East Midlands
Newsletter 5
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22
March 2003
East Midlands Proud Newsletter no.5 I have to confess that the last few weeks have been testing, and my stress levels have been soaring due to having to fight several battles within a short time frame. And I have emerged scarred but victorious. There have also been some personal firsts, so it has all been character building! Motion to Land Registry Group I put a motion forward to my Branch AGM held in February, which ruffled some feathers. The motion read as follows: ‘That this Branch recognises the importance of the Employment legislation coming in to force during this year with regards to Equality and Diversity issues. Of groundbreaking significance is the outlawing of discrimination on the grounds of Sexual Orientation within the workplace. For the first time ever, lesbians, gays and bisexuals will now have recourse to the legal system in defence of their rights to be treated equally and with dignity within the workplace. But, we also recognise that legislation will mean very little without a change in attitudes. Therefore, in the interests of shifting the centuries of cultural backwardness and homophobic attitudes that this country has managed to sustain even in to the 21st Century, we call upon the GEC to highlight this issue and to demand full awareness training for all staff, to be backed up and supported by appropriate literature on the issues faced by lesbian, gay and bisexual colleagues.’ Only one bright spark voiced opposition to the motion, on the grounds that as legislation was coming in, then the rest doesn’t really matter. However, more insidious, and perhaps a sign of things to come, was an amendment put forward by a Christian Fundamentalist to remove the phrase: ‘in the interests of shifting the centuries of cultural backwardness and homophobic attitudes that this country has managed to sustain even in to the 21st Century’. I could not bring myself to let this go. The phrase was emotive, and deliberately so, because I felt that it needed to be acknowledged that lesbians, gays and bisexuals have been treated appallingly throughout history. That this fellow was having a problem, being a Christian who wanted the freedom to express a homophobic opinion (he said we were sinners), was of no concern to me, other than that I found his ‘holier than though’ attitude thoroughly vain and arrogant. Hardly the qualities you’d expect to find in a good Christian. Well, much to the chagrin of some members, the debate took up most of the meeting. But the motion did get passed in its’ full form! I had several emails from individuals voicing their support afterwards, including one from a Christian. Speech to Nottingham Land Registry AGM I have to say that not all Land Registry’s are conservative in their Union membership. I was invited to speak at Nottingham Land Registry’s AGM as one of their main speakers, along with a speaker from the Fire-Fighter’s Union. You might think that the response here would have been inflamed, but no, we were both received with interest and complete lack of hostility. Hopefully they were left with some food for thought anyway. Campaign Against Section 28 I seem to have the knack of upsetting some of my Branch colleagues. On receiving a very well written briefing on the campaign against section 28 from our very own PCS Equality Officer Lorna Campbell, and the request that it be ‘widely disseminated and used to good effect’, why, I took the request quite literally! I obtained the briefing in electronic format, sending it to as many Union reps. within the Land Registry that I could think of, and asking them to get it out to their members. Gloucester Land Registry had no problems, and sent it as a mailing to all of its members. But regrettably, some Branch Officers at Leicester seem to be more concerned with upsetting prejudiced individuals than giving a boost to LGBT members, and I had to argue, again, that they were wrong. Happily, the briefing did finally make it out to all members, and I haven’t heard a peep from a soul in retribution! In fact, somebody asked me if it was okay to print the letter to give to some friends (non-PCS members). I have to report that the campaign also received sterling support from the Land Registry Group Equal Opportunities Advisory Committee Secretary, Julie Kelly, who emailed all Land Registry Branch Secretaries giving full backing and endorsement to the campaign, and asking for a response as to how the Branches will use the briefing. Right on, Sistah! I have also sent copies of the briefing out to East Midlands PCS Branches with a supporting letter, so members should pester their Branch Secretaries to find out what they are doing with it if they haven’t seen it yet. East Midlands Members Meeting. I was really pleased at the turnout to the latest East Midlands members social meeting at ‘The Rainbow and Dove’ in Leicester on Saturday 22 February. No less than 9 people showed up – including a posse from the West Midlands (thanks for showing up guys!)! I was particularly pleased, because a potential new recruit also came along and this was their introduction to the gay scene in general and Proud members in particular. However, I must temper my pleasure with some barbs of criticism. Most of the membership in the East Midlands is based in Nottingham and Leicester, which is why I have been organising meetings in these areas. But the majority of those that come along are the Nottingham gay guys! Where are all you lesbians? I know you’re out there!! And where are the Leicester members?? Hello? Okay, enough of that. And to the members out in the sticks, i.e. Peterborough, Lincoln and Derby, I am not wilfully ignoring you. If you would like a meeting in your area, then get in touch, and I’m sure that the ‘hard core’ socialites from Nottingham will come along! Which brings me to the next meeting, which will be on Saturday 29 March, lunchtime (1.00pm) as usual. I thought we could meet at The Coco Lounge, George Street, Nottingham, with a view to trying one or two other places in Dave Shaw’s ‘PINK & PINKISH WATER HOLES’’. Dave’s pink guide is to be featured on the new Proud web-site in the East Midlands pages, which should be online soon, so we shall have to be vigilant in keeping these entries up to date! Communication If you have any ideas or contributions you would like to make to the East Midlands Web pages, or this newsletter, please get in touch!! Let me know what’s happening in your Branch! Let me know if there is something you’d like to happen in your Branch, but you are not in a position to be able do any thing about it! I
have recently received a request for information about Proud from the
Driving Standards Agency Branch in Nottingham, and they would like me
to go and speak to them at a date in the near future. Perhaps I can do
something similar at your Branch? Training There is going to be a Basic Training Course to be held on the South Coast (place to be announced) between 12-14th April. Yes the dates have changed. If you haven’t already signed up, then I would encourage you to do so now. Proud training events are really worth attending for lots of reasons, not least to meet up with some compadres. I have been to two events now, so if you want to know what they are like, then get in touch! Talk to you soon! Jude Jackson |