Category Archives: News

The LGB&T Dorset Equality Network salutes UK Black Pride for its banning of ‘Hostile Environment’ Home Office from its Pride 2019. This decision is one that we strongly commend due to the deaths and extreme suffering caused by the UK Home Office & Immigration Tribunal’s ‘Hostile Environment’ to genuine LGBT+ asylum seekers and refugees.  You can read more here: https://www.indy100.com/article/black-pride-home-office-banned-lgbt-london-haggerston-park-8988416

The Network was shocked to learn that the Home Office had attempted for its own ‘tick box,’ extremely distasteful purposes, to disingenuously have a presence at this year’s UK Black Pride event.  We salute the decision of UK Black Pride to remove such a presence in light of the extreme lengths the Home Office and its close de-facto revealed ally, the supposedly ‘independent’ Immigration Tribunal, are continuing to be committed to destroy LGBT lives through its focused, deliberate campaign to drive genuine LGBT asylum seekers and refugees (and LGBT British Citizens who are gay, and in loving committed same-sex marriages with overseas nationals) away from or out of the UK using extensive abuses of powers and process to do so.

The Network itself has been being de-facto attacked, undermined for some considerable time by the Hostile Environment lead entities, as is known in the Dorset area not only by community members, but by others, including statutory sector organisations that have operational level direct contact with the lead organisations implementing the Hostile Environment.  We however have been courageously resisting such homophobic derived bullying, successfully, and will continue to do so, so we can comtinue to serve our LGB&T community both locally and nationally, including our BAME LGB&T community members who have been particularly targetted by the Hostile Environment.

You may be interested in reading the following: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/home-office-gay-pride-asylum-refused-kenneth-macharia-bristol-bisons-a8943376.html

The UK needs to stop sending LGBTI asylum seekers to their deaths

We at the LGB&T Dorset Equality Network are delighted to be playing our part including at Select Committees level in Parliament, concerning exposing the inhumanity and abuses of power & process at the heart of the anti-LGBT component of the Hostile Environment.  More news on this soon, including our LUSH supported information resourcev initiative … http://lgbtdorsetequality.network/network-secures-lush-grant-in-support-of-protecting-lgbt-human-rights/

Well done to UK Black Pride for not tolerating the Home Office attempt to insinuate its hypocritical presence at this year’s UK Black Pride.  This decision by UK Black Pride affirms that lost and destroyed BAME LGBT lives inflicted by the anti-LGBT component of the Hostile Environment matter More than giving a platform to those knowingly, willfully involved in the most extreme forms of homophobia, bi-phobia, and transphobia.

We are very pleased to share news of Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) — https://www.tht.org.uk/ — appreciation to the LGB&T Dorset Equality Network for fundraising by Network Chair Fr John Hyde & his husband Peter, for THT fundraising activity.

Related:

                                                  #STRONGERTOGETHER- WEMBLEY STADIUM   

On Tuesday 5^th February JUST A BALL GAME? (JBG?) held #StrongerTogether their first ever seminar, as part of LGBT History Month 2019 celebrations….. JBG Wembley round up MEDIA RELEASE

The Network is very pleased to share the attached Press Release from JBG? Founder and Lead Lindsay England, LGB&T Dorset Equality Network Patron following last week’s groundbreaking Stronger Together event at Wembley Stadium

Network initiator and Convenor Alan Mercel-Sanca is cited in the press release, explaining the uniqueness and importance of the Stronger Together JBG? initiative, that has great relevance to Dorset in regard to LGBT+ outreach, inclusion and anti-prejudice in football, sport and beyond — more news on the event coming soon, so watch this space!

Alan Mercel-Sanca, JBG? Male Co-Chair, has this to say, “Our JBG? #StrongerTogether event will be seen as a turning point in the UK in sport and beyond where partnerships of dynamic kinds developed or became further consolidated. The spirit of the event was a ‘can do, will do’ one in which realisation of building a strong thriving inclusive society in which prejudice and its evils have a real sell by date coming, manifested through the realisation that this is only possible through the vision and character of real meaningful partnerships making us all- LGBT+, Allies, BME, #StrongerTogether! “

“The passion, the collective wisdom, expertise of all attending or speaking at this exceptional event was inspiring, and totally rooted in practical solutions, focus, real partnerships, not tokenistic ones, – JBG? #StrongerTogether sets the pattern for meaningful change. On that thousands upon thousands who could not attend or who were unaware of the event, will look back later with thanks and admiration for what was achieved on 5^th Feb 2019! “

The Network was one of 49 organisations, agencies and entities to contribute to the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) — https://www.parliament.uk/jchr  — UK Immigration Detention inquiry by this important parliamentary select committee.

The Network published submission [28] is found in the Witnesses section of the report, which can be read through the link below, whilst the Press Notice also provided to us by the JCHR gives important summary information. Press Notice Immigration detention

Inquiry report: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt201719/jtselect/jtrights/1484/148402.htm

The Network response to the news of the publication and release of the inquiry report was:

This event is being rescheduled due to two of the panellists being poorly/unable to participate on the date originally scheduled. We are therefore rearranging for the second half of April, which will also give more time for extending direct NHS senior manager, commissioners, and executives contribution/input. The event will take place at Bournemouth University’s Talbot Campus, Fusion Building, Inspire Lecture Theatre. PLEASE WATCH THIS SPACE for date and more news on the subject the panel discussion will cover.

The Network is very pleased to announce it is establishing partnership with Bournemouth Poole & Christchurch Citizens Advice on hatecrime reporting and broader LGBT community advice access, following approach from CA and a very positive meeting with Bournemouth Poole Christchurch CA Hate Crime reporting section lead Mr Ebi Sosseh.  You can find out more about the CA Hate Crime initiative here through the information document below:

Hate Crime Project Citizens Advice BCP

Please watch this space for more news on this important initiative.

On 1^st December 2018, the Come As You Are (CAYA) Arts Festival at Poole Lighthouse (the final stage of this brilliant national festival tour) — https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/whats-on/2018/come-as-you-are-festival/ — concluded, with the day’s programme including a Panel Discussion on issues covered by the festival performances in regard to NHS engagement with our Trans & Non-Binary community, in the services they provide, and how these are provided.The Chief Executive Officers of two Dorset area NHS organisations (Dorset CCG and Dorset Healthcare) were invited to attend, but unfortunately couldn’t due to prior commitments — they (and we appreciate this) sent their good wishes: however both organisations, though asked to send appropriate level senior officers to directly represent the two CEOs if they themselves couldn’t attend, chose to overlook this request.

For reference the Network and our main LGBT community partner organisations are very aware of multiple continuing cases of unchallenged transphobic, homophobic, biphobic views [causing major distress to consequently intimidated LGBT community members who are NHS staff or NHS services users] across Dorset area NHS organisations.

Panellists and special guests were:

Panellists:

• Kate Chizlett (Panellist – Volunteer with Dorset LGBT Equality Network)
• Jay Murray (Panellist – Communi-T organisation Co-lead)
• Charity Gardiner (Panellist – Volunteer with Space Youth Project)
• Louise Clarke (Panellist – Bourne Free Pride organisation Chair & ‘Proud Cherries’ Chair)
• Anna (Panellist – Communi-T organisation, & Inclusive Community Church)

Special guests:

•                 Dan (Special Guest – Co-Lead at Communi-T)
•                 Jonai Da Silva (Special Guest – Dorset NHS LGBT+ Initiative Chair)

Alan Mercel-Sanca (Initiator/lead founder, and Convenor/Lead Officer of the LGB&T Dorset Equality Network, and male Co-Chair of Just a Ball Game? Anti-LGBT prejudice in football and sport national grassroots organisation) facilitated and chaired the panel discussion.

The main themes emerging from the panel discussion, and next steps in support of change and challenge for NHS action and improvement:

Perceptions were strong in the discussions that the NHS at local and national levels is still struggling, some 8 to 9 years on from the passing of the Equality Act, with applying its spirit and legal provisions on Trans & Non-Binary inclusion and effective combatting of in particular indirect discrimination, where healthcare services are concerned in their scope and provision.  The community wants to work with the NHS on this directly to help, which means a new form of partnering and community engagement, and on a mutually assistive and mutually respecting basis where transparency is key.

Mental health issues and distress caused by rejection, transphobia, and still substantial NHS healthcare professionals’ non-comprehension of how to listen to and engage with Trans & Non-Binary communities and their members on medical, health, and wellbeing issues and needs; change/improvement is needed in this sense to in many cases safe lives and prevent lives being put in jeopardy.

Trans and Non-Binary communities supportive medical, healthcare, and wellbeing services in the NHS are seen as still too little joined up, and with abrupt disconnection often after the journey of medical transitioning is complete.

NHS Trans & Non-Binary community members/NHS service users’ communication & engagement training: this is seen as largely ineffective, and the community expresses interest in the criteria NHS organisations use for who and what is commissioned on training.  Trans community members and key figures offer their insights and guidance to the NHS to help it improve its performance where meaningful as opposed to ineffective E&D training is concerned.

Community monitoring of performance of NHS frontline organisations and commissioning, emerged as a ‘must’ for effective improvement and change – particularly as it would lead to a change in culture at middle to upper levels of the NHS, especially within admin/bureaucratic echelons far removed from direct medical or frontline services provision.

That there are still too many examples locally of bad practice on communication, particularly in regard to mis-gendering (mostly but not always, unintended), and yet, as detailed in the panel discussion, there are some true best practice examples on communication and engagement that community members are aware of and experiencing. This gives confidence that with community solidarity and focus, and good strategy for effective engagement with those responsible for commissioning and implementing NHS services, best practice can be spread, and bad practice highlighted, engaged with, and overcome.

For this to take place, it is essential that those in lead and key decision-making positions in key NHS commissioning and service delivering organisations need to ensure that perceived [by the community] tick-box approaches are replaced by the same degree of seriousness that they have in many other directions, and especially so as they have had ample first hand and research [national and local] indicating the issues, the needs and the solutions.  This of course does matter when we consider the issues around mental health, and the scale of suicide risk for many Trans community members who are not supported as they need and deserve.

Next steps / follow up action:

These will be for the Network and its partners, to  hold a follow up discussion event, which will include broader LGBT, NHS and social care engagement topics with a report and recommendations to follow addressed to local and national (including parliament) – this assisting new and further engagement with the local NHS organisations in the areas and ways suggested at the Lighthouse discussion panel (training, monitoring, best practice dissemination, etc.).

The Women & Equalities Select Committee inquiry report gives a badly needed boost and catalyst for change/improvement. The Network’s role in contributing to this substantially, as kindly praised by the secretariat of the committee, certainly assists to also engage effectively with local (and perhaps regionally & nationally) NHS organisations, as the Report recommendations are increasingly considered at implementation level.

The Camden People’s Theatre (CPT), Come As You Are (CAYA) Trans & Non-Binary communities supportive Arts Festival at Poole Lighthouse has marked a positive sea-change for our Trans & Non-Binary communities in Bournemouth Dorset & Poole.

The Network led with CPT and the Lighthouse, on community and broader strategic and PR outreach for the festival, which comprised a three-day (29th November to 1st December) theatre, music and panel discussion (image below), programme at Poole Lighthouse, which was the final part of the CAYA national tour.

The Network wishes to thank Poole Lighthouse for its enthusiastic support to CAYA (and CPT) for the festival’s guiding purpose of highlighting Trans & Non-Binary community inclusion and counteracting transphobia at national and local levels. A core theme of the festival and featuring in its arts performances and in a focused way in its directly Network enabled and chaired Panel Discussion, was the negative mental health impacts on non-acceptance of Trans & Non-Binary community members by transphobic elements of society, and poor understanding and support provision in national & local NHS services, of Trans & Non-Binary community NHS service users.

In the NHS Trans & Non-Binary community services support and communications/engagement themed Panel Discussion it was particularly clear that so much work has to be done on the NHS side to develop trust & confidence from the experiences our Trans & Non-Binary communities representatives shared — but with some hope in the highlighting of the still, to  date, very small number of community engagement competent GPs and healthcare professionals, by some of the panellists. At strategic level on the NHS side, it was made clear that so much work remains to be done to establish substantial community-level credibility.

Unfortunately despite good wishes from the Dorset CCG CEO and Dorset Healthcare CEO, for the festival, both their organisations chose, despite the clear request made to them by the Network, to NOT provide any representatives in lieu of the two CEOs mentioned not being able to attend due to prior commitments.  The Panel Discussion achieved major results on experiences sharing, and on direct to the NHS, guidance of how and where its organisations and services can become more Trans & Non-Binary communities engagement and communications competent, and on where services could be valuably reviewed and improved at strategic general levels by working directly at substantial level with our commununity.

The Network, the Lighthouse, and Camden People’s Theatre wish to record great appreciation to Panellists, Jay and Anna of Communi-T, and Charity (a Space Youth Project, not Network volunteer) and to Kate, and also to special guests, Dan (Communi-T co-lead), Louise ((Bourne Free Chair, and Chair of AFC Bournemouth Proud Cherries LGBT supporters), and to Jonai (Chair of the Pan-Dorset NHS LGBT Staff Network — honourably representing NHS LGBT staff in lieu of any other NHS representation [please see above] which was requested but wonting on this very important occasion).