September 2008

The newsletter of DELGA, Liberal Democrats for , , Bisexual and Equality

Welcome to Bournemouth

- DELGA’s Motion on LGBT Asylum Seekers - Out To Win: LGBT Candidates Network - Your Bournemouth Diary Highlights - Partnership Rights Across Europe Campaign - Lib Dem LGBT News Roundup 020 7227 1395 Voicemail SW1P 3NB c/o 4 Cowley Street DELGA By post www.delga.org.uk Website Contact Us Hannah Kaitlin-Boyer Bernard Greaves Christina Baron Presidents Vice Ross Pepper FridayEve Gemma Charlton Richard Brown Members General [email protected] Dave Page Treasurer [email protected] Adrian Trett Secretary [email protected] Jen Yockney Chair Evan Harris MP Honorary President The 2008 DELGA executive are: ExecOur 110 over - members already! “Lib for Dems LGBT Equality” for Search Join us! Facebook DELGA now is on

Printed, published and promoted by and on behalf of DELGA, 4 Cowley St, London SW1P 3NB Lib Dem representation in the LGBTLib the in posts AsExec representation well communities? Dem as simply to want get actively involved driving in organisation the and the the of charge or Chair, new the as take lead public the take or finances to organisation’s Care proposed. changes constitutional of couple a are September. there and election, for up are exec the 14th on positions Sunday on place take will AGM DELGA’s Take Charge? The Official DELGA social Arms,Branscombe 152 Road, Bournemouth Commercial Tuesday, September 16, at 8:00pm DELGA Drinks Lynne MEP, Ludford Featherstone MP, . Chair: Jen Yockney. Sarah Baroness Rennard, Chris Lord Speakers: Hotel, Bryanston Wessex Suite The Monday, September 15, 6:00pm -8:00pm DELGA / Joint Fringe Meeting Hotel, PrioryConnaught 1 room Sunday, September 14 at 1:00pm DELGA Annual General Meeting volunteer introduce -or and come yourself stall. the at ([email protected]) secretary to the contact please conference, day on any time of some spare can Bournemouth and for conference volunteers slot toneed a or serve rota. you two If stall on the will be in we isthroughout staffed stall However, the conference to ensure the early. started it towards work and conference, the of area exhibition the biggestfifth LGBT community. Autumn Dem Lib the Conference 2008, be to held in Bournemouth Britain’s home to - to forward looking already are DELGA wanted! still -Bournemouth volunteers filled! been all roles co-optees have needing -don’t the assume spaces of goodchance a there’s AGM the after this you’rereading If ordinate our 2009. Pride in representation co- help can and areas, their in point contact a as act but members exec not are who Reps Regional and State for looking also are we The essential Bournemouth Conference Guide As usual there will As usual DELGA be a there in stall All Even in 2008, standing for elected office as an out lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person can be challenging. Should you make reference to your gender or sexuality in your campaign? How should you respond if your opponents try to use it against you?

Launched at Lib Dem Conference in Bournemouth in September 2008, Out To Win is the peer networking organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Lib Dem candidates at every level - from Parish Council to the .

You don't have to be a member of DELGA to join, though we welcome it if you are already or choose to join us. Obviously, you do have to be a member of the Liberal Democrats.

The network is specifically for self-identified lesbian, gay, bi and trans candidates. Heterosexual cisgender people who want to show their support are encouraged to either join or donate to DELGA or to help spread the word by passing Out To Win flyers to their LGBT Lib Dem colleagues or include weblinks to .libdems.org.uk/pages/out-to-win.html in websites and blogs.

New members are welcome - you can download a form from the website, or pick one up and join us at the DELGA stall at Federal Conference.

lgbt.libdems.org.uk/pages/out-to-win.html

Calling DELGA’s women members! If you’re coming to Federal Conference, then the best present you could give DELGA is a little of your time.

While we welcome any supporter as a member, as an organisation we don’t recruit nearly enough women - and it’s time that changed. One of the things that we think can help change it is for our conference stalls not to look like we’re a “boys club” - and that’s where you come in!

Please spare a couple of hours on the stall to help change our image. Email [email protected] and let us know when you’re free to help - or drop by the DELGA stall at conference. DELGA welcomed the announcement that Mehdi Kazemi, an Iranian who said he would be killed if returned to his homeland because of his sexual orientation, was at last granted asylum in the UK. Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall praised the work that Simon Hughes, Mehdi's local MP, did in pressing the government to intervene when Mehdi's asylum application faced refusal and he was threatened with deportation.

June saw the publication of the Equalities Bill. Liberal Democrat Youth and Equality Spokesperson, responded, "Efforts to tackle entrenched inequality are welcome, but serious questions must be asked about why the private sector Westminster & More is getting off so lightly." London Pride featured party leader on the A roundup of news from the Lib Dems on LGBT main stage giving a stirring speech emphasising the matters since Liverpool Conference need for the fight against homophobic bullying and As April began DELGA welcomed the news that the to ensure tolerance and freedom for all LGBT new Equality and Human Rights Commission had communities to which our party is at the forefront of given a commitment to prioritise legal cases in new ensuring those views are maintained, to which the areas of equality, including sexual orientation, to crowd gave him a warm ovation. help start to build case law. DELGA Chair Jen Yockney said, "while winning legal rights to equality has been an important step, we now need to help Later in July, Shadow HealthSecretary Norman Lamb bisexual, lesbian, gay and transgender people to spoke out on the need for better sexual health service understand the rights they now have, and to be able funding. "It is particularly disturbing to see such a to act upon them. Test cases will send important large number of young people contracting STIs. The signals both to LGBT people and to employers, Government must now ensure that all children receive businesses and wider society about how things have quality sex and relationship education." It seems changed." that sexual health services are one of the 'easiest' things to cut funding for when budgets are tight, though the consequences of doing so are clear. In May, the European Parliament voted to adopt a report by the Liberal Democrat MEP for the West Midlands, Liz Lynne, calling for protection for Fnally on a sad note, we lost two great LGBT bisexual, gay and lesbian people from discrimination. campaigners from outside the Lib Dems this year too: Leo Abse, the Labour MP who piloted the original Speaking in Brussels Liz said: "Anti-discrimination discrimination of sex between men in 1967, died in and the protection of human rights are the August. Lynne Featherstone said: "As a nation we fundamental principles of the and it should be grateful for his contribution as a is vital that the millions of people currently excluded Parliamentarian. He spearheaded some of the most from anti-discrimination legislation in access to momentous changes in legislation, paving the way for goods and services are given the equal rights they are greater equality. His successes in Parliament freed entitled to as European citizens. many from the shackles of paternalism and bigotry, "Millions of individuals encounter discrimination allowing us some of the basic liberties we now take everyday. A comprehensive horizontal directive for granted." covering access to goods and services would tackle Also, Paul Patrick, co-founder of what is now Schools this discrimination and break down the barriers OUT and of the annual LGBT History Month died in currently faced by so many. March. He was a vivid and passionate communicator Also in May we saw the conclusion to a story that had of the need to achieve real change for our come to prominence during Liverpool conference. communities. LGBT Asylum DELGA Motion at conference: Sunday 530pm If you’re at Bournemouth and are The Brighton conference LGBT equality fringe panel l-r Ben a voting rep please make sure Summerskill, Jen Yockney, Jo Swinson MP, Steve Williams MP. you are in the main conference This year’s event is on Monday evening at 6pm - join us. hall for the debate on our motion (joint with Hackney Local Party) on LGBT Asylum Seekers. If you "I see no reason for France and aren’t a voting rep, encourage MEP Champions other Member States not to friends who are to go and support recognise Civil Partnerships on an the motion. Actually, do that Partnership equal basis. Several of my even if you are a voting rep! Recognition constituents have written to me concerning inheritance tax on The motion in question is “F21 Across Europe property jointly owned in France. I Deportation to States which , Lib Dem MEP for am also aware several other MEPs Persecute on the Grounds of South East England is launching have also received similar Sexuality and Gender Identity” a campaign to gain equal correspondence" says Sharon. recognition of UK civil The motion will be moved by "The campaign I am launching partnerships in other EU Member DELGA’s original Chair, Brian endeavours to raise awareness of Stone, and summated by our States that also have same-sex the issues surrounding civil current Secretary, Adrian Trett. partnership legislation. partnerships across Europe. I Be sure to give them an extra Currently UK civil partnerships are personally raised this issue with loud round of applause! not consistently recognised by the French Justice Minister, other Member States. France for Rachida Dati, in June, both in the Liverpool Spring Conference came instance, though acknowledging context of the French situation amid lots of media attention for them, does not give them the full and also in view of their term in the case of Mehdi Kazemi, an status of their own 'pacte civil de office as President of the European Iranian seeking asylum who if solidarité' (PACS). A consequence Council. returned home faced severe of this is that there is no "Additionally, I have drafted a treatment (at best!) - his case is exemption from inheritance tax in written declaration, with the far from unique. As a result, France for a surviving partner in a participation of the International asylum is a hot topic for debate UK civil partnership. Several Lesbian and Gay Association in the LGBT communities at couples who have purchased (ILGA) Europe. The declaration present and this motion should property in France have fallen into calls for Member States with garner us plenty of attention from this trap with the surviving partner existing same-sex partnership the “pink press” - so also finding themselves liable to legislation to recognise the remember to write letters to gay inheritance tax, maybe even arrangements of other Member magazines and papers praising having to sell up, at a time of States that have also made the party’s policy if the motion is bereavement. In contrast, the UK provisions for same-sex passed! recognises French civil partnerships, and also Calls upon partnerships on a full and equal the Commission to draw up If you’d like to learn more, be basis to UK partnerships, including guidelines for such mutual sure to visit the DELGA stall in exemption from inheritance tax recognition by Member States with the conference exhibition area (the same as applies to married existing same-sex partnership which will have plenty of couples). legislation". information on the issue.. keep informed... at lgbt.libdems.org.uk The best way to keep up to date all year round with what DELGA and the Party’s spokespeople are up to on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues is on our website - www.delga.org.uk - take the time to register for regular email updates.

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