World Dave Page caught up with Jeremy Browne MP about his human rights work in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the challenges ahead as a minister. How does your new role compare to FCO? Britain's relations with China are undoubtedly huge, but it's hard to explain on a day-to-day basis what effect they have on people's lives, whereas vandal- ism and car theft people understand perfectly well. Jeremy with the Beijing LGBT Centre on May 17th, So it's a lot more front-line. IDAHOT, showing support for Chinese LGBT people LGBT activity is criminal in most of the Common- Iranian national psyche which is sensitive to being wealth. How can our Government address this, ostracised. Whether it's the British Government or a and the situation in other countries? campaign group, we should carry on with what we're A lot of Commonwealth countries' laws were inherit- doing. Even with the most oppressive regimes ed from the UK, and the change of social attitudes there's a virtue in continuing to make the case. in our country has not taken place there. Some Car- What legacy will the Olympics and Paralympics ribean countries for example are in the top quartile have for LGBT people in other countries, with in the world on free speech, press freedom and de- several high-profile out athletes? A Pardon For Turing mocracy, but the bottom when it comes to LGBT Manchester Withington MP John Leech, is leading a In July the fight went to the , with people. It is interesting and depressing that it isn't Sport can be an important driver in social change. campaign to secure a pardon for . Lib Dem Lord Sharkey putting forward a Private the case that some countries are just illiberal. Efforts to stamp out racism in football have led Member's Bill that if passed will bring about the ahead of societal attitudes among fans, and the One of the heroes of World War II for his What politicians say to me is that their illiberal laws long-awaited pardon. Lord Sharkey said, “If my Bill Paralympics clearly raises visibility of disability is- innovations in automating code-breaking, Turing is are popular, with 80-90% support, to which I reply becomes law, as I hope it will, then this will finally sues. The Olympics are part of a global social narra- almost as well-known for his conviction for that the socially-enlightened reforms which have go some way towards acknowledging the debt we all tive in which LGBT rights play a part. homosexuality, linked to his probable suicide at the taken place in Britain often didn't have majority owe to Alan Turing.” early age of 41. support, and politicians had to make the case. Should we encourage our embassies abroad to fly Turing is getting a lot of attention this year, the The fight to get Turing pardoned can be fun too. the rainbow flag to support LGBT communities? Manchester Lib Dems were handing out beermats at The UK presses the case for more liberal and enlight- centenary of his birth. Much of this has been in ened attitudes towards LGBT issues throughout the I wouldn't assume that this isn't happening. The FCO Manchester, a city that considers him a local hero Pride on which were printed, on one side, questions that would fit right in with pub trivia: “Name the Commonwealth. The only power we have is persua- Human Rights Directorate is very switched on, hope- because of the work he did there in creating the sion. When I was in China in May, I had a meeting fully even moreso as a result of my term there, to first computers. Manchester gay marathon runner described as 'a fine athlete of almost Olympic standard' ” or “Which gay with the Beijing LGBT Group in their office which LGBT campaigning. We do lots online, with IDAHOT There were DeLoreans galore in Manchester's Pride man helped save an estimated 100,000 lives in has to move frequently due to persecution by the video messages posted on embassy websites. When parade – whose theme this year was Alan Turing: WW2?” Turn them over and you find, of course, Alan state and wider society. A British minister had come we hold human rights events, we make a point to Science and Sexuality – but John Leech and other Turing, and information about his “unjust to their office and had photos taken with them for invite LGBT campaigners. It's a mainstream subject local Lib Dems who marched in the parade honoured treatment”, the petition, and the pardon. the FCO website, which they thought was an extraor- in the Foreign Office and a priority which is commu- Turing in a more direct and meaningful way, holding dinary public message of support for their freedom. nicated to our ambassadors. placards that read “Fighting to pardon gay scientist John Leech says he feels a pardon is important It is noticed, particularly in the Internet age, by a Your new Home Office brief includes domestic Alan Turing,” which got a positive and enthusiastic because “it would represent justice for anyone huge number of people. Those photos will have been violence. There's been concern expressed that response. affected by the homosexuality laws while showing seen by hundreds of thousands if not millions of the Government’s commitment to promoting existing programmes don't address LGBT issues. In February John Leech tabled a Early Day Motion to people and that's a powerful signal to send out. equality, reducing prejudice and eliminating Nobody should fear domestic violence, and every- posthumously pardon Turing, following a public There are limits to our leverage on countries like discrimination on all levels.” body should be free to express themselves. Most petition that now has more than 36,000 signatures. Iran. Iran is one of the most appalling offenders Holly Matthies domestic violence is men on women, and that has to He said at the time, “Alan Turing was a Manchester against human rights. We have no diplomatic pres- be recognised, but that's not exclusively the case hero and a national hero. He helped shorten the war ence in Iran after our embassy was raided as we and they're all important. If other forms of domestic and was then persecuted by the state for his You can sign the petition for Turing’s pardon at can't guarantee safety for our staff. However, they violence need to be tackled more aggressively, then sexuality. He should be pardoned and this would be epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ are perhaps not quite as immune to international I am open to suggestions. a fitting way of saluting his memory.” petitions/23526 pressure as they claim. I think there's a streak in the

8 5 Out with Pride Plus have been working with local Prides, large and small, around the UK. Our Pride Packs include leaflets, stickers, postcards and petitions. We’ve been able to help some smaller first-time Pride presences with funding too. We’ve also promoted Pride presences among our members and on social media and our website. Local parties attending their local Pride is important for community politics – people attending Pride are often locals who are as interested in bin collections as they are in blood donation. It doesn’t hurt that the Lib Dems have a fantastic record of LGBT+ equality to promote! Other parties ship in activists to Prides around the country, but we want local parties to engage with local Nottingham Lib Dems held a Pride stall LGBT+ communities. That’s why we need more volunteers for our Prides working group so we can have much complete with fundraising cakes. In Leeds, the Lib Dems put on their first ever Pride presence in the more Lib Dem presence at Prides nationwide in 2013! march and had a great turn out involving around 25 local activists.

Despite last-minute cancellation of all vehicles at London Pride, local activists rallied around former Mayoral candidate Brian Paddick and MLA. In Manchester, Lib Dems from around Greater Manchester gathered for the Cardiff Liberal Democrats marched behind a Welsh Lib Dems parade, including Manchester Central by-election candidate Marc Ramsbottom, banner, with colourful placards for the Cardiff Mardi Gras. and Withington MP John Leech promoting his campaign to pardon Alan Turing.

Plus supplied stickers, leaflets and postcards to local parties around the UK. Will your local Pride have a Lib Dem presence in 2013? York Liberal Democrats had a very well-appointed stall, mixing LGBT+ literature with local party Brighton Liberal Democrats’ parade entry was led by Caroline Bearder MEP Focus leaflets. And scones, cream and jam, with wine. Good show! 6 7