Local, national and international news

GAY MEN REMAIN UK'S TOP DRUG USERS

30th July 2010
The UK Drug Policy Commission have just published a series of reports on minority groups including LGBT, disabled and BME communities. The aim of the review was to encourage greater consideration of the needs and challenges of drug problems for minority groups, by bringing together a variety of evidence in one place. The findings suggest that mainstream services are not always meeting the needs of diverse communities. The reports present challenges for commissioners of and practitioners within drug services and identifies key implications for policy and practice. Much of the LGBT research is about gay men but the findings also show that lesbians are more likely to use marijuanha. Click here for the literature review, here for the policy briefing, and here for the implications of all reviews with regard to policy and practice. Click here for a link to an article in The Guardian, and here to access the reports on the disabled and BME communities.

SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS HELP GAY TEENS

30th July 2010
A new study, from the University of Michigan, which will be published in the Journal Youth and Adolescence next month, found that girls in lesbian relationships reported reduced internalised homophobia after even just one month, while boys' relationships needed to last longer to have an effect on self-esteem. Click here to access further information. The article is entitled 'Relationship trajectories and psychological well-being among sexual minority youth'.

STUDY ON HOMOPHOBIA IN HASTINGS

30th July 2010
The University of Brighton has been awarded funding to gather information on the policies of local employers and service providers, to highlight areas where discrimination faces LGBT people in Hastings. The research will include an audit of all public bodies to see how they are meeting their equalities duties and catering for their LGBT populations. Click here to access further information.

SMOKING RATES HIGH AMONGST LGBT POPULATION IN SCOTLAND

15th July 2010
As with the recent American Lung Foundation report, prevalence rates for smoking appear to be higher amongst the LGBT community in Scotland than in the general population, but little is being done to address this basic health inequality.
Recommendations drawn from the report produced by Partnership Action on Tobacco and Health, include a call for closer links between tobacco control/smoking cessation organisations and those working in the LGBT/HIV/sexual health fields. Click here to access further information.

LGBT HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE UNITED NATIONS

14th July 2010
None of the 3,287 NGOs that have been approved by the UN council are international LGBT organizations and the application of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission last month to be approved was blocked. Click here to access further information.

NATIONAL HIV/AIDS STRATEGY FOR USA

13th July 2010
The vision for the new HIV/AIDs strategy is, "The United States will become a place where new HIV infections are rare and when they do occur, every person, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or socio-economic circumstance, will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination" Click here to access further information.

IMAMS HELP GAY MUSLIMS EMBRACE NEW SOCIAL IDENTITIES

13th July 2010
Some British Asian gay Muslims are embracing a new identity, based as much on race and religion as on sexual orientation with a number trying to do it with the help of their local imams. Click here to access further information.

SUICIDE PREVENTION STRATEGIES THAT TARGET LGBT COMMUNITIES CALLED FOR IN AUSTRALIA

13th July 2010
The Australian Senate's Community Affairs Reference Committee's report into suicide in Australia recommends attention be paid to the developing of target programs, prevention strategies and policies for the GLBTI community, and that GLBTI people be recognised as a higher risk group in regards to suicide for official purposes. Click here to access further information.

GALYIC'S NEW TELEPHONE NUMBER

6th July 2010
We have now completed our moved to Hebden Bridge Town Hall and our new landline telephone number is: 01422.844858.

GAY-FRIENDLY UNIVERSITY GUIDE

6th July 2010
Stonewall have produced an on-line guide to universities in the UK which tells you which ones are gay-friendly according to their ten-point check list. Click here to access the guide and here for a news report.

DRAMATIC SUICIDE RATES AMONG THE LGBT YOUTH

5th July 2010
COC Netherlands has called upon the Dutch Government to develop a comprehensive LGBT Youth Suicide Prevention policy after publication of the report, 'Increasingly normal, never the norm' by the Social and Cultural Research Agency identified LGBT young people as five times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth. Click here for more information and here for report summary.

LGBT POPULATION TWICE AS LIKELY TO USE TOBACCO AS HETEROSEXUALS

2nd July 2010
A new report from the USA which looks at 40 separate research reports has concluded that smoking tobacco in the LGBT population is almost double that of heterosexuals. The report identifies stress and discrimination as the reason for the high levels of tobacco use and calls for sexual orientation and gender identity to be included routinely in research on tobacco use. The report also recommends that LGBT people should be regarded as a priority for specific, targeted, interventions. Click here for more information.

BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION: CONVERSION THERAPY DANGEROUS

2nd July 2010
Over two-thirds of doctors at the British Medical Association's annual meeting in Brighton have approved a motion backing a call for the Royal College of Psychiatrists and other mental health standards bodies to reject conversion therapy and ban their use in their codes of practice. Click here for more information.

GALYIC MOVES TO HEBDEN BRIDGE

30th June 2010
We have moved the GALYIC office from Todmorden to Hebden Bridge Town Hall. We will still be using the P.O. Box 8, Todmorden, Lancashire, OL14 5TZ address for correspondence, at least for the time being. At the moment we are using the mobile number until the new line is installed. 07765 361590.

CHICAGO'S LGBT COMMUNITY HONOURS 30 YOUNG PEOPLE

24th June 2010
Thirty young LGBT people aged under 30 years have been identified as being outstanding young people. Click here for more information.

GAY THEMED BOOKS IDENTIFIED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

24th June 2010
Young people from a school in Kentucky have identified a recent explosion in the publishing world of reads that speak to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning teens. Click here for more information.

PROMS FOR LGBT SOCIAL PHENOMENON IN CANADA

24th June 2010
At least a dozen cities, including Halifax, Toronto, Kitchener, Ont., Hamilton, Edmonton and Vancouver, are holding high school graduations for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students. Click here for more information.

LGBT YOUTH ISSUES TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT WHITE HOUSE MEETING

24th June 2010
A delegation from GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) which included five young people attended an LGBT reception with President Obama at the White House. Click here for more information.

TEENAGER CHALLENGES SCHOOL

24th June 2010
A young lesbian in rural Mississippi is challenging her high school principal who refused her request to wear traditionally male clothing in her senior yearbook picture. Click here for more information.

OUTREACH PROGRAMME FOR AT RISK LGBT YOUTH

24th June 2010
Homeless LGBT youth in New York are being targeted by a special outreach health programme. Click here for more information.

MAKING THE SUICIDE PREVENTION VIDEO

24th June 2010
You Are Not Alone is a video aimed at reducing the level of suicides amongst LGBT young people. This article talks about how the project came about. Click here for more information.

LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE & HOMELESSNESS IN USA

21st June 2010
A significant new report from the USA states that the average age for lesbian and gay youth to become homeless is 14.4 and for transgender youth, 13.5. This is partly because the average age for gay and lesbian youth to come out is now mid-teens when they are dependent on their parents, many of whom are homophobic; young people are running away from home and often end up homeless. At the same time, most homelessness agencies are not responding to their specific needs. Click here for more information.

NATIONAL RESEARCH INTO LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE

19th June 2010
The Big Lottery Fund have awarded a grant of £500,000 to a consortium of agencies including the Metro Centre, London, Greenwich University and Ergo Consulting to conduct research into the needs of 15,000 LGBT young people aged 16 to 24 years across England. It is hoped the research will be able to track changes as it covers a period of five years. Click here for more information.

GOVERNMENT CONFIRM COMMITMENT TO LGBT EQUALITY

16th June 2010
Theresa May today released the new Coalition Government's commitment to tackling LGBT inequality. A larger document which will provide details of how the Government will meet its commitments will be published later in the year.
The four page factsheet briefly identifies the key areas, starting with schools, and states: "We will help schools tackle bullying, especially homophobic and transphobic bullying. As part of our drive to promote good behaviour in schools, we will ensure schools can effectively tackle bad behaviour and bullying with a particular focus on identifying and tackling homophobic and transphobic bullying.
The new public sector Equality Duty included in the Equality Act 2010 would require schools to consider how to focus on this issue."
The Government have said they will also "improve access to, and the quality of, support and reporting services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender victims of hate crime" as well as confirming their commitment to the Public Sector Equality Duty which comes into force next April. Click here for more information.

BULLYING LINKED TO YOUTH SUICIDE

13th June 2010
Research from the charity Beatbullying has found a clear link between bullying, most of which happened at school, and suicides among young people aged between 10 and 14 years;65% were girls. Of 59 cases reported in the media between 2000 and 2008, 26 were related to bullying. During the same period, 1,769 suicides occurred in young people aged between 15 and 19 years. Beatbullying are calling for action from Government. The report does not say how many of these were related to homophobic bullying but it is likely to be significant. Click here for more information.

FAMILY ACCEPTANCE VIDEO SCREENED AT FESTIVAL

12th June 2010
The Family Acceptance Project in San Francisco is developing six short videos to help parents of LGBTQ young people become more supportive and accepting of their children. The first of these videos, "Always My Son," was screened at the San Francisco LGBT Film Festival, Frameline34 this week. "This film presents a real life story that can offer hope to LGBT youth and families and help decrease the isolation that so many families of these youth experience," said FAP Director Caitlin Ryan. "Our intent is to show the family journey from struggle to support, while humanizing the lives of ethnically and religiously diverse young people and families." Click here to access report.

SURVIVORS OF TEL AVIV ATTACK DISPLAY DRAWINGS

12th June 2010
A year ago a gunman entered an LGBT youth group in Tel Aviv and shot and killed two people while injuring many others. Twelve of the survivors have an exhibition of their drawings which have helped them to cope with the experience. Click here for more information.

PREVENTING SUICIDE IN COLORADO

10th June 2010
Funded by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, We Are Not Alone is a 24 minute documentary made with nine LGBTQ young people and their straight allies. They talk about intimate struggles with family, domestic and sexual violence; substance abuse; bullying; self-harm; and, in the majority of the nine situations, violence that has led to suicide attempts. The dvd is aimed at schools to encourage students to "understand that [LGBTQ] teens go through some of the exact same things they do, and to understand, people are just people." Click here for more information.

STUDY CORRELATES SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND HEALTH DISPARITIES

10th June 2010
A new study from Masachusetts has found significant health disparities between lesbians, gays and bisexuals and heterosexuals which included mental health, tobacco use, weight, sexual assault during lifetime and lesbians were more likely than heterosexual women to report multiple risks for heart disease. Click here for more information. Click here for abstract.

LGB YOUTH MORE AT RISK OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES DUE TO SMOKING

2nd June 2010
A new study American study, published in the May issue of the journal Lung, found that gay and lesbian smokers between the ages of 18 and 24 were more likely to have had strep throat, a bacterial infection; bisexual smokers were more likely to have had a sinus infection, asthma or bronchitis, in contrast to their heterosexual peers. Click here for more information.

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER

24th May 2010
The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, will be screened on BBC2 next Monday, 31st May at 9pm. It will be followed by a documentary Revealing Anne Lister at 10.30pm. To see a ten-minute overview of her life, click here.

COALITION GOVERNMENT'S PROMISES

21st May 2010
"We will help schools tackle bullying in schools, especially homophobic bullying."
"We will use our relationships with other countries to push for unequivocal support for gay rights and for UK civil partnerships to be recognised internationally."
"We will stop the deportation of asylum seekers who have had to leave particular countries because their sexual orientation or gender identification puts them at proven risk of imprisonment, torture or execution."
"We will change the law so that historical convictions for consensual gay sex with over 16s will be treated as spent and will not show up on criminal records checks."
"We will promote better recording of hate crimes against disabled, homosexual and transgender people, which are frequently not centrally recorded." Click here for further information.

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER

15th May 2010
The BBC2 film, The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, is about Anne Lister who once owned Shiben Hall in Halifax. The film opened this year's London LGBT film festival on March 17th, is the closing film at this year's Toronto LGBT film festival on 30th May and will open this year's San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival on 17th June. It will be screened on BBC2 this June.

AFRAID TO BE GAY

15th May 2010
ITV's Tonight programme showed a 28 minute film made with Gareth Thomas, the rugby player who recently came out. Whilst acknowledging legal changes, the programme looks at the rise in homophobia and suggests we need to be doing more work in schools to tackle people's attitudes. Click here to access programme.

SURVEY ON SEX EDUCATION

15th May 2010
The government want to know what young people aged 11 to 18 years think about sex and relationships education and sexual health/contraception services. This is an opportunity for LGBTQ young people to say what you would like. Click here to take part in survey.

MAY 17th INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA

14th May 2010
Next Monday, Kiss-in events are taking place in cities around the world to mark IDAHO. Click here for further information.

LIVERPOOL LAUNCH ANTI-HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING SCHEME

14th May 2010
Peter Tatchell is launching a five-year anti-homophobic bullying programme in Liverpool. The plan is backed by local church leaders, representatives from the lesbian, gay and bisexual community and the National Union of Teachers and has been set up after research found that homophobic bullying was endemic in schools in Liverpool. But, perhaps, it was the murder of Michael Causer and the attack on PC James Parkes which has made Liverpool take this action. Click here for further information.

MINISTER FOR LGBT AFFAIRS

12th May 2010
The Australian National LGBT Health Alliance are asking whether or not there should be a minister for LGBT affairs given the level of health inequalities. The call came at a national conference attended by government officials. It was pointed out that the majority of equity groups had significant government infrastructure whilst LGBTI community does not. Click here for further information.

MAINSTREAM YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CENTRES TO TARGET LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE

6th May 2010
Headspace is the Australian governments national youth mental health foundation which has centres throughout Australia. Headspace are working with lesbian and gay groups to help them make their services more responsive to the needs of LGBT young people. Click here for further information.

$3.6 MILLION AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS FOR LGBT YOUTH SUICIDE PROJECT

6th May 2010
The local government in Victoria, Australia have just agreed to spend $3.6 million over four years to establish a youth suicide community support program to target young same-sex attracted and Indigenous young people. Click here for further information.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MORE PREVALENT IN SAME-SEX COUPLES

6th May 2010
Recent research from the University of California has found that same-sex couples are nearly twice as likely as heterosexual couples to experience domestic violence. Click here for further information.

PROTESTS TO SHUT GAY HOSTEL FAILS

4th May 2010
Attempts to close a homeless hostel for young gay people in Sunderland have failed. Click here for further information.

BOSTON STRONG ANTI-BULLYING LAW PASSED

29th April 2010
As a result of two teenagers who killed themselves because of bullying, the state of Massachusetts has passed the strongest anti-bullying law in the USA. Click here for further information.

TORONTO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS ESCAPING HOMOPHOBIA

28th April 2010
The Triangle Programme in Toronto is a school aimed at LGBT young people. It has grown from 10 when it first opened in 1995 to 45 students. Click here for further information.

LGBT TEENS IN CLOSET HIGHER RISK FOR PREGNANCY

28th April 2010
A survey published this week in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality shows higher pregnancy levels among sexual minority youth, one reason identified is the stigma gay teens continue to face and the strategies they may engage in order to cope with that stigma. In 1998 among the teenage girls surveyed, 7.3 per cent of lesbians and 10.6 per cent of girls who said they were bisexual reported pregnancy compared with 1.8 per cent of heterosexual girls. Click here for further information.

LGBT YOUTH MEET LEGISLATORS IN SACRAMENTO

28th April 2010
Around 100 youth from throughout California met in Sacramento to talk with staff and members of the state legislature and administrators from the Department of Education about LGBT issues, including access to mental health services, hate crimes protections, and educational opportunities. Click here for further information.

TEXAS TACKLES SEXUAL ABUSE IN PRISONS

26th April 2010
Several reports published in the USA reveal high levels of sexual abuse of LGBT inmates in prisons, including juvenile establishments. In order to reduce the level of sexual abuse in prisons, standards spell out requirements for staff training, inmate education and sexual assault investigations. They require facilities to provide prisoner rape survivors with access to medical and mental health services, even if inmates are too afraid to testify against their attackers. Click here for further information and see News Archive 2009 to access relevant report.

GAY MEN AND LESBIANS MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE VIOLENT EVENTS AND SUBSEQUENT PTSD

16th April 2010
A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health and Children's Hospital Boston has found that gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and heterosexuals who have ever had a same-sex sex partner are one-and-a-half to two times as likely to experience violent events, especially in childhood, than the general population and have double the risk of experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a consequence of these events. It is the first study to directly link higher rates of PTSD in those four groups (classified as sexual minorities) to greater violence exposure. Click here for further information.

SCHOOL BOOKS ON HOMOSEXUALITY PRESENT A LOOK AT GAY LIFESTYLE

16th April 2010
The Gallup's Modern Guide to Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Life will be available fall 2010. The series presents gay lifestyle in a positive tone as an accepted way of life, not as an "issue". The 15 books comprising the series examine coming out, positive role models, and supportive communities. The series also covers the social and political stigma that gay people still face. Click here for further information.

47 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES UNANIMOUSLY AGREE ON HISTORIC HUMAN RIGHTS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PEOPLE

16th April 2010
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, representing the national governments of its 47 member countries, unanimously adopted the world's first intergovernmental agreement which codifies the application of human rights standards to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The recommendations cover hate crimes and speech, employment, education, health care, housing, asylum, sports, and freedom of association, expression and assembly, among other areas. They also instruct member states to order national human rights bodies to address anti-LGBT discrimination. Click here for further information.

PLANS FOR SCHOOLS TO INTRODUCE COMPULSORY SEX EDUCATION DROPPED BY GOVERNMENT

7th April 2010
In order to get legislation through parliament before it closes for the general election, Ed Balls, Education Secretary, has dropped several contentious aspects of the bill, including one section which would have included compulsory sex education for 15 year olds. It was hoped that this would have included information about homosexuality, homophobic bullying and HIV. Click here for further information.

EQUALITY BILL

7th April 2010
The Equality Bill has now passed all of its stages and, once it has received Royal Assent, will become law. There were some fears that the legislation might have been lost if all stages had not gone through Parliament before it closes for the General Election. An important aspect of the new law is that as from April 2011 all public bodies, including councils, schools and the NHS will have to actively promote equality, including challenging homophobia and promoting equality for LGBTs. Click here for further information.

NEW CRIMINAL GAY HATRED LAW EFFECTIVE FROM TODAY IN UK

23rd March 2010
As from today, criminal offence outlaws threatening behaviour or materials intended to stir up hatred against people on grounds of their sexual orientation. The measures are included in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, building on existing legislation against racial and religious hatred. Click here for further information.

NEW SCOTTISH SURVEY SAYS MOST LGBT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HATE CRIME

23rd March 2010
A survey by Stonewall Scotland has found that most LGBT people have been verbally abused with a third experiencing physical attacks. The survey found that 88% of people who experienced verbal abuse did not report it, and 61% of those physically attacked did not inform police. Click here for further information.

MASSACHUSETTS PASSES LEGISLATION OUTLAWING BULLYING

23rd March 2010
Following legislation passed by the Senate last week, the State of Massachusetts has passed a similar law which with the intention of stopping bullying in and out of schools including cyber-bullying. Click here for further information.

ADOLESCENT SAME-SEX ATTRACTION AND MENTAL HEALTH: THE ROLE OF STRESS AND SUPPORT

18th March 2010
Researchers Brent Teasdale and Mindy S Bradley-Engen have utilised the social stress model from the sociology of mental health to look at the impact of of social stress and social support on LGBT young people. The researchers conclude: "Our findings suggest that adolescents attracted to their own sex are at a higher risk for depressive symptoms because they are more likely to perceive prejudice, are more likely to witness and experience victimisation, and have lower perceptions of support and social acceptance…In other words, part of the reason these teens are more likely to think about and attempt suicide is their low levels of social support and high levels of stress." The full article can be found in the Journal of Homosexuality, volumne 57, number 2, February 2010, pp287-309. The authors suggest that school/ peer context could be crucial for intervention. Click here for further information.

ROMAN CATHOLIC ADOPTION AGENCY IN LEEDS WINS HIGH COURT BATTLE TO BAN LESBIANS AND GAYS FROM ADOPTION

18th March 2010
Catholic Care, which covers Leeds, Middlesborough and Hallam, South Yorkshire, has won a High Court battle which could allow it and other Catholic agencies to discriminate legally against lesbian and gay couples. Click here for further information.

EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH IN USA CONFIRMS FIRST LESBIAN BISHOP

18th March 2010
The Episcopal church in America have confirmed that Mary Douglas Glasspool has won support from the majority of her church's standing committees and diocesan bishops and will be ordained and consecrated on 15th May. Click here for further information.

GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN HIGHEST RISK GROUP IN USA FOR HIV/AIDS

18th March 2010
A new fact sheet published this month by the US Centre for Disease Control states that men who have sex with men (MSM) account for nearly half of HIV infections in the USA; they also count for nearly half of all new HIV infections each year. The main ages at which MSM become infected are 13-19 for young black MSM, 13-19 for young Hispanic MSM, and white MSMs in their 30s and 40s. Click here to access report.

LESBIANS AND GAYS EXCLUDED FROM US MEDICAL TRIALS

18th March 2010
An American researcher has found that in some medical research trials lesbian and gay people are excluded based on their sexual orientation. Click here for further information.

PARLIAMENTARY REPORT: GOVERNMENT BREAKING EUROPEAN LAW

12th March 2010
A report published today suggests that the government is passing legislation that may be unlawful because it is in breach of European directives. The report is critical of government for allowing religious organisations to discriminate against LGBT people in the Equality Bill. The report also suggests government's approach to faith schools may also be in breach of European law. Click here for further information and to access report.

NEW STUDY REVEALS PREVALENCE OF CYBERBULLYING AND ITS PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON NONHETEROSEXUAL YOUTH

9th March 2010
A new national online survey of 444 junior high, high school and college students between the ages of 11 and 22, included 350 self-identified non-heterosexual subjects. 54 percent of the LGBT and allied youth reported being victims of cyberbullying in the 30 days prior to the survey. This included electronic distribution of humiliating photos, dissemination of false or private information, or targeting victims in cruel online polls. Among the non-heterosexual respondents, 45 percent reported feeling depressed as a result of being cyberbullied, 38 percent felt embarrassed, and 28 percent felt anxious about attending school. More than a quarter (26 percent) had suicidal thoughts. Co-authored by Robyn Cooper and Warren Blumenfeld of Iowa State University, the study is being published in this month's special LGBT-themed issue of the International Journal of Critical Pedagogy. Click here for further information.

U.S. SURVEY FINDS SHARP DROP IN CHILDREN'S BULLYING

8th March 2010
A recent study, funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, found that the percentage of children who reported being physically bullied over the past year had declined from nearly 22 percent in 2003 to under 15 percent in 2008. Those reporting they'd been assaulted by other youths, including their siblings, dropped from 45 percent to 38.4 percent. There have been several initiatives to reduce bullying and the Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme, is one of the largest. It has been implemented in several thousand American schools. It is a comprehensive program that includes forming an anti-bullying committee, training staff to intervene immediately if they observe bullying and meeting with students and parents when problems occur. Click here for further information.

SUPPORTIVE FAMILIES, HEALTHY CHILDREN

28th February 2010
The Family Acceptance Project have recently published an excellent booklet aimed at showing parents of LGBT young people how their response to them coming out can seriously damage their children; there are also suggetions on how best to support their children. The publication is in simple language and includes lots of positive images and positive messages for parents. Click here to access Family Acceptance Project to download the publication.

GALYIC MEMBER STANDS FOR ELECTION FOR CALDERDALE YOUTH PARLIAMENT

20th February 2010
Andrew Greenwood, a member of GALYIC and the GALYIC Youth Council Secretary, is standing in the forth-coming youth parliament elections for Calderdale. Andrew, who used to attend Calder High School and is currently at Greenhead College, Huddersfield, is one of six candidates. The elections will take place next Thursday, 25th February at schools and youth centres throughout Calderdale. Good luck Andrew!

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION BACKS CAMPAIGN TO STOP HOMOPHOBIA IN FOOTBALL

20th February 2010
The English F.A. are supporting a campaign by the Justin Campaign initiative, Football v Homophobia launched yesterday to coincide with LGBT History Month. The Justin Campaign was founded to show that ten years after Justin Fashanu's tragic suicide in 1998, homophobia is still very present in the world of professional football. Click here for more information and here to access the Justin Campaign..

NEW FEDERAL LAW TO PROTECT GAY AND LESBIAN STUDENTS IN USA

20th February 2010
In response to homophobic bullying and in particular the murder of 15 year old Larry King, a new law is being introduced in the USA. The Student Non-Discrimination Act will mean that gay and lesbian students in public schools could not be excluded from participating in or be subject to discrimination under any educational programme that receives federal assistance. Discrimination would include harassment, which is defined as acts of "verbal, nonverbal or physical aggression" as well as intimidation or hostility based upon a student's actual or perceived sexual orientation. Schools that fail to enforce the protections could lose their federal funding. Students and their parents also would be allowed to sue them and seek monetary damages. Click here for more information.

EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL TACKLES HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING

20th February 2010
East Sussex County Council are using LGBT History Month to launch a new programme to tackle homophobic bullying in schools. The Council are working with Stonewall to develop the programme.
East Sussex County Council's Lead Member for Children and Families, Councillor Meg Stroude, said, "All our young people have the right to attend schools and youth clubs without the fear of being bullied or discriminated against. It is not just gay and lesbian young people who experience homophobic bullying and using sexual preference as an insult is both cowardly and ignorant. Everyone should be offended by this sort of bullying and is not something that is welcome in East Sussex." Click here for more details.

ANNE LISTER PRESENTATION BY GALYIC

19th February 2010
Members of GALYIC gave a presentation about Anne Lister at the LGBT History Month Pre-Launch event at the British Museum in London. A video of their presentation is now available on line. Click here to access it.

GALYIC ON RADIO LEEDS

12th February 2010
Helen Whitehouse, Crisis Intervention Worker and Amber, a member of GALYC, were interviewed on Radio Leeds today. Click here to access the interview, fast forward to: 1.09.23-1.22.33.

SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL BOARD OK's NEW GAY SUPPORT PROGRAMME

10th February 2010
Despite cut-backs in other areas, the School Board in San Francisco has agreed to fund a new programme to support students who are LGBT. There will be a district position to manage LGBT youth issues. The programme will also require the district to keep tabs on harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and distribute educational packets every year to parents encouraging them to discuss sexuality, gender identity and safety with their children. It is suggested 13% of middle schools and 11% of high school students identify as LGBT. In addition, 43 percent of those middle schools students who identify as LGBT - 430 children - said they didn't go to school because they didn't feel safe compared with 11 percent of heterosexual students Click here to access story.

LESBIAN AND BISEXUAL WOMEN'S HEALTH SURVEY IN CALDERDALE AND KIRKLEES

9th February 2010
The Brunswick Centre, funded by NHS Calderdale, Kirklees and Calderdale and Kirklees Councils have commissioned Huddersfield University to conduct research into the health and social care needs of lesbian and bisexual women in Calderdale and Kirklees. Click here to access the on-line survey.

FILMS ON MENTAL HEALTH TO BE SHOWN AT LESBIAN AND GAY FILM FESTIVAL

5th February 2010
Cooltan Arts will be showing three of their films about LGBTs and mental health at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. One film profiles the work of Cooltan Arts, a charity which uses creativity to enhance wellbeing for those with mental distress; the second covers a walk around some of the famous LGBT spots in London; whilst the third includes an interview with Maggie Hambling talking about her work, sexuality and mental health. Click here for further information.

US SURVEY FINDS HEALTH CARE DISCRIMINATES AGAINST LGBT PEOPLE

5th February 2010
When Health Care Isn't Caring is the title of Lambda Legal's Survey on Discrimination Against LGBT People and People Living with HIV. The survey is the first to examine refusal of care and barriers to health care among LGBT and HIV communities on a national scale in the USA. It is hoped that the data will influence decisions being made about how health care is delivered now and in the future Click here for further information.

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER

5th February 2010
A BBC film made about Anne Lister, the 19th century lesbian who owned Shibden Hall in Halifax, will open the 24th London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival on 17th March. The film stars Maxine Peake as Anne Lister. Click here for further information.

SUICIDAL BEHAVIOUR AMONG LGB YOUNG PEOPLE

5th February 2010
A new study from Canada which will be published in the February edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, has found that it is young people who self-identify as LGB or are unsure of their sexual orientation who are at risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts compared with those young people who identify as heterosexual but still have same-sex attractions or behaviour.
The researchers suggest that same-sex attraction/fantasy or behaviour per se does not increase suicidality and recommend further research to examine the link between anti gay sentiment and suicidality, as well as individual factors that lead to nonheterosexual identity expression in an adverse environment. Click here for further information.

NEW RESEARCH ON RUNAWAYS IDENTIFIES LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE AS VULNERABLE

4th February 2010
A new report entitled Commissioning, Delivery and Perceptions of Emergency Accommodation for Young Runaways has just been published by The Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Based on research by the Children's Society and York University, the report says there are significantly higher than average rates of running away amongst a number sub-groups of young people - disabled young people, young people who had difficulties with learning, and young people identifying as gay, lesbian or bisexual.
The report also suggests that some young people are at greater risk than others whilst away from home and these include young people in some minority groups (including disabled young people, young people born outside the UK, and young people who identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual).
In relation to emergency accommodation, the research acknowledges, this diversity highlights the importance of services being culturally sensitive and able to respond to a range of needs. It also raises questions about whether particular models of emergency accommodation might be more or less appropriate for particular sub-groups of young runaways.
The findings also identify a significant research gap in relation to diversity issues in relation to other subgroups of young runaways including disabled young people and gay, lesbian and bisexual young people. Click here for further information.

BOOK LIST FOR LGBTQ CHILDREN AND TEENS

3rd February 2010
The American Library Association's Rainbow Project has just published a list of books they recommend are suitable for children and young people to read. The books recommended were found to be of exceptional quality and impact. Click here for further information.

SMOKING SURVEY AMONG LGBT YOUTH REVEALS STAGGERING RATES

3rd February 2010
The State of Ohio has just published a survey which revealed that 80 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth in Northeast Ohio are current users of tobacco, this is more than three times the national average for the general youth population. Nearly 60 percent of those surveyed indicated that they had unsuccessfully attempted quitting in the past, with a majority stating that a significant reason they returned to smoking was that they were continually around peers who smoked. In response to the high levels of tobacco use amongst LGBT young people, Healthy Ohio have developed a specific project called ButtOut. Click here for further information.

FILM TACKLES HOMOPHOBIA IN SCHOOLS

2nd February 2010
Peer Productions have produced a film to tackle homophobia in schools. The film, called The Homophobia Project, explores what it would be like to live in a world where everyone is lesbian or gay, and where despite one in nine secondary school students questioning their sexuality, being straight is still viewed as something dirty or wrong. Click here for further information.

NEW AMERICAN STUDY FINDS SEXUAL MINORITY YOUTH BULLIED MORE THAN HETEROSEXUAL YOUTH

27th January 2010
A new study by doctors at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that sexual minority youth are bullied two to three times more than heterosexual youth. Sexual minority youth are more vulnerable to a variety of physical and mental domains such as bullying or suicidal thoughts.
"There is a need for health care professionals, and others who work with children, to be aware that sexual minority youth are more likely to be victims of bullying and other forms of violence," said Elise Berlan, MD, lead author and physician in Adolescent Medicine at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "Parents should also take time to communicate with their children about sensitive topics such as sexuality, peer relations and violence." Researchers looked at the relationship between sexual orientation and bullying from the Growing Up Today Study (GUTS), an on-going study of American adolescents, which included information on more than 7,500 adolescents.
While examining the 2001 results, the study also showed that youth identifying themselves as gay or lesbian were less likely to bully others and more likely to report being bullied than heterosexual teens. Children that are different from the social norm often become targets of social isolation, harassment and bullying.
Recommended strategies to identify this type of abusive behavior include encouraging clinicians to routinely inquire about sexual orientation and their experiences with bullying, interpersonal violence and abuse; screening sexual minority youth for depression, suicidality and involvement in high-risk behaviors; and increasing the support of school policies to ensure a safe learning environment for all students.
"Students, parents, schools and community organizations can work to create environments that are supportive and accepting of all students, regardless of their sexual orientation," said Berlan, also a faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "Schools, in particular, need to work to increase the awareness of bullying." Click here then featured article on right.

LESSONS FIGHT ANTI-GAY PREJUDICE IN CORNWALL

27th January 2010
New lessons have started in Cornish schools aimed at cutting the number of suicides among gay people. Click here for more information.

RESEARCH SHOWS LACK OF SUPPORT FOR TRANSGENDER AND GENDER-NONCONFORMING YOUTH IN U.S. SCHOOL SYSTEMS

23rd January 2010
Transgender children are some of the most vulnerable students in America's schools. Nobody knows how many there are, and very few educators know what to do with them. Despite extensive advocacy efforts, trans youth are subjected to bullying and harassment in the classroom; diagnosed with nonexistent learning disabilities and psychological problems; and generally misunderstood by their doctors, teachers, and classmates. Click here for more information.

BBC TO SURVEY PUBLIC ABOUT ITS PORTRAYAL OF LGBs

23rd January 2010
The BBC has commissioned an investigation into how lesbian, gay and bisexual people are portrayed on television, radio and on-line. Click here for more information.

STONEWALL PRODUCE FILM TO TACKLE HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING

23rd January 2010
Stonewall have produced a film called FIT which is being sent to all secondary schools in Britain next month. The film is based on a play written by Rikki Beadle-Blair. Click here for more information.

INTERNATIONAL SAME-SEX HAND HOLDING DAY

23rd January 2010
Next Saturday, 30th January 2010, is the fifth international same-sex hand holding day. Sshh (same-sex hand holding) is a silent revolution taking place across the world. Click here for more information.

NEW SAFE SPACE KIT PRODUCED BY GLSEN

23rd January 2010
GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) have produced a Safe Space Kit for schools in the USA to tackle homophobia. Click here to access report.

GAY MUSLIM YOUTH MADE HOMELESS BY FAMILY VIOLENCE

11th January 2010
The Albert Kennedy Trust has had an increase in the number of young Asian gay Muslims contacting them for support. Some have been forced to go to Pakistan to marry against their will, others have been threatened with violence and some beaten up. This is a problem throughout the UK but is often hidden for fear of family violence. It is likely that this is the tip of the iceberg. Click here to access BBC News item. A programme will be broadcast on BBC's Asian Network Reports at 12.30 and 1800 today.

NEW FIVE YEAR PROJECT TO SUPPORT HOMELESS LGBTQ YOUTH IN ARIZONA

9th January 2010
As a result of a research project the University of Arizona's Southwest Research Institute for Women has just received a grant of $1.75 million from the Substance Misuse and Mental Health Administration to develop a five year project targeting homeless LGBTQ young people. Click here to access further information.