RIP CO2

We print below, the press release we sent out on hearing that CO2, Canterbury's first gay bar was to close.

PRESS RELEASE

It has been reported that CO2, Canterbury’s first real gay bar, which only opened in June 2009, will shut down as soon as its owners can sell the lease.

While we must constantly stress the need for Canterbury City Council to do much more to attract and welcome gay businesses and visitors to the City, what is most disappointing about the apparent failure of CO2 is the attitude of the bar’s owners from the beginning of their tenancy.  We have often criticised “straight” bar owners for thinking that they could make easy money out of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, but now it seems that those who are involved in gay businesses elsewhere, and should therefore know better, have made the same mistake.

Pride in Canterbury were unable to attend the bar’s opening night, but sent a “Good Luck” card . With this card was a letter, in which we stated that we felt such a venture would be difficult in the City and offered to give as much support as we could. We did not receive a reply.

Early on we attended a quiz evening, which we thoroughly enjoyed and publicised on our website. These quiz events were advertised as weekly, but when we turned up the following week, there was no quiz and no mention of its cancellation. As far as we know only one quiz was held.

We contacted GScene, the Brighton community magazine, which has a wide circulation and has been very supportive of Pride in Canterbury’s work. They expressed a willingness to publicise the bar, asking for details of events, photographs of staff and customers and the like, but in spite of this and the fact that we stressed the importance of the support of this magazine, the magazine received no response to these offers to spread the news of the existence of the new bar.

In the current financial climate, all bars need to make maximum efforts to attract customers, especially a new gay bar in Canterbury. We anticipated that there would be regular drag acts, and other entertainment of interest to the LGBT community, but little was arranged.  We were never contacted to put events on our website.

In the weeks running up to Christmas, a time when we thought a maximum effort would be made to bring in customers, we no longer saw or heard from Craig , who had been running the bar and who had talked to us of great plans to work with and for the community.  No events over the festive season were advertised.

We visited the bar on Christmas Eve.  There was no entertainment and, unsurprisingly, very few customers. The atmosphere was funereal rather than festive.

For the owners to now attack the LGBT community for not supporting them is not only risible, but is damaging to the prospect of any other gay bar opening in Canterbury.  Homophobes throughout the area will be celebrating.

Let no-one have any doubts, the responsibility for this fiasco rests firmly on the shoulders of CO2 owners.  They  have thrown away a great and important opportunity to build up the LGBT community in Canterbury.  They should be ashamed.  

 

January 2009        

SSHH - AN EXCITING NEW CAMPAIGN!

We have just been told about an exciting new campaign - Same-Sex Hand Holding (SSHH).

The campaign organisers say that its aim is to "INSPIRE and SUPPORT same-sex couples, who want to hold their partner's hand in public."

As anyone knows, certainly away from the major LGBT centres, who have done it, or even thought about it, this is by no means as easy as it sounds.

They go on to say "You don't have to fight to change the world. Promote love and equality by the simple act of holding hands."

For much more information, go to www.adayinhand.com 

POSITIVE RESPONSE AS RUGBY GIANT COMES OUT.

At a time when there has been much publicity about, homophobia in sport, especially football, and the resulting reluctance of gay sportsmen and  women to reveal their sexuality, it is most encouraging that a prominent player in “the toughest, most macho of male sports” has decided to come out and has received positive responses.

Gareth Thomas, the former Wales Rugby captain came out in an interview with the Daily Mail. He becomes one of just a handful of openly gay sportsmen.

Gareth was married and loved his wife, but the article clearly shows the stress involved in having to lead a double life, sexually.

The article was very positive and supportive of Gareth’s decision.

A double page spread headed “A Defining Moment” in the Sunday Times Sport section states “Gareth Thomas will not regret becoming the first major British sports star to admit publicly that he is gay.” And later states “Publicly, rugby players have never been gay and Gareth has now done the game and the greater community a service in truthfully telling his story.”

It quotes David Young, Cardiff’s director of rugby, as saying “I am surprised that in 2009 there are people who think this is a big deal.  To us it is no deal.”

To read more about the story, go to:    

www.pinknews.co.uk/2009/12/19/welsh-rugby-star-gareth-thomas-reveals-hes-gay/

HOMOPHOBIA HAS MANY FACES.

We report below on the increase in homophobic attacks, but homophobia comes in many disguises. One of them is the face of indifference.

Angeliki Ioannidou, the Diversity Officer for Canterbury City Council left her post in February of this year.  After several enquiries as to when the post would be filled, we were eventually told on the 27^th October, eight months later, that “it was decided to recruit to a generic policy officer role rather than a diversity officer post, for a three year period.”

We then wrote to Mark Bursnell, the Head of Policy and Improvements, (Diversity Issues), requesting the title of the new post, the name of the new officer and a copy of the job decription.  We have received no reply to, or acknowledgement of, our request.  This is in keeping with the City Council’s indifference to the work we are doing on behalf of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. Fortunately, our Supporters Page shows the many important people who are not indifferent to our work and aims.

We recently emailed the East Kent NHS Trust information point asking, which of their officers work with the LGBT community, and what was the Trust’s involvement in this year’s World Aids Day commemoration. We received the reply  “Please could you explain what LGBT stands for?”.

 We emailed Canterbury Cathedral for information about their contribution to this year’s World Aids Day, a day of great significance for the LGBT community and for the whole world, and were informed that there would be no service at the Cathedral this year.

 The indifference of these three important organisations speaks volumes.

10.11.09

 

"NEWSNIGHT REPORTS INCREASE IN HOMOPHOBIC  ATTACKS.

Earlier in the month we reported the homophobic attacks on two men in North Kent.  Last night the BBC's  "Newsnight" reported the disturbing, significant, increase of these attacks throughout the country. These attacks, incredibly, included the beating up of a woman because her son was gay. The important message was one that we have frequently tried to get over.  All is not "hunky dory" for the LGBT community. We have by no means won all our battles. Homophobia must be confronted by everyone, by all organisations, and that includes Canterbury City Council.  The clear message MUST be sent out that it's OK to be LGBT.  We will continue to repeat the message until those who ignore it take positive action. 

28.10.09

    

CANUTE IN CANTERBURY

Have you noticed that CANTERBURY contains the letters of the name CANUTE?

Legend has it that King Canute sat on a beach and attempted unsuccessfuly to stop the progress of the advancing tide.

When we attend LGBT Pride Days and read LGBT magazines, we see the many councils and professional organisations, throughout the country, actively, positively and proudly, supporting and attracting the LGBT community.  This makes us wonder how much longer Canterbury City Council can continue to play Canute, by attempting to ignore the  needs of the LGBT community in our City.

We understand, that after seven months, the City Council is, at long last,

planning to fill the post of Diversity Officer.  We hope that this post will be advertised in the gay press, but an email to us from John Gilbey, the Leader of the Council, makes it clear that he would expect the Diversity Officer to do merely enough to fulfil the Council's "obligations" and allow them to tick the appropriate boxes.  He, tragically, fails to see the value to the City of doing more.

Canute is on the beach, but the tide is continuing to flow and our list of supporters continues to grow.........

6.10.09  

Homophobic Attacks in Kent

Pink News (30th September) reports that two gay men in North Kent have been forced to flee their home after suffering a campaign of homophobic abuse by local youths for months.

Three youths were arrested but amazingly, one was only given a warning and two were released without charge.

This is further evidence that all is not well in Kent's garden and much more needs to be done by Councils and other organisations throughout Kent to demonstrate their approval of and support for LGBT people.

To read the full story go to www.PinkNews.co.uk

2.10.09

Controversy over Film Award

Actor Colin Firth has won a Best Actor Award at the Venice Film Festival for his performance as a gay professor in "A Single Man", directed by fashion designer Tom Ford, and based on Christopher Isherwood's 1964 novel.

Firth has been crticised, however, for saying at a news conference that the film was not "about being gay".

For the full story, criticism and comments and to receive more LGBT news items regularly, go to www.PinkNews.co.uk

22.9.09

Reading Pride

We estimate that there were 300-400 people in the colourful parade, including Cruella de Ville, Snow White and Red Riding Hood.  We made our way through Reading's shopping area, made a tour around Forbury Gardens - to make sure nobody missed us! - and eventually finished up in Kings Meadow.

It was revitalising to walk in the company of LGBT people, who were politically aware and were on the parade because they had a cause. They knew that we have not arrived in LGBT Utopia and the chanting of young, middle-aged and old drew attention to problems, such as homophobia, that are ever present, throughout this country and the world.

At KIngs Meadow, many important orgaisations had taken stalls, (see photgraphs on Reading Pride page above) and there was entertainment for everyone.

This is a Pride Day that has been going on for 6 years and obviously unites the community throughout the year.  It is still growing, but unlike some other Prides, it is not yet in danger of becoming too large.  If Kent is to have a dynamic LGBT community, then all those truly commited to Diversity, including Councillors, professionals responsible for Diversity issues and Pride Day organisers, should head for events like Reading Pride and look, listen and learn. 

6.9.09 

Thousands sign Downing Street petition demanding apology for Alan Turing.

More than 26,000 have signed a petition calling on the government to apologise for the way in which computer genius and gay man Alan Turing was treated during his lifetime.

Alan Turing played a vital part in helping us to win the World War 2, but committed suicide after being jailed for homosexuality.

If you want to sign the petition go to

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/turing/ 

(Pride in Canterbury presented their tribute to Alan Turing in February, but acknowledge that this fact is unlikely to be connected with the above.) 

Update. Following this campaign and petition, Gordan Brown has issued an official government apology over Turing's homophobic persecution.                       

Arnie honours Harvey Milk

Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and his wife Maria Shriver, have chosen gay icon Harvey Milk as one of the 13 inductees into the state's Hall of Fame.

Harvey Milk became the first openly gay  elected official from a major city in the United States, when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977.  He was shot and killed in 1978 by Dan White a former city supervisor.

Harvey Milk is revered nationally and globally as a pioneer of the LGBT civil rights movement. President Obama has awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

(See also Entertainments/DVDs)

27.8.09

Bears on the Boards in Margate!

We have always been calling for entertainment of special appeal to the LGBT community to appear in the area. Well, at the weekend it happened.

On Friday and Saturday, "The Sassy Seaside Show" rolled into the Theatre Royal, Margate. The show was specially devised for the theatre as part of the "Dippers and Dunkers Festival of New Variety and Burlesque".

The wide variety of talented International and National stars of the New Variety scene incuded a cross-dressing ariel act, a hunk, who stripped, got into a balloon and eventually emerged as Elvis Presley - you had to be there!- but the highlights of the evening for me, came from Master of Ceremonies Fred Bear and his burlesque bears, the chubby hairy darlings of the male burlesque scene. Their routines "Bear Necessities" and "Mein Bear", (borrowed from Liza in "Cabaret), were a joy. In a show that included an excellent female burlesque performance, there was truly something for everyone.

Was Margate shocked? Not a bit of it! At the end of the show, they gave the artists a standing ovation. A woman was heard to say " I brought my mother last night and she loved it!"

Thank you, Thanet and the Theatre Royal. Take note Canterbury.     

24.8.09 

Messages of Support

Because of the opposition we have experienced, with our plans to bring LGBT culture to Canterbury, we sent out letters to a wide variety of people asking for messages of support. We have been very heartened by the responses we have received and you will be able to read a selection of these over the coming weeks. Go to the Messages of Support page and double click on the item for a larger image.

20.7.09

HOW PROUD IS THANET PRIDE?

We have always been pleased to take part in Thanet Pride and to support it in any way we can. We much appreciate Thanet Council’s commitment to, and involvement in, this important day, together with, the hard work of Kevin Grice and the Thanet Pride Committee, “Sundowners” and all those who work towards the day’s success. We have presented Pride in Canterbury Awards to the event and its organisers.

Thanet Pride is Kent’s only major LGBT Pride event.  After two very successful Canterbury LGBT Pride days, we were glad and grateful that Thanet took over the baton, which means that there have now been five such events, with a sixth promised for next year.  We hope that the event will go from strength to strength.  We do feel, however, that there are important points that should now be addressed.

Given the amount of money that is thrown at this event, the opening parade is very disappointing.  This parade is the opportunity for LGBTs to demonstrate pride in their diversity.  It should be longer. It needs at least one high profile LGBT figure, to lead the procession with the local dignitaries, and to speak from the stage on LGBT issues and give messages of support and encouragement to the community.  The three showgirls and two Miss Margates had nothing to do with the day and unfortunately it looked like a very poor local carnival procession.

The show on the main stage is very successful, but if groups such as Bucks Fizz and Same Difference (last year) are paid large sums to appear, while some LGBT acts are willing to receive only expenses, then they should, at least, be on message, acknowledging the importance and significance of Pride days for the LGBT community.

It was noticeable, that an article about the event in Kent on Saturday, failed to mention any of the drag acts and LGBT performers appearing and, while stressing that heterosexuals and their families are welcome (which they are), did not mention the importance and significance of Pride Days for the LGBT community. Whether this was the fault of the press release, which was issued for the day, or selective editing by the newspaper, we do not know.  The words Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender or LGBT did not appear in the complimentary programme for the day, apart from the word “gay” in two advertisements for local businesses. 

We understand the necessity for political and financial reasons for “Diversity” to be emphasised in this event, but it is not helping minority groups to gain recognition and understanding if they remain unnamed and their voice is stifled.

We wish Thanet LGBT Pride Day continuing success, but to guarantee this, these issues need to be addressed.

 

23.07.09