Politics

The estimated value of the UK gay and lesbian market has been revealed. The most comprehensive market research study ever undertaken of the UK gay and lesbian community has revealed a wealth of new findings on the state of lesbian and gay lives in the UK in 2008.

Research just released from the 'Out Now 2008 Millivres Gay Market Study' shows that last year the almost 3,000,000 gays and lesbians in the UK earned an estimated £81 billion.

The study is the result of the collaboration between the UK's largest gay media company - Millivres Prowler, and the leading international gay market consulting agency - Out Now, and samples the users of six leading UK lesbian and gay media products.

With 41% of the sample holding a degree or postgraduate degree, it is not surprising to note that gay men earned on average £31,099 and lesbians earned, slightly less, but an equally respectable average of £23,882. This is significantly higher than the national average, according to the Office of National Statistics -   £25,896 and £20,488 respectively.

Read more: How Much is the Pink Pound Worth?

An emergency help point linking people on the street direct to Birmingham city centre's CCTV control has been launched in Birmingham.

The button and speaker provide a quick way of contacting help in an emergency. The help point links directly to security camera operators who can zoom in to see them.

It has been installed opposite Angel's bar, Hurst Street, in the heart of Birmingham's Gay Quarter.

The installation of the help point was a joint initiative between gay community forum Pink Shield, Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Police.

Read more: Gay 999 line Launched

A London teacher who has pioneered Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) History Month at her school over the past three years has just published an account of how she has developed the celebrations. 

Although Section 28, which aimed to prevent local authorities from ‘promoting homosexuality’, was repealed in 2004, many teachers still find it difficult to broach the subject of homosexuality in the classroom. Others feel helpless to challenge homophobic behaviour.

Elly Barnes is not one of those teachers.

The openly gay music teacher and ‘head of year’ teaches at Stoke Newington School, a non-selective, state school, specializing in Arts, Maths, and Science.

For the past three years, thanks to Ms. Barnes’ remarkable energy and vision, the school has been celebrating LGBT History Month by integrating it into the curriculum.

Read more: Pioneering London Teacher Celebrates Lesbian, Gay History

Tony Blair's public support for gay adoption - in the teeth of religious opposition - was a defeat for bigotry.

In 2002, Tony Blair introduced legislation that, for the first time, permitted gay couples to adopt. In 2006, he introduced the Sexual Orientation Regulations, which protect gay people from discrimination in the provision of goods and services. At the same time, he outlawed discrimination on grounds of religion and belief.

From the very beginning, we at the National Secular Society were questioning how these two minorities, which were often in conflict, could be accommodated under the same legal umbrella. It was clear that sooner or later there would be a clash of rights.

Perhaps the definitive confrontation was the row over Catholic adoption agencies. The Catholic hierarchy had demanded exemptions from the Sexual Orientation Regulations, saying that it should not be forced into providing its services to same-sex couples. As we have repeatedly seen, the Catholic Church has a very disturbing bee in its bonnet about homosexuality, and fought bitterly to retain the right to treat gay people unjustly in its adoption service.

Read more: Tony Blair's Gay Legacy

The RCN (Royal College of Nursing) annual Congress in Bournemouth has passed a motion in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people.

Over 95% of delegates yesterday supported the call for the RCN Council to "develop and promote best practice to combat the barriers to health and homophobic bullying faced by LGBT youth in the UK."

At Congress RCN members comment upon and influence Council policy, to help inform the RCN's work for the coming year. Held every spring, it attracts upwards of 4,000 delegates.

In 2007,  the RCN backed calls for 'explicit and proactive' training in the NHS to combat LGBT prejudice.

Read more: RCN vote for more support for LGBT youth