New gay HIV infections at highest rate ever
23rd November 2007 12:40
PinkNews.co.uk staff writer

The latest figures released today from the Health Protection Agency reveal that the number of gay and bisexual men diagnosed with HIV in the UK is at its highest rate since the start of the epidemic.

2,700 gay and bisexual men were newly diagnosed last year, the highest number ever.

Across the UK 1 in 20 gay and bisexual men are now living with HIV and estimates suggest this figure is as high as 1 in 10 in London.

The increase in diagnosis comes at a time when the National AIDS Trust claims funding for HIV prevention is inadequate.

In the past 10 years the number of people being seen for HIV care has more than trebled, but a recent National AIDS Trust survey into Primary Care Trusts revealed that in the same period the amount spent on HIV prevention has decreased.

Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of the National AIDS Trust, commented:

"For over ten years the government and health services have been failing to bring HIV in the UK under control and diagnoses among gay and bisexual men continue to rise.

"Funding for prevention and testing must urgently be increased and the Government must make informed policy commitments to control the epidemic.

"But the gay community must also act – gay men, gay businesses, the gay media all must respond to what is in essence a public health crisis for gay men.

"If amongst the general public there was over one in 20 with such a serious infectious disease, it would dominate politics and priorities. If we want wider society to act on HIV, the gay community must take the lead."

7,800 people were diagnosed last year, and the numbers living with HIV in the UK were 73,000 by the end of 2006.

One in three people do not know they are infected.

Nick Partridge, Chief Executive of HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust, said that urgent action was required.

"Twenty five years on from the discovery of HIV this just isn't good enough," he said.

"We need to renew the fight and we need everyone, from the NHS to individuals, to join us.

"One in 20 gay men are now living with HIV, and levels of STIs are at their highest for 20 years. That's why we’re launching a Call to Action to improve gay men's sexual health.

"Gay men, businesses, politicians, media and the voluntary sector all need to play their part, and act now."

THT has outlined five action points for each group and suggestions range from asking politicians to make sex and relationships education part of the core curriculum to asking gay men to have regular tests for sexually transmitted infections.

In 2006, an estimated 31,100 men who have sex with men (MSM) were living with HIV in the UK and there were approximately 2,700 new diagnoses. Around a third of people with HIV don’t know they have it.

Torchwood star backs homophobic bullying campaign

7th November 2007 15:15
Tony Grew ( Pink News )

Stonewall today launched a major new anti-bullying campaign aimed at young people in schools across England.

Backed by Dr Who and Torchwood star John Barrowman, the campaign will see posters, stickers and postcards with the legend Some People Are Gay. Get Over It! sent to all 5,000 secondary schools in England in advance of this year's

Anti-Bullying Week, November 19-23.

The powerful statement and bold design, developed together with over 100 secondary school pupils and teachers, have been devised as part of Stonewall's Education for All programme.

Supported by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, the campaign aims to send an uncompromising message that schools should take a 'zero-tolerance' approach to homophobia and homophobic bullying.

John Barrowman urged all school pupils to give their support.

"Join me in Stonewall's Education for All campaign and help exterminate homophobia," he said.  "Be bold. Be brave. Be a buddy not a bully."

Johan Jensen, Education Officer at Stonewall, told PinkNews.co.uk:

"Young people tell us they want schools to take a strong stance against homophobic bullying.  "These materials send a clear message to pupils and staff that homophobia in schools is no longer acceptable."

The School Pack follows on from Stonewall's wide-ranging study into homophobic bullying published in June this year, entitled The School Report.

Nearly two thirds of LGB students reported instances of homopbobic harassment it revealed. That figure jumps to 75% of young gay people attending faith schools.

The survey of more than 1,100 young people found that only 23% of all UK schools explicitly condemn homophobic bullying.

92% of gay, lesbian and bisexual pupils have experienced verbal abuse, 41% physical bullying and 17% have been subject to death threats.

30% of pupils reported that adults have been responsible for incidents of homophobic bullying in their schools.

Nearly every interviewed student had heard phrases like, 'You're so gay', and remarks like 'poof' and 'dyke' in UK schools.

Kevin Brennan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families, told PinkNews.co.uk in July that the government wants to eradicate homophobia in education.

"The guidance is strong, it has got the full force of the government behind it," he said. "We are committed to making sure that every school implements the guidance.

"We don't like to simply put bureaucratic requirements on schools without the evidence that that is needed so at this stage it remains guidance. We will be monitoring its implementation."

The School Pack also complements the Department for Children, Schools and Families guidance for school staff on preventing and responding to homophobic bullying in schools, written by Stonewall.

Government Approves Incitement To Gay Hate Law

8th October 2007 19:30
Tony Grew ( Taken from the www.pinknews.co.uk  )

The Justice Secretary has announced that a new offence of incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation will be introduced in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill.
Jack Straw added that he would consider similar protections for trans and disabled people.
The House of Commons met today for the first time since July to hear a statement from the Prime Minister on Iraq and to give the bill its second reading.
"It is a measure of how far we have come as a society in the last ten years that we are now appalled by hatred and invective directed at people on the basis of their sexuality," Mr Straw told MPs.
"It is time for the law to recognise this."
Gay rights advocates had been lobbying for a homophobic incitement law for more than six months.
Fundamentalist religious groups are claiming their members could face seven years in jail for expressing their views about homosexuality under the proposed new legislation.
Stonewall chief executive, Ben Summerskill, said: "We're delighted.
"We've worked tirelessly over the last six months, seeking to persuade ministers to match existing race incitement laws with identical protections for sexual orientation.
"A new offence will help deter extremists who stir up hatred against lesbian and gay people.
"These protections aren't about preventing people expressing their religious views in a temperate way.
"However, we refuse to accept any longer that there's no connection between extreme rap lyrics calling for gay people to be attacked or fundamentalist claims that all gay people are paedophiles, and the epidemic of anti-gay violence disfiguring Britain's streets.
"Our traditional opponents are already spreading typically lurid misinformation about what the new law might mean and will try and get it overturned.
"We anticipate, as always, a tough battle in the House of Lords but remain determined to secure complete equality in the criminal law."
The Christian Institute claim that the proposed incitement law restricts free speech, targets Christians and will stifle debate about homosexuality.
Earlier this year the institute failed to stop the introduction of the Sexual Orientation Regulations which protect LGB people from discrimination in goods and services.
It objects to the extension of incitement to racial hatred laws to sexual orientation as "homosexuality is a chosen lifestyle. Many 'gay rights' activists would say that their sexual orientation is a choice, not a genetic characteristic."Christians are already protected from incitement to religious hatred by law.