Congratulations to Lib Dem run Islington on being voted third best local authority in the Pink Paper readers awards. Manchester and Brighton-and-Hove councils beat it, however those cities did seem to sweep all the awards this year - Manchester Pride, Brighton Pride and the bisexual festival BiCon even took the top places as best event, pushing London Pride into fourth!
Lib Dem MP for Manchester Withington, John Leech, has moved an Early Day Motion in the Commons condemning the Arts Council's cut of funding for the It's Queer Up North arts organisation and festival. It has been a key part of the lesbian and gay cultural scene in the North West for over a decade.
The LGBT equality group of the Lib Dems say newspaper readers should not be misled by reports this weekend that an Office for National Statistics poll of 4,000 people found that "only" 1 in 100 described themselves as gay or lesbian.
The fourth Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month kicks off today. DELGA Chair Jen Yockney said, "It looks like an even bigger and more varied season than before with events all over the country. History Month is great for reminding us all how far we have come in the last few decades, and also thought provoking as you go back further and have to face the question 'what counts?' In the centuries before the invention of words like homosexuality, heterosexuality and bisexuality, there are many figures we can pick out as queer in our modern view - but quite how they would have seen themselves if they lived today is open to some debate."
DELGA has given its support to Brian's Facebook Friday - a day devoted to getting out Brian's message on Facebook. DELGA Chair Jen Yockney said, "we encourage all our members and supporters who use Facebook to help promote Brian's campaign and help it grow."
DELGA members and supporters may be interested in a public protest next week over the government's Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill 2008. The bill includes proposals to outlaw swathes of internet pornography, which it is anticipated will disproportionately affect those downloading same-sex erotica, and has also raised concerns amongst many disabled people.