Universities ‘should employ watchdogs against discriminatory extremism’

Universities should employ watchdogs to guard against religious extremism, a report has said.

According to a report from the Quilliam Foundation, student unions should be responsible for hiring someone to discourage religious societies from booking extremist speakers, managing disputes between different student groups and challenging “sub-criminal extremism”.

The report uses City University in London as a case study, citing incidents in the last academic year.

It accused some members of the Islamic society of intimidating gay, female and Jewish students, as well as those who worked on the student newspaper.

Last November, the institution’s Islamic society was visited by a Birmingham-based imam who has said gays should be killed.

Abu Usamah was secretly filmed for the Channel 4 programme in January 2007 saying: “Take that homosexual man. . .and throw him off the mountain. . . If I was to turn around and I was to call homosexuals perverted, dirty filthy dogs that should be murdered, that’s my freedom of speech isn’t it?”

The Quilliam report quoted a senior member of City University’s LGBT society who said he believed that the Islamic society had contributed to a rise in campus homophobia in the last year.

The student said he was “scared” by the Islamic society. He added that some LGBT Muslim students had enquired about joining the LGBT society but did not come to meetings and theorised that the atmosphere on campus left them feeling unable to be open about their sexuality.

The Quilliam report said that some members of the Islamic society had allegedly described women as “deficient” and had called for those who do not pray to be killed.

It recommended that student unions should hire a watchdog to check the activities of societies, as some US universities do. Student unions should employ a “horizon-scanning” approach and research possible society speakers, the report said.

A Quilliam society spokesman said: “University campuses have been recognised by policy-makers as key places where Islamist ideologies can spread, but the processes of radicalisation involved have often remained unclear.”

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who called for the vice-chancellor of City University to resign after Abu Usamah’s visit, said that the report had exposed homophobia, anti-semitism and sexism on campus.

He said: “This report is a wake-up call to complacent university authorities and student unions. They too often look the other way while Islamists foment hatred and intolerance among the student population.”

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David Cameron supports gay arts event GFEST

Prime minister David Cameron has released a message of support for GFEST, London’s annual gay arts and culture festival.

The two-week festival starts on November 8th and will be held at venues across London.

Mr Cameron said: “I am very pleased to be supporting this year’s GFEST. It is absolutely right that London should host such a celebration of new and established artists. And this festival is a real testament to the creativity and diversity of our gay artists and the vital contribution they make to the UK’s cultural scene.

“I would also like to pay tribute to all those who are giving up their time to bring the festival together. Events like this enrich our society and challenge us to think more about the world around us.”

GFEST, now in its fourth year, has also attracted support from author Sarah Waters, Labour MP Ben Bradshaw and deputy mayor of London Richard Barnes.

Venues include the National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, Rich Mix, Hampstead Town Hall and Cochrane Theatre.

Artists at the event were selected through open-call auditions and the selection panel includes journalist Julie Bindel, writer Paul Burston and GFEST artistic director Niranjan Kamatkar.

PinkNews.co.uk publisher and founder Benjamin Cohen is a trustee of GFEST.

Highlights:

Visual Arts: New Zealander Xavier Radic, who has exhibited in Strasbourg, New York and San Francisco. He is a curator of many art exhibitions in New Zealand and has been invited again to show at the Florence Biennale 2011.

Helen Churchill returns to GFEST after 2008, and has exhibited work at a number of venues and has completed several private commissions for clients in the UK.

London based Matthew Stradling was selected by Sothebys to represent Britain in the Young Artist International Touring Exhibition and was also selected for the BP Portrait Award Exhibition.

Maitree Siriboon has exhibited in Italy, Singapore, Indonesia, Netherlands, Malaysia – and Thailand, where he lives and works as artist and curator for Whitespace Gallery .

Short Films: Protect Me From What I Want by Dominic Leclerc opens with a cruising scene at an underground archway, where Saleem and Daz embark on a dangerous, thrilling sexual adventure.

Kent Thomas’ Broken looks at young hustler who relives his dark journey from an upper-middle class home to living and working on the street.

A timely documentary from Michael Urwin, gay couples discuss love, marriage, religion and spirituality, heroes and hopes for the future generation in Mosaic: Love and Marriage.

Kiss Boxing by Corinne Bott: game in which the opponent is being knocked out – by a kiss.

Moby Longinotto’s platinum blonde Jheri Jones lives on a remote trailer park in Mississippi. But unbeknown to her neighbours Jheri has a secret in The Joneses.

Performances: Artistic director of Homo Promos and acclaimed performer, director Peter Scott-Prestland will present a semi-autobiographical cabaret show of original witty sketches, songs, savage political satire, and personal revelations from 1973 to the present.

An accomplished performer and a regular on BBC Radio 7, Lorraine Bowen, will be playing her Casio organ on its ironing board stand, dancing to hits from her albums, entertaining with
hilarious surreal stories.

A Peggy Ramsay Foundation award winner, hugely talented Marcus Reeves will present a delightfully witty collection of songs and poetry from a decade long performance career.

A prolific performer at festivals such as Edinburgh Fringe, Glastonbury Festival and Sydney Mardi Gras, Rosie Wilby reflects musically on her days trying to make it in the music business at the height of Britpop.

GFEST (08/09) performer Guy Harris presents ‘A homage and personal interpretation’ of glam rock star Jobriath’s most moving, witty songs.

Listed in the 30 most influential LGBTQ people in Chicago by Windy City Times, International performer Nikki Patin presents a solo show blending music, spoken word and burlesque.

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Stonewall launches own message for gay teenagers

Gay rights charity Stonewall has launched its own version of the US It Gets Better YouTube campaign for bullied gay teenagers.

‘It Gets Better Today’ has attracted several high-profile supporters, including Diane Abbott MP and BBC newsreader Jane Hill. Both are set to film their own clips to encourage youths.

The American campaign, started by gay journalist Dan Savage, saw President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton film messages of support after a spate of gay teen suicides.

According to a press release, Stonewall’s campaign tells young people that they do not have to wait for their lives to improve because the UK already has civil partnerships, out gay soldiers and parental rights for gay people, unlike the US. In addition, the charity says, the government is committed to tackling homophobic bullying,

Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, said: “At Stonewall we now work with hundreds of schools and employers who are making sure things do get better for gay people, right away. Working together, we can make it happen.”

Lesbian author Sarah Waters, who is also supporting the campaign, said: “If you’re experiencing homophobic bullying, Stonewall can help you. Schools across the country now have their ‘Some people are gay. Get over it!’ posters and a range of Stonewall materials to help them tackle the issue head-on.

“So teachers have no more excuses for tolerating homophobic bullying, and schools no longer have to be scary places for lesbian, gay and bisexual young people. Things are getting better – right now.”

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‘Most US troops’ okay with openly gay colleagues

The majority of US troops and their families are okay about serving alongside openly gay colleagues, according to Pentagon sources familiar with the findings of an internal survey.

According to Associated Press, sources familiar with the research say most troops and their families believe that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell should be repealed.

A minority of troops are understood to be strongly opposed to allowing out gay servicemembers in the military and say they will quit if this happens.

The Pentagon has not commented on reports and says it will not do so until December 1st, when a review of the policy is due to be completed.

Around 400,000 troops were sent the survey in July, which asked them about sharing shower facilities with gay colleagues and how they would feel if a servicemember’s gay partner lived in families’ accommodation.

Their families were also surveyed.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is expected to rule today on whether the Pentagon can continue to enforce the ban while it considers a legal challenge against it.

The ban was lifted for just eight days earlier this month after a judge ruled it was unconstitutional. However, the government appealed and was granted a temporary stay.

President Obama met gay rights groups this week to discuss repeal. He supports lifting the ban but is seeking repeal through Congress rather than the courts.

More than 13,500 out gay troops have been sacked under the 1993 law.

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Gay arts festival Homotopia kicks off

Liverpool’s seventh annual Homotopia festival begins today.

The month-long event showcases the best in LGBT art and culture, including dance, cabaret, poetry, literature, film and exhibitions.

For the first time, the festival has a youth strand called Right To Love.

Highlights include a reading by lesbian author Stella Duffy, the comedy and music night Lavender Girls and the play Mother/Son by Jeffrey Solomon.

The event is also spreading internationally, with a an exhibition in Turku, Finland, while the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and British Embassy in Ankara are funding research into the possibility of holding a Homotopia festival in Turkey.

Festival director Gary Everett said: “Homotopia offers a veritable smorgasbord of entertainment for everyone of all ages. From the hilarious, outrageous and subversive to the thought-provoking and challenging.

“International artists from Italy, Mexico and the US rub shoulders with writers and performers from Wales, Scotland and Liverpool. We are now the only LGBT cultural festival in the north of England – come and find out why.”

For the full line-up, see www.homotopia.net/

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Ugandan MP says anti-gay bill ‘will be law soon’

David Bahati, the Ugandan MP who tabled a bill calling for gays to be jailed or executed, says he is confident his bill will soon become law.

Speaking to CNN, he said: “We are very confident because this is a piece of legislation that is needed in this country to protect the traditional family here in Africa, and also protect the future of our children.”

The bill, which shocked gay rights campaigners and even led to Sweden threatening to withdraw aid from Uganda, was thought to have been shelved after it was introduced last October.

It demanded the death penalty for people convicted of gay sex with minors or while HIV-positive and lengthy jail sentences for others.

Friends, family members and co-workers of gay people would also face punishment for refusing to report cases of homosexuality.

Mr Bahati said he was still working for it to become law.

He added: “Every single day of my life now I am still pushing that it passes.”

Uganda came under scrutiny again this month for its attitude to homosexuality after a newspaper published a list of gays and lesbians.

Rolling Stone, which has no relation to the US magazine, published their names, photos and addresses, with a banner urging “hang them”.

Gay rights campaigners say that at least four of those on the list have been attacked, while others have been forced into hiding.

According to reports, one woman was almost killed when neighbours pelted her home with stones.

Giles Muhame, the managing editor of the newspaper, defended his story, saying it was his duty as a journalist to “expose the evil in our society”.

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Benefits changes ‘will fail HIV sufferers’

Changes to the benefits system will “fail” HIV sufferers, a leading AIDS charity says.

According to the National AIDS Trust, testing Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants fails to take into account the fluctuating nature of HIV.

ESA replaced incapacity benefit in October 2008. All applicants must now complete a work capability assessment (WCA).

According to figures released this week, three-quarters of the 842,100 people who applied for ESA between October 2008 and February 2010 were found fit to work.

The system takes into account cancer sufferers and people with mental health problems, but NAT says that people with HIV can have “vastly varying” health issues.

The charity says that the assessment does not fully reflect the impact that fluctuating symptoms, fatigue, side-effects of HIV treatment and depression can have on capacity for work and claims that some applicants do not get the chance to fully discuss their illnesses.

In addition, it says that the assessment does not take into consideration key HIV clinical markers, such as CD4 count, which indicates a person’s immune system strength.

NAT chief executive Deborah Jack said: “HIV is a disability, and like many other disabilities, people living with HIV can have vastly varying experiences relating to their condition. Whilst some find they can still work, many others find the impact of HIV or their treatment means employment is not an option at the moment and they need to claim disability related benefits.

“As it currently stands, the WCA is based on an outdated model of disability which only recognises a narrow medically defined set of physical and mental impairments. Also, it does not appropriately acknowledge the fluctuating nature of the condition and the impact that low self esteem due to HIV related stigma can have on a person’s ability to work.

“NAT has submitted our ongoing concerns to the independent review of WCA, lead by Professor Malcolm Harrington, and hopes these will fully considered before any new rules are finalised and come into effect.”

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