I suffered faith-based conversion therapy – Boris Johnson’s religious loophole is deeply worrying – The Independent

‘By creating exemptions in legislation to ban conversion therapies, we leave thousands of young people vulnerable to abuse. I can no more cure my sexuality than I can scrub the brown from my skin.’

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The Independent, 28th April 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Cab Rank Rule – Oxford Human Rights Hub

‘In his blog for the Human Rights Hub, Edwin Cameron criticised Ms Dinah Rose QC, the President of Magdalen, for accepting the brief, in the Privy Council, to defend the Cayman Islands government’s law against same-sex marriage. Having long been one of my few judicial heroes, it is not easy for me to disagree with Edwin. However, on this point he is, with the greatest of respect, wrong.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 7th March 2021

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

Court of Appeal rejects appeal by ex-magistrate over dismissal for views on adoption by same-sex couple – Local Government Lawyer

‘A magistrate and NHS trust board member who was dismissed over his views – based on his beliefs as a Christian – about the appropriateness of the adoption of a child by a same-sex couple, has lost two cases in the Court of Appeal.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th March 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Actor loses tribunal claim over loss of Color Purple role after homophobic comments – The Guardian

‘An actor who sued a theatre and her former agents after she was sacked when a Facebook post resurfaced has had her claim for religious discrimination, harassment and breach of contract rejected at an employment tribunal.’

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The Guardian, 17th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sacked LGBT veterans can reclaim removed medals – BBC News

Posted February 16th, 2021 in armed forces, dismissal, homosexuality, news by sally

‘Ex-military personnel dismissed from the armed forces because of their sexuality can now reclaim lost medals.’

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BBC News, 16th February 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Civil partnership conversion for landmark gay couple – BBC News

Posted December 7th, 2020 in civil partnerships, equality, homosexuality, marriage, news, Northern Ireland by sally

‘Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kane were the first gay men in the UK to get a civil partnership back in 2005.’

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BBC News, 7th December 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Killer drug GHB ‘should be reclassified’, says official report – BBC News

Posted November 20th, 2020 in bereavement, drug abuse, families, homosexuality, murder, news, rape, sexual offences by sally

‘A drug that was weaponised by the UK’s most prolific rapist and the serial killer Stephen Port should be reclassified, says an official report.’

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BBC News, 20th November 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Four convicted after investigation into homophobic behaviour at West Ham vs Brighton game – The Independent

Posted October 5th, 2020 in fines, homosexuality, news, public order, sexual orientation discrimination, sport by tracey

‘West Ham said they have a “zero-tolerance approach” to any kind of discrimination after four men were convicted of public order offences following an investigation into homophobic behaviour at a Premier League game.’

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The Independent, 4th October 2020

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Woman wins UK legal fight over unlawful deportation to Uganda – The Guardian

Posted September 29th, 2020 in appeals, asylum, deportation, detention, homosexuality, news by sally

‘The Home Office has lost a case in the court of appeal against a 27-year-old lesbian asylum seeker it was found to have unlawfully removed from the UK and was forced to fly back to the UK in the summer of 2019.’

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The Guardian, 28th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

London bus attack couple join campaign to make misogyny a hate crime – The Guardian

Posted September 10th, 2020 in hate crime, homosexuality, news, reports, threatening behaviour, women by sally

‘A couple who were victims of a violent, homophobic attack on a London bus are calling for misogyny to become a hate crime, as a report reveals that women are three times more likely to experience sexual violence and threats than men.’

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The Guardian, 10th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

A Force to be Reckoned with by John Bowers QC – Littleton Chambers

Posted September 1st, 2020 in armed forces, homosexuality, human rights, news by sally

‘In his article “A Force to be Reckoned with” for the New Law Journal, John Bowers QC reflects on 20 years since the ground breaking case that lifted the ban on gay men and women serving in the military. John acted for one of the applicants in this case, alongside David Pannick QC, Laura Cox, the late Peter Duffy and others.’

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Littleton Chambers, 20th August 2020

Source: littletonchambers.com

Challenging the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities – Doughty Street Chambers

‘The recent appointment of Dr Tony Sewell as head of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities has been cause for concern for racial justice campaigners. In an article in Prospect magazine, Dr Sewell stated that he believed institutional racism has given black children “the discourse of the victim” and he has recently had to apologise for making “wrong and offensive” comments about gay men.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 12th August 2020

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Race equality chief faces legal challenge over appointment – The Guardian

Posted August 11th, 2020 in equality, homosexuality, judicial review, news, race discrimination, racism by sally

‘The academic chosen to lead the prime minister’s new racial equality commission, despite having cast doubt on the effects of institutional racism and making homophobic comments in the past, is facing a legal challenge to his appointment.’

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The Guardian, 11th August 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Religious fostering service given permission on one ground to appeal rejection of judicial review challenge over Ofsted report – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has given a Christian fostering service permission to appeal on one ground following his dismissal earlier this month of its judicial review challenge to a report by Ofsted.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 29th July 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Gay Conversion Therapy Is Torture, The UK Must Ban It – Each Other

‘Conversion therapy is a set of pseudo-scientific practices which aim to change, suppress, or divert a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It is based on the assumption that “being lesbian, gay, bi or trans is a mental illness that can be “cured”.’

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Each Other, 16th July 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Inquest into Stephen Port’s victims set to begin in new year – The Guardian

‘Families of the victims of serial killer Stephen Port have been assured that everything possible will be done to ensure the long-awaited inquests into their deaths go ahead in the new year despite the coronavirus pandemic.’

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The Guardian, 10th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sunderland Christian foster service ‘must allow gay carers’ says High Court – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Christian Foster service has been told it must allow gay parents to sign up as carers, the High Court has ruled.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 9th July 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

LGBT asylum seekers routinely see claims rejected in Europe and UK – The Guardian

Posted July 9th, 2020 in asylum, burden of proof, gender, homosexuality, news, transgender persons by sally

‘People seeking asylum in the UK and Europe on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity are routinely seeing their claims rejected because of a widespread “culture of disbelief” and an “impossible burden of proof”, researchers have said.’

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The Guardian, 9th July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Church minister who wrote Sinitta’s ‘So Macho’ wins claim over alleged homophobia – Daily Telegraph

‘Rev George Hargreaves was shunned at work by a colleague who ignored him after being outraged by a perceived homophobic remark he had made.’

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Daily Telegraph, 2nd June 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘How do I convince the Home Office I’m a lesbian?’ – BBC News

‘More than 1,500 people seek asylum in the UK on sexuality grounds every year.

The Home Office’s decision on whether to grant or refuse it depends on whether the interviewer finds the asylum-seeker’s account authentic and believable – but each interviewer may have his or her own assumptions about what an authentic and believable account should look like.’

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BBC News, 26th February 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk