The LesBian News Stack 2010 – May 13

By joan on Friday, May 14, 2010 - 00:06

Slavic Pride is banned, Baltic Pride took place after all, the UK has two out lesbian MPs, an Austrian Cardinal voiced relatively positive views on homosexual couples and two British girls choose a special vehicle to drive to their prom.

Austria

GayCops Austria celebrate their 5 year anniversary. The initiative first started by Ewald Widi wants to provide a network for LGBT police officers in Austria. Despite their young age as an organisation, GayCops Austria have already achieved some successes; one-and-a-half years ago the Ministry for the Interior appointed a Diversity Manager and this year the European Gay Police Association Conference, a bi-annual conference for LGBT police officers, is held in Vienna.

Photo: GayCops Austria

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn surprised by voicing his relatively positive views on homosexuality.

Regarding homosexuality we should start taking into account the quality of a relationship, and speak appreciative about this quality. A stable relationship is without doubt better than living out one's own promiscuity.
Cardinal Schönborn (via kath.net)

Calling politically aware artists: The Austrian green party Die Grünen are looking for comics about countering discrimination and xenophobia. The best entries will be published as free postcards. Learn more about the competition at Zeich(n)en gegen Rechts.

Belarus

Slavic Pride in Minsk, originally planned for May 15, is banned for the dodgy reason that "public events are not allowed at the distance of less than 200 metres from underground pedestrian crossings and metro stations". An interesting fact is that according to Sergei Androsenko, co-organiser of Slavic Pride, the same route has been successfully taken by many marches and parades in the past. Androsenko says that they are ready to take the case to the United Nations Human Rights Committee. Apart from that they are still planning to protest either in front of the Minsk City Executive Committee or next to the Presidential Administration on May 15 to raise awareness for discrimination against LGBT people.

Croatia

The Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP) are planning to bring forward a motion to add a law against the discrimination of homosexuals to the country's constitution. In its current form the constitution only protects against discrimination on the grounds of ethnicity, religion, nativity and political opinion.

France

The conflict between Fiertés de Provence and Tous & Go might result in two separate pride events in Marseille.

Last Valentine's Day, lesBians, gays and transsexuals, who participated in a kiss-in in Paris, were verbally and physically attacked by a French catholic extremist group (eurOut reported). Four attackers have now been identified and will be facing a court trial on June 4.

SOS Homophobie publish their 2010 report on homophobia in France.

Entrée Payante is a charity raising money for the fight against homophobia. From May 12 to 19 a sign calling for an "entrance fee to the right of equality" will appear in over 600 shops and many public places in Paris.