London Mayor fulfilling ‘gay dream’. At opposite ends of the spectrum from toad Howard

I get so depressed when I read homophobic quotes from John Howard on the front of the Sydney Star Observer and contrast these to headlines from London. Sadly I am missing Europride 2006 this year, but will reply on my brother to report all (if he makes it past the Queens Head that is). I will however be in Manchester for Manchester Pride 2006 in late August.

Gay campaigners praised the London Mayor’s record on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights last night as around 250 dignitaries gathered at City Hall for the annual pride reception
28-June-2006 Marc Shoffman

Gay campaigners praised the London Mayor’s record on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights last night as around 250 dignitaries gathered at City Hall for the annual pride reception.

The event celebrated this weekend’s EuroPride parade in London and was addressed by gay campaigners, celebrities and sponsors.

Ben Summerskill, chief executive of gay charity Stonewall attributed the success of enacting civil partnerships legislation to Mr Livingstone’s London based partnership register, he said: “It’s been a quality year for LGBT people in this country, I didn’t think in my lifetime I would see couples signing up for civil partnerships, to secure exactly the same rights and entitlements as straight people derive from marriage.

“We would not have been able to persuade the government if we hadn’t been able to look at what Ken has done with his partnership register in London.

“Civil partnership has changed the lives of a single boy such as myself for whom no one as yet has popped the question.

“If Christmas came early for us it also came twice, with the support of campaigning organisations and trade unions we also secured changes to the Equality Act which will provide us at last with protection against discrimination in the provision of goods and services.

He highlighted the problems of homophobia which still exist in society such as the murder of gay barman Jody Dobrowski and recent violence in Moscow and Warsaw as well as bullying in schools, which a new Stonewall scheme, Education For All, will soon address, “We come across almost daily cases of homophobic bullying in school, cases that have festered over the years.

“Not long ago we heard from a young girl aged 14 who had told a teacher that she was a lesbian, ever since then she has been forced to sit outside the changing rooms before and after games lessons until the “normal” children have finished.

“We have a dream of a Britain and a world where one day every person will not only be entitled to fair treatment and respect but will be afforded fair treatment and respect too

At least one of us will be at Europride 2006 (not me)











Gay people told: Come to Britain
Gay pride is music to Virgin's ears
Gay Navy officers to march with pride
Gay friendly London Mayor launches EuroPride
Pride to combat homophobia in Eastern Europe
Sir Ian McKellen joins Oxford Gay Pride
British Airways to sponsor EuroPride gay festival
EuroPride unveils gay parade route
Elton John headlines EuroPride
Navy officers march with gay pride
A weekend full of gay pride
Gay friendly Venezuelan capital joins EuroPride
London Mayor welcomes gay community to EuroPride
Gay community receives 80,000 condoms for EuroPride
Gay news for the Queer Australian