=Cb\Sea
<3EA
NEWS FLASHES
OUTSPOKEN:
GET OVER IT
INTERNATION
NEWS
PHELIM MAC
CAFFERTY
AUSTRALIA:
Sydney’s 30th Mardi Gras ARE WE TO REMAIN
AB=<3E/::�53B=D3@7B�>=AB3@A was the biggest ever. Over A STATISTICALLY
234/1320CB1=;>:/7<BA27A;7AA32
300,000 people thronged CLOSETED NATION?
Sydney’s streets to enjoy THE MEDIA
the mile-long Mardi Gras SPOKESPERSON FOR
parade in its 30th anniversary THE GREEN PARTY’S
year. The parade featured LGBT GROUP SAYS THE
10,000 marchers in dazzling GOVERNMENT - AND
and outlandish costumes, ITS STATS AGENCY, THE OFFICE FOR NATIONAL
and more than 150 fl oats STATISTICS (ONS) - SHOULD START ASKING “THE
– including a gay “Pope- GAY QUESTION” IN THE NEXT NATIONAL CENSUS.
mobile”!
The national census is due again in 2011 and - while
JAMAICA: some will doubtless be busy using a biro to denote their
A 24-year-old policeman affi nity with the Jedi
is in hiding in Jamaica and Order - to date, no such
seeking asylum in Canada, census has asked people
after allegedly being abused to defi ne or declare
and attacked by fellow their sexuality. Because
coppers because of his of this, no concrete
IMAGINE OUR
sexuality. He also claims that data exists to indicate
CLOUT ONCE
13 of his gay friends have how many of us there
/a[OZZ\c[PS`]TbVS^`][W\S\b$PWZZP]O`RabVOb`O\OQ`]aa 0`WbOW\ died in the past four years. actually are. And the
OUR HEADS ARE
PSO`W\UAb]\SeOZZ�aW\a^W`ObW]\OZZgaW[^ZS�A][S^S]^ZSO`SUOg USb]dS`Wb� Sex between men is illegal in Government and ONS
[SaaOUSVOdSPSS\dO\ROZWaSRBVSRSTOQSR^]abS`^WQbc`SRW\ :]\R]\�a Jamaica, and is punishable still seem hesitant.
COUNTED.”
0`Wfb]\TSObc`SabVSV][]^V]PWQ`O^Zg`WQ�0]][0gS0gS��Xca bbVS with up to ten years in jail, We need questions
YW\R]TZg`WQbVObAb]\SeOZZVOaPSS\QO[^OWU\W\Ub]PS]cbZOeS RPgbVS while homophobic assaults on sexuality included
1`W[W\OZ8cabWQS0WZZ;SO\bW[SbVS/RdS`bWaW\UAbO\RO`Ra/US\ Qg/A/ and violence against lesbians in the census - not
VOa`SXSQbSROZZ]TbVS#"Q][^ZOW\baWbVOa`SQSWdSROP]cbbVS QO[^OWU\ and gay men are common. least because, now that we have limited legal rights, our
eVWQV\]eZ]]YaaSbb]`S`c\ZObS`bVWagSO` existence should be formally acknowledged; and our access
to adequate and appropriate education, housing and health
...AND FINALLY
services at long last ensured.
Information is the key to this access. Since the census is
used by numerous bodies – including local authorities – to
BAFTAS FOR THE BOYS allocate resources for services that aff ect our lives, unless we
Several prominent gay entertainers have scooped themselves recognition in are counted and represented, how can we possibly benefi t?
this year’s TV BAFTAS. The nominations for this year’s event, due to take place Name, ethnicity, religion, gender and even how many
on Sunday 20 April, were announced in mid-March. Battling it out in the rooms are in my house (since when has Sarah Beeny
category of Best Entertainer are Simon Amstell (pictured), the host of Never worked for ONS?) are asked – yet still there’s nothing about
Mind The Buzzcocks, Alan Carr of the Friday Night Project, and Stephen Fry sexuality.
of QI. Carr was nominated jointly with his TV partner, Justin Lee Collins. Gay In the mean time, what of the disproportionate number
actor Anthony Sher also picked up a nomination in the Best Actor category of LGBT people who end up homeless? Or who have
for his role in BBC4’s TV fi lm Primo. attempted to commit suicide? What about the fact that
© ADAM LAWRENCE many pre-op trans patients need support in accessing what
BURRELL OVER BARREL OVER “GAY REVELATIONS” is rightfully theirs?
New allegations have appeared in The News of the World that former royal butler Paul Burrell is a closet gay who trolls gay Doesn’t ONS realise that until LGBTs can prove that we exist
saunas for men behind his wife’s back. The 49-year-old former royal aide has been in the headlines recently after he declined a throughout the UK, budgets set by schools, hospitals and
request from Lord Justice Scott Baker to return to the witness box as part of the ongoing inquiry into Princess Diana’s death. He councils will, due to ignorance, continue to neglect us, or
was requested to return after he was secretly fi lmed by The Sun newspaper claiming that he had thrown a couple of ‘red herrings’ – worse – could even wilfully discriminate against us?
into his earlier testimonial at the inquest into the late Princess’s death. Imagine the clout of our community across the UK once our
heads are truly counted. Imagine how empowering it will
SCI FI LEGEND DIES be, especially for young LGBT people, to know “you’re not
The legendary science fi ction writer Arthur C Clarke has died at the age of 90 at his home in Sri Lanka from respiratory alone”. Imagine our ability to face both local and national
complications and heart failure. The acclaimed writer wrote over 100 books, and will probably be best remembered for penning authorities and fi nally begin to gain fair access.
2001: A Space Odyssey. Although he was married briefl y in the 50s, it was widely rumoured that the author was gay. When The ONS has expressed doubts that the data resulting
questioned later in life about this, he would usually enigmatically reply, “No, merely mildly cheerful.” from a census question asking about sexuality would be
“meaningful”, with many people staying closeted. However,
ELTON’S BACKING HILLARY the public should be reassured that household-specifi c data
Elton John has announced that he is to play a special fundraising gig for American stays confi dential, by law, for 100 years after collection. And
Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. The event, titled Elton and Hillary: One Night Only, – despite possible overall “undercounting”, not least due to
will take place at New York’s famous Radio City Music Hall on 9 April, with ticket prices internal factors within households - we surely, as a society,
ranging from $125-$250. have to start counting sometime. If not now, then when?
“I’m not a politician, but I believe in the work that Hillary Clinton does,” John has been For these reasons, the Greens back the TUC and Stonewall’s
quoted as saying. The gig follows a similar fundraiser that the Clinton camp held last calls for an LGBT-inclusive census. The census hasn’t
October at NYC’s Beacon Theatre with Billy Crystal and Elvis Costello, and which raised recorded us previously because, frankly, no-one has made it
$1.5million for the senator’s presidential bid. do so. Now is the time to legislate to ensure it must.
For the Green Party’s LGBT-related views: www.lgbtgreens.org.
uk; www.greenparty.org.uk %'
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