Conversion therapy: Equality watchdog calls for ban – BBC News
‘Britain’s equality watchdog has called on the government to ban “harmful” conversion-therapy practices.’
BBC News, 17th October 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: homosexuality
Alex Belfield case: Stalking victim Philip Dehany to seek damages – BBC News
‘A man stalked by YouTuber Alex Belfield is seeking compensation, following what a judge described as “a vicious and continued campaign of abuse”.’
BBC News, 30th August 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Mermaids v LGB Alliance: Tribunal rejects attempt to deregister controversial charity – UK Human Rights Blog
‘Despite what the parties and their supporters hoped, this case (Mermaids v The Charity Commission of England and Wales & LGB Alliance [2023] ULKFTT 563 (GRC)) was not – said the Tribunal – about the rights of gender diverse people (as represented by Mermaids) or the rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual people (represented by the LGB Alliance). On the face of it, the issue decided by the Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber, Charity) on 6 July 2023 was a narrow one: whether Mermaids was entitled to challenge the Charity Commission’s decision to register the LGB Alliance as a charity. But its ruling – that Mermaids could not – was highly significant as a robust affirmation of the value of debate in a democratic society.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 29th July 2023
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Rishi Sunak apologises for past ban on LGBT people serving in military – The Guardian’
‘Rishi Sunak and Ben Wallace have formally apologised to the Commons for the decades-long ban on LGBT people serving in the UK armed forces, after the publication of a government-commissioned review.’
The Guardian, 19th July 2023
Source: www.theguardian.com
Transgender group loses challenge over gay rights charity’s status – The Independent
‘A transgender rights group has lost its case to have a gay rights organisation stripped of its charitable status in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in the UK.’
The Independent, 6th July 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
What is conversion therapy and will it be banned? – The Independent
‘Five years have passed since the Government announced its intention to ban conversion therapies. Here is what has happened since.’
The Independent, 3rd July 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Women to get gay-conviction pardons for first time – BBC News
‘Women convicted of offences related to being gay can apply to have their convictions removed, under an expansion of the government’s pardon scheme.’
BBC News, 13th June 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
LGBT+: Metropolitan Police chief apologises to Peter Tatchell over past failings – BBC News
‘The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has apologised to LGBT+ campaigner Peter Tatchell for the force’s homophobic failings.’
BBC News, 8th June 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘My father performed exorcisms and tried to push me into forced marriage after discovering I was gay’ – The Independent
‘A young woman has told how she was pushed towards a forced marriage and choked unconscious by her father who performed “exorcisms” in a bid to rid of demons after her family found out she was gay. The harrowing case is one of many incidents examined in new research that found forced marriage remains “rife” in England and Wales but the number of people coming forward to alert authorities has plummeted in recent years.’
The Independent, 25th May 2023
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Millwall fan receives football banning order for homophobic slurs towards Bournemouth fans – Crown Prosecution Service
‘A so-called football fan has been banned from football matches and fined for homophobic abuse of Bournemouth fans.’
Crown Prosecution Service, 28th April 2023
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
Law firm unfairly dismissed “homophobic” secretary – Legal Futures
‘A law firm unfairly dismissed a legal secretary who made homophobic comments because of how it ran the disciplinary process, an employment tribunal has ruled.’
Legal Futures, 23rd March 2023
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Met Police: Women and children failed by ‘boys’ club’, review finds – BBC News
‘Women and children have been failed by the Metropolitan Police, with racism, misogyny, and homophobia at the heart of the force, a blistering review says. Baroness Casey says a “boys’ club” culture is rife and the force could be dismantled if it does not improve.’
BBC News, 21st March 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
School chaplaincy, sermons on sexuality – and employment law: Randall – Law & Religion UK
‘Trent College is a co-educational, independent day and boarding school. It is an Anglican foundation and a registered charity [36]. Its articles of association provide that the “Objects for which the company is established are: The advancement of education of boys and girls in England, Wales or elsewhere in accordance with the Protestant and Evangelical principles of the Church of England”. The Revd Dr Bernard Randall, an Anglican priest, was employed as the College’s Chaplain. In May 2019, he delivered two sermons to the pupils about “competing ideologies” which led to his summary dismissal on 30 August 2019. On appeal, he was reinstated, subject to compliance with various management instructions. He was subsequently dismissed by reason of redundancy on 10 November 2020.’
Law & Religion UK, 7th March 2023
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Leeds preacher’s sentence for trans woman’s harassment quashed – BBC News
‘A Christian preacher who was found guilty of harassing a transgender woman by calling her a “man” and “gentleman” has had his conviction quashed.’
BBC News, 9th March 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Conversion therapy ban will be hard to police, says victim – BBC News
‘A man subjected to electric shock aversion therapy in the 1970s to stop him being gay has welcomed plans to ban conversion therapy.’
BBC News, 5th March 2023
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Surrogacy, IVF and equality: JR176(2)’s application for judicial review – UK Human Rights Blog
‘Two men are in a relationship and want to have a child. They approach a female friend who is happy to be their surrogate. She has previously had a voluntary sterilisation procedure, so she would need in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) using a donor egg (a procedure known as gestational surrogacy), to help her friends realise their wishes. This is where they all encounter a problem: voluntary sterilisation makes the woman ineligible for publicly funded IVF.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 28th February 2023
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
Church of England General Synod approves same-sex blessings – Law & Religion UK
‘The Church of England’s General Synod has today voted in favour of a motion to offer blessings to same-sex couples in civil partnerships and marriages after an eight-hour debate over two days.’
Law & Religion UK, 9th February 2023
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
Progress Pride flag as altar frontal – Law & Religion UK
‘At the end of January 2023, the Daily Telegraph carried the headline Pride flag on altar of ‘church of woke’ triggers almighty court battle. In September 2022, it had been announced that the Pride flags which were hung from the altar at weekend services at St Nicholas, Leicester, would be replaced with “something a little more permanent” – “a huge Progress Pride flag made of fabric”. This is reported to have raised objections from in “hundreds of churchgoers within and beyond the diocese of Leicester” “as well as clergy” all of whom were attempting to block its use. Although the article suggests that a judgment from the consistory court was expected “imminently”, the issue has proved to be somewhat more nuanced.’
Law & Religion UK, 8th February 2023
Source: lawandreligionuk.com
