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GAY BELFAST NEWS FOR FEBRUARY 2004
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North Down Council vote against Gay Marriage (29 February 2004)
DUP councillor's headed a vote against Gay Marriage in North Down Council this week. The DUP's Cllr. Alan Graham expressed concerns about the governments proposed partnership legislation. The Council voted 11 votes to five in favour of Cllr. Graham's proposal against the legislation. Six councillors abstained from voting. PA MagLochlainn, a spokeperson for the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association called the decision an "uniformed knee-jerk reaction and a sad betrayal of the community in North Down". The council's role however is purely consultative and all 26 councils have been asked to comment of the proposed legislation. Related Link: Click Here
"Gays are perverts with reprobate minds", says DUP councillor (19 February 2004)
A Northern Ireland councillor has spoken out against government plans to give lesbians, gays and transsexuals more rights, claiming they are "perverts" with "reprobate minds". Bert Johnston, a Democratic Unionist Party councillor made his feelings clear in a letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair earlier this week in response to government proposals, including the Gender Recognition Bill.
The Bill will give more rights to transsexuals and allow them to be recognised by the gender they believe they are, rather than the physical form they have. However, Johnston claims the bill will usher in an era of "debauchery" and is keen to ensure that Northern Ireland does not introduce similar legislation.
"I am totally against the Bill as a moral issue. I don't think God made a mistake when he made us male and female and these people who call themselves gays and the like are essentially perverts, I believe their problems exist only in their minds. It is not a biological or medical condition they suffer from. It is related - and I refer to Romans Chapter I - to the fact that the people who are most often this way inclined are mostly Godless people with reprobate minds." he said.
Johnston says he was moved to comment on the bill afte receiving warnings from the Christian Institute. He said that his Christian beliefs mean he cannot back such proposals. At present, the bill applies to England and Wales, although Johnston believes his views will be supported by others across Northern Ireland.
"I believe this bill should not be passed because, in the opinion of many, it is a retrograde move to put our beloved United Kingdom back into the dark ages of debauchery and it smacks of the creature's law rather than of the Creator. I would be surprised if there was any Northern Ireland MP who would back this Bill. I think a lot of the people here still believe in the Bible and still have old values. They don't advocate changes that might mean making a retrograde step."
This is not the first time a councillor has made outspoken comments against LGBT rights. Last December Trowbridge Lib Dem councillor Ben Biddulph was forced to resign, after he told a newspaper that "gays are paedophiles", while Whitton councillor Hilary Dance was forced to apologise, after she told a local newspaper that "God did not originally make two men to love and complement each other, neither did he create two women to love and complement each other."
Her comments sparked particular outrage because she heads the Richmond upon Thames Council's 'Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee'. Some gay rights groups feared her opinions could colour how the committee deals with lesbian and gay specific health problems.
Lesbian group given lotto grant (14 February 2004)
Belfast-based Lesbian Advocacy Services Initiative (LASI) has been awarded a Lottery grant of £154,395. However, the award has incensed Ballymena DUP councillor and homophobe Robin Stirling. Mr Stirling said "As an individual, I advocate tolerance as long as public decency is not outraged, my concern is that these funds could be used for something better in terms of priorities like hospitals or caring for the elderly. I consider that lifestyle to be unnatural and contrary to the teachings of the Bible. It's not normal. I know that the majority of people share my views".
However, President of the Northern Ireland Gay Rights Association (NIGRA), P A MagLochlainn, hit out at Ballymena councillor Robin Stirling for his controversial comments. Mr MagLochlainn urged the councillor to look at some of LASI's work which includes an acclaimed report exploring the issues faced by Ulster's lesbian and bisexual women. The report, entitled A Mighty Silence, was launched at Stormont in 2002 with the backing of a cross-section of politicians. "I would suggest that Mr Stirling should open his eyes to have a look at some of their excellent work".
Consultation on legislation to tackle hate crimes is being launched in Northern Ireland (10 February 2004)
Proposed new legislation to tackle hate crimes will require judges to take into account any racial, religious or sexual orientation factors when sentencing. Under the proposals, homophobes and bigots also face longer prison sentences under the draft Criminal Justice (NI) Order.
The legislative proposals that have been laid in Parliament today include a statutory requirement for judges to treat racial and religious aggravation and hatred of sexual orientation as an aggravating factor when sentencing.
Announcing the proposals, Mr Spellar said: "The government abhors all forms of intolerance whether based on racism, sectarianism or sexual orientation. These proposals introduce much needed changes to legislation in Northern Ireland to enhance the law to tackle crime motivated by hatred. It will give judges crucial powers to hand down sentences which fit the seriousness of the crime." The Minister said the proposals also reinforced the message that any crime motivated by racism, sectarianism and hatred of sexual orientation was totally unacceptable.
Northern Ireland set for gay fostering scheme (6 February 2004
A gay fostering scheme is to start recruiting in Northern Ireland. A UK-based charity the Albert Kennedy Trust revealed that it is to introduce workers on the ground to enlist gay adults as foster parents. The fostering programme will see homeless and abused gay youths aged 16 and over placed with gay and lesbian mentors across the province. The scheme was shelved last year after a freeze on cash from the Princess Diana Memorial Fund. The trust's director Richard Brooklyn, however, said new sources of funding are now being sourced. The scheme has caused outrage among homophobic church figures and the DUP.
Mr Brooklyn said there was an urgent need for the service to be introduced to Ulster. "Because of other issues in Northern Ireland this is an area that has never really been dealt with or acknowledged. If you are young and gay in Northern Ireland you can't really win. There are issues from both sides of the community. Homophobic bullying seems to be on the increase and people are very quick to abuse others for their sexuality. One of the problems has been that there is not a dedicated staff at the moment in Northern Ireland. We will be advertising for people now who will work on this on the ground and recruit foster carers who will the undergo six months training."
Consultation with representatives from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the health boards and social services across Northern Ireland are also currently taking place.
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