REVIEW OF 2010

Disappointments

Our evidence shows that LGBT young people in Calderdale are still a highly vulnerable group; that most services are still not meeting their needs (although there has been some improvement) and that accessing GALYIC significantly reduces their vulnerabilities.

We have spent more time than ever this year raising these issues with strategic groups. Despite our efforts, even before the new coalition government announced cuts in local authority spending, it was clear there would be no extra funding coming to GALYIC from local sources.

Like most voluntary organisations, GALYIC ends 2010 not knowing whether we will receive funding from the local authority next year.

This should not, however, over-shadow our achievements.

Successes

National Work

2011

Despite the current economic climate, 2010 saw the passing of the Equality Act and in April 2011 the Public Sector Equality Duty comes into force. This may herald changes in services for LGBT young people as, by law, public services should proactively be tackling homophobia, promoting respect for LGBT people and meeting their needs. Let's wait and see.

NEW LGBT YOUTH GROUP FOR HUDDERSFIELD

22nd December 2010
Starting January 11th there will be a new LGBT youth group meeting every Tuesday, 6.15-7.45 pm in Huddersfield town centre. Louise is the youth worker. Click here to access information about LGBT youth groups in West Yorkshire.

EXPLAINING AMERICAN SCHOOLS' GAY BULLYING EPIDEMIC

13th December 2010
Author of The Right to be Out, Stuart Biegel, Professor of Law at the University of Los Angeles, is interviewed by Thomas Rogers of Salon. The interview gives a good insight into the current backlash and is probably as relevant here in Britain. Click here to access interview.

ALCOHOL AND DRUG TREATMENT SERVICES NEED TO BE RESPONSIVE TO LGBTs

12th December 2010
The coalition government's Drugs Strategy (2010) recognises the need to tailor services to be responsive to the needs of specific groups such as black and ethnic minorities and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender users. Click here for more information.

YOUNG LGBs MORE LIKELY TO BE PUNISHED

6th December 2010
A Yale University study has found that young LGBs are more likely to experience school expulsions, arrests, juvenile convictions, adult convictions and especially police stops. The study, which looked at data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) included about 15,000 middle and high school students who were followed for seven years into early adulthood. Click here for more information and here to access full research article.

U.S. STUDY FINDS FAMILY ACCEPTANCE OF LGBT ADOLESCENTS PROTECTS AGAINST DEPRESSION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SUICIDAL BEHAVIOUR

6th December 2010
The latest edition of Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing includes an article entitled Family Acceptance in Adolescence and the Health of LGBT Young Adults. The results of a study by the Family Acceptance Project are that family acceptance predicts greater self-esteem, social support, and general health status; it also protects against depression, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation and behaviors. Click here for more information and here to access full article.

US LAUNCH HEALTHY PEOPLE 2020 INCLUDING LGBT SECTION

3rd December 2010
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has just launched its Healthy People 2020. The details are identified on the government website HealthyPeople.gov, which includes a new section on LGBT people.
The goal is to improve the health, safety, and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals.
A key priority is further research to document, understand, and address the environmental factors that contribute to health disparities in the LGBT community.
The webpage also highlights efforts so far made to address health inequalities identified. These include:
LGBT youth are 2 to 3 times more likely to attempt suicide.
LGBT youth are more likely to be homeless.
Lesbians are less likely to get preventive services for cancer.
Gay men are at higher risk of HIV and other STDs, especially among communities of color.
Lesbians and bisexual females are more likely to be overweight or obese.
Transgender individuals have a high prevalence of HIV/STDs, victimization, mental health issues, and suicide and are less likely to have health insurance than heterosexual or LGB individuals.
Elderly LGBT individuals face additional barriers to health because of isolation and a lack of social services and culturally competent providers.
LGBT populations have the highest rates of tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use. Click here to access the site.

GAYS MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF HATE CRIME THAN ANY OTHER MINORITY

1st December 2010
The Southern Poverty Law Center have published analysis of 14 years of hate recorded crime in the USA and have found that homosexuals, or those perceived to be gay, are more than twice as likely to be attacked in a violent hate crime as Jews or blacks; more than four times as likely as Muslims; and 14 times as likely as Latinos. The findings are based on FBI hate crime statistics from 1995 to 2008, the period for which there is complete data. Click here for further information.

CHICAGO STUDY FINDS LGB YOUTH HAVE SAME LEVEL OF MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AS BLACK AND MINORITY YOUTH

1st December 2010
This week's edition of the American Journal of Public Health includes research which suggests that lesbian, gay and bisexual young people in Chicago have similar levels of mental ill-health as black and minority ethnic youth. The research also suggests that, contrary to previous research, bisexual young people are not more likely to have mental health problems than other youth. Nevertheless, over 30% of the young participants had attempted suicide at some point in their life. Click here for further information.

CANADA: MOST GAY AND BI YOUNG MEN NOT SUICIDAL

1st December 2010
Dr Elizabeth Saewyc, of the University of British Columbia and the McCreary Centre Society, gave a presentation at the Gay Men's Health Summit in Vancouver in which she said that most gay and bisexual young men were not suicidal. Click here for further information.

ANNUAL LGBT HISTORY AND ARCHIVES CONFERENCE

1st December 2010
The eight annual city of London LGBT History and Archives Conference will be held this Saturday at the London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London. The theme is young people's projects and activities and will showcase projects from around Britain. Click here for further information.

GOVERNMENT EDUCATION WHITE PAPER INCLUDES TACKLING HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING

26th November 2010
The recently published education white paper highlights the need for schools to tackle homophobic bullying. The white paper states that the government will "Strengthen head teachers’ authority to maintain discipline beyond the school gates, improve exclusion processes and empower head teachers to take a strong stand against bullying, especially racist, homophobic and other prejudice-based bullying." Government say they will "Focus Ofsted inspections more strongly on behaviour and safety, including bullying, as one of four key areas of inspection."
The white paper continues, "If parents have concerns about behaviour, and feel that the school has not dealt with them properly, they can ask Ofsted to carry out an inspection. In deciding how to proceed, Ofsted will consider whether evidence suggests that standards of behaviour have dropped since the last inspection and whether they give cause for concern. Ofsted may choose to contact the school for more information before deciding whether it needs to inspect the school, or it may carry out an inspection immediately if the problems are serious." Click here to access full white paper.

NEW US NATIONAL LGBT YOUTH SUICIDE PREVENTION STRATEGY

24th November 2010
A national task force dedicated to suicide prevention among LGBT youth is to be part of a new National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention in the USA. The task force will be led by the head of The Trevor Project, which operates a national LGBT youth suicide prevention programme, and Kevin Jennings, the US Department of Education’s Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, who was the founder of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Click here for further information.

HARD FOR RELIGIOUS LGBT YOUTH IN AUSTRALIA

24th November 2010
A national study on 3000 same-sex attracted teenagers aged between 14 and 21 years from La Trobe University in Australia, has found those respondents who said religion was a significant part of their lives were more likely to experience homophobic abuse at home. Click here for further information.

ANTI-HOMOPHOBIA POLICIES IN SCHOOLS SAVE LIVES IN AUSTRALIA

24th November 2010
The same study also found that three quarters of students who knew they attended a school with no policy or reported that they attended a homophobic school were at higher risk of a range of negative outcomes: suicide attempts, self-harm, feeling bad about their sexuality. Click here for further information. And here to access the full report.

NEW JERSEY PASSES ANTI-BULLYING BILL OF RIGHTS ACT

23rd November 2010
A new law, which strengthens previous anti-bullying legislation will require that all educators are trained in bullying prevention, make all schools have anti-bullying programs, provide the DOE with tools they need to combat bulling, clarify investigation procedures and mandating investigation by school staff, require educators to report all bullying they learn about on or off school grounds, and require enhanced reporting to the public about how schools handle bullying and harassment. Click here for further information.

ISLAMIC SCHOOLS TEACHING GAYS SHOULD BE KILLED

22nd November 2010
A Panorama programme to be screened on BBC1 tonight at 8.30 pm looks at how 40 Saudi Students' Schools and Clubs around Britain are teaching anti-Semetic materials and that the punishment for gay sex is death and states a difference of opinion about whether it should be carried out by stoning, burning with fire or throwing the person over a cliff. Ofsted are looking into the possible regulation and inspection of out-of-hours schools and clubs. At present, part-time schools do not fall within Ofsted's mandate. Click here for further information.

NICK CLEGG CALLS FOR END TO BULLYING, ESPECIALLY HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING

17th November 2010
Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats and Deputy Prime Minister of the Coalition Government has chosen anti-bullying week to launch a video calling for an end to bullying in schools and in particular, homophobic bullying. The Coalition Government have pledged to give schools new powers to stop bullying but has yet to announce what the measures will be. Click here to access video.

CONSULTATION ON BBC'S DIVERSITY STRATEGY

10th November 2010
The BBC have launched a consultation to ask the public what they think about their diversity strategy. The consultation closes 7th January 2011. Here is your opportunity to, hopefully, influence the BBC. Click here to take the survey.

AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH ON LGBT YOUTH

10th November 2010
New research from La Trobe University has found that LGBT young people are coming out at younger ages and experiencing higher levels of abuse in school. Findings from the reports were shared at the New South Wales Parliamentary forum where calls for all political parties to take action were encouraged. Click here for further information.

SUICIDE PLAN FOR VICTORIA (AUSTRALIA) INCLUDES LGBT YOUTH

10th November 2010
$215,000 Australian dollars have been awarded annually for four years to role out initiatives to support LGBT young people. A further $320,000 has been made available to Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria to train staff from youth and health agencies across Victoria to better deal with young people struggling with their sexuality. Click here for further information.

INTEGRATING LGBT ISSUES INTO THE CURRICULUM

8th November 2010
A school in Stoke Newington, North London, has been integrating LGBT issues within the curriculum for five years now and this has helped to get rid of homophobic bullying and promote respect. Click here to access article in The Independent.

SAFE SCHOOL POLICY FOR LGBTQ STUDENTS

7th November 2010
There are two laws currently being proposed in the USA to stop bullying in schools. Within this context, the latest issue of the Social Policy Report from the American Society for Research in Child Develoopment looks at Safe School Policy for LGBTQ Students. The Report reviews research on LGBTQ students during the past decade and highlights the consequencies of homophobic environments on emotional and behavioural health. The authors end the report by reviewing educational strategies associated with well-being for LGBTQ young people and all students. Click here to download report.

BISHOP OF WAKEFIELD CALLS FOR THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND TO LISTEN AND BUILD A LESS HOMOPHOBIC SOCIETY

4th November 2010
An article written by the Bishop of Wakefield, the Right Reverend Stephen Platten, says that the Church of England should take a lead in engaging with gay people and that the prejudices of the Church need challenging.
After coming to the GALYIC youth group, listening to a presentation by, and talking to, members, Bishop Stephen wrote an article about his visit in which he acknowledges the effects of homophobia on young LGBT people. Bishop Stephen says,
"After my evening in Halifax, I wondered whether the Church of England had even begun to listen. I did not feel that I had to any serious degree, at least not to gay people outside of the Church." Click here to access article.

10 WAYS TO SUPPORT LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE IN EDUCATION

3rd November 2010
Calderdale Council and GALYIC have produced a briefing for staff in education. The leaflet, 10 Ways to Support LGBT Young People in Education, will be distributed to teachers in secondary schools throughout Calderdale during November. Click here to download the briefing.

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER

3rd November 2010
A newly enlarged and revised book with detailed extracts from the original Anne Lister diaries by Helena Whitbread is just published by Virago. Click here to for more information.

GALYIC CALLS FOR POSITIVE ACTIONS TO COMBAT HOMOPHOBIA & ITS EFFECTS

2nd November 2010
GALYIC were invited to the Calderdale Children & Young People's Scrutiny Panel to give an up-date on what has happened over the past year.
The key areas identified include age of coming out and lack of support from parents; homophobic bullying and abuse; homelessness; substance misuse; mental health problems; unprotected sex.
Whilst there has been a significant increase in the number of schools who refer young people to GALYIC and an increase in the number of partnership projects between GALYIC and other services, there has been little change in health services meeting the needs of LGBT youth.
The findings are placed within the context of the new Equality Act and the forthcoming Public Sector Equality Duty. Eight areas are identified where there is need for Positive Action. Click here to access the powerpoint presentation.

CONSULTATION ON HALIFAX INFORMATION SHOP FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

2nd November 2010
Many of GALYIC members pop into the Information Shop in Halifax for support and advice. It is likely that the Information Shop will have to close next April due to cutbacks. The Health Service (who fund the info shop) are conducting a survey on what young people think about it. I would urge all GALYIC members to download the attached survey, complete it and return it to the address stated. Click here for information and survey.

GOVERNMENT OF VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, INVESTS THOUSANDS IN SUICIDE PREVENTION OF LGBT YOUTH

2nd November 2010
In an acknowledgement of the vulnerabilities of LGBT young people to suicide, the Victorian government in Australia has announced a substantial amount of money that will go towards setting up new LGBT youth support groups and pay for awareness training for those who work with young people around supporting LGBT youth. Click here for further details.

LIFE FOR LGBT YOUTH IN RURAL USA

28th October 2010
A new book entitled Out in the Country: Youth, Media and Queer Visibility in Rural America, by Professor Mary Gray, a sociologist at Indiana University, has just been published. Click here to hear an interview with her on US radio talking about the experiences of LGBT young people who live in the country.

LONDON SCHOOL ERADICATES HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING

27th October 2010
For the past five years, Stoke Newington secondary school has taken part in LGBT history month and now LGBT themes are integrated into the curriculum. Elly Barnes, one of the teachers at the school, has spear-headed the campaign to eradicate homophobic bullying. Her dynamic personality and commitment came over very clearly last year when she spoke at the Pre-launch of LGBT History Month. Click here to access more information about how the school has eradicated homophobic bullying, and here to hear her speak.

US STUDY FINDS ONE IN TEN YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE HAD SAME-SEX EXPERIENCE AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ENGAGED IN RISKY SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR

27th October 2010
In a recent study of students in Massachusetts and Vermont, published in the journal Pediatrics, the findings showed that there had been a signficant rise in the number of young people who admitted to having a same-sex experience from 5-6% in 2002 to 9.3% in 2010. The study included 17,000 teenagers. More than half of boys who engaged in bisexual behavior didn’t use a condom, compared to a fifth of those who engaged exclusively in heterosexual behavior. Whilst it was similar for girls who engaged in bisexual behavior and those who engaged exclusively in heterosexual behavior: About half of the former didn’t use a condom, compared to 30 percent of the latter. Click here to access more information.

LGBT YOUTH IN ENGLAND HIGHEST GROUP TO BE BULLIED IN SCHOOL WITH LEAST SUPPORT AND LEAST EFFORTS MADE TO CHALLENGE HOMOPHOBIA

20th October 2010
The Equality and Human Rights Commission submitted three questions to the National Foundation for Educational Research in their February 2010 survey of 1,700 teachers: 1. the extent to which their school is promoting equality and respect for various pupil groups; 2. the treatment and behaviour of various pupil groups, for example whether they are bullied, stereotyped or become disaffected; and 3. the opportunities for pupils to learn about a range of cultures and beliefs, and to participate in a diverse society. LGBT young people came out bottom by a huge margin in most of the questions. They are significantly more likely to be bullied than other groups (gender, ethnicity, disability, religion); there is significantly less work being conducted in schools to encourage respect for them; and they are the least group to be seen by teachers as feeling supported in school. Click here to access this damning report and here to access the main report, How Fair is Britain?

LINK BETWEEN SCHOOL VICTIMIZATION OF GENDER-NONCONFORMING LGBT YOUTH AND DEPRESSION

4th October 2010
The Family Acceptance Project are about to publish research which found non-conforming LGBT youth experienced higher levels of abuse resulting in higher levels of depression and decreased life satisfaction Click here for more information.

LOS ANGELES LESBIAN-GAY CENTRE GETS 13MILLION DOLLAR GRANT TO HELP SUPPORT YOUNG LGBTS IN CARE

2nd October 2010
The largest ever state grant to an LGBT organisation has been awarded to a lesbian and gay centre in Los Angeles to develop a model of support for LGBT young people in care. The grant of 13 million dollars will cover a five-year period. Click here for more information.

BBC LAUNCH GAY RIGHTS ARCHIVE SITE

2nd October 2010
The BBC have just launched a new section to their archive, Gay Rights Movement. Click here to access archive.

SUICIDE OF GAY TEENS IN USA

1st October 2010
A spate of suicides in the USA of gay teenagers is receiving significant media coverage. Click here for further information and here to access a video by Ellen DeGeneres who calls for action.
Some of us have been working in this area for years, banging our heads against brick walls. Perhaps this will, as Ellen DeGeneres says, be a wake-up call in the USA.
The situation is probably as bad here in the UK because homophobic bullying is rife across all schools and what support groups there are for LGBT youth are dreadfully under-resourced; some may even have to close with the threatened cuts to public services.
If you care about this then you should be out fighting for more resources for LGBT youth support groups, challenging mainstream services to meet the needs of LGBT young people as well as trying to stop homophobia at its roots: religion, law, media, education, medicine, families.

EQUALITY ACT COMES INTO FORCE

1st October 2010
Today sees the introduction of the new Equality Act. The Equality and Human Rights Commission have published a starter pack. Click here for further information.

BBC SURVEY RESULTS

30th September 2010
The BBC today launched the results of a survey they have conducted into attitudes about lesbian, gay and bisexual people represented in BBC programmes. There is a call for more portrayal of LGBs and greater diversity within it; plus greater authenticity in LGB portrayal, less reliance on stereotypes and further integration across genres to reflect the everyday lives of LGB people. The BBC have said they are committed to addressing the issues raised to achieve accurate and authentic portrayal of LGB people across its services and a working party will monitor progress. Click here for further information. There has been significant criticism from the gay media as well as LGBT activitists such as Peter Tachell; click here for further information.

CANADIAN HOMELESS YOUTH

28th September 2010
A new Canadian study has found that homeless youths are the most often victims of crime. Young lesbian and bisexual women came out as the most victimized group with 60 per cent reporting that they had been sexually assaulted in the past year. Click here for further information.

RAINBOW TOUCHSTONES: MENTAL HEALTH STORIES FROM LGBT NEW ZEALANDERS

27th September 2010
The aim of PrideNZ is to create a positive web space for Queer/LGBTI voices from Aotearoa New Zealand. They want to challenge, affirm, provoke and reflect our views and cultures. They have just launched a new project, Rainbow Touchstones, which is a collection of six videos of LGBT people talking about their mental health. Click here to access videos.

CANADIAN SCHOOLS DRAW UP GAY-FRIENDLY POLICIES

27th September 2010
Two more schools in Vancouver have developed gay-friendly policies spearheaded by Gay Straight Alliances. Click here for further information.

CAMPAIGN TO REPORT HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING IN USA

27th September 2010
Two organisations have come together to promote a campaign to report homophobic bullying. Parents, Families and Friends (PFLAG) and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) have launched a new campaign and toolkit, Claim Your Rights to encourage and support LGBT young people to report incidents of homophobic bullying. Click here for further information.

NEW BRITISH HOUSEHOLD SURVEY SUGGESTS 1.5% OF BRITONS ARE GAY/BISEXUAL

27th September 2010
A newly published survey by the Office of National Statistics is suggesting that only 1% of the population is gay/lesbian and .5% are bisexual. Click here for further information and here to access report.

44% OF GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN UNAWARE ARE HIV+

27th September 2010
A study from 21 cities in the USA has found that 1 in 5 gay and bisexual men have the AIDS virus but don't know it. More than 8,000 men were interviewed and tested and 44% of them did not know they had the AIDS virus. Click here for further information.

IT GETS BETTER

23rd September 2010
A new You Tube project aimed at supporting isolated LGBT young people has been launched by advice columnist Dan Savage. Older LGBTs share their experiences in a series of short videos. Click here for further information.

ELIMINATING LGBT HEALTH DISPARITIES IN THE USA

23rd September 2010
A tool for assisting hospitals in measuring their own performance related to providing equitable care to gay and lesbian patients and creating workplace environments that are LGBT-friendly has been introduced by the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association and the Human Rights Campaign in the USA. The Human Rights Campaign conducts an annual Health Equality index and the latest report, available on line, shows that, on the one hand, 93% of hosptials fail to safeguard LGBT people from discrimination whilst at the same time shares examples of specific steps and changes made at several institutions to better meet the needs of LBGT patients. Click here for further information.

ADOLESCENT HEALTH ISSUES

23rd September 2010
Verna Eggleston, executive director of the Hetrick Martin Institute in New York, the largest gay and lesbian youth organisation in the USA, spoke about the needs of LGBT youth at the 3rd Annual Health Issues for Youth at Risk Conference in Chicago. It is estimated that there are 30,000 homeless youth in New York and that 40% of these are LGBT. Click here for further information.

BUTCH CONFERENCE

23rd September 2010
A conference aimed at butch lesbians will take place in Los Angeles on October 8-10. Similar events are taking place in New York and Oregon. The event will include several butch activists and will include a historical overview of butch lesbians and the evolving nature of butchness. Click here for further information.

BISEXUAL DAY

23rd September 2010
Bisexual activists in the USA are gathering today in Chicago to celebrate Bisexual Day. Click here for further information.

STORIES OF SURVIVAL

23rd September 2010
One-hundred-and-fifty recovering addicts attended an event in Ontario, Canada. This article shares three of their recovery stories, including a young lesbian. Click here for further information.

CLARE BALDING COMPLAINT TO PRESS COMPLAINTS COMMISSION UPHELD

17th September 2010
Well done, Clare Balding, for complaining about E.E. Gill's derogatory comments in an article in the Sunday Times. Be good if the editor, John Witherow, could also make a public apology for his comments in response to Clare's complaint: "In my view some members of the gay community need to stop regarding themselves as having a special victim status and behave like any other sensible group that is accepted by society." John Witherow can come and meet members of the GALYIC youth group anytime to find out, first hand, whether lesbians and gays are accepted by society. Click here and here for further information.

LGBT STUDENTS AND STAFF MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE HARASSMENT AT US COLLEGES THAN HETEROSEXUALS

16th September 2010
The 2010 State of Higher Education for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People was released this week by Campus Pride, an advocacy group. The report includes the findings from 5,149 people, including students, staff members, faculty members and administrators from all 50 states. 23% of LGBT people in the study compared with 12% heterosexuals had experienced harassment; this was more likely to be based on sexual orientation for LGBT respondents. Click here for further information.

NEARLY NINE OUT OF TEN LGBT STUDENTS HARASSED IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS

14th September 2010
GLSEN (Galy Lesbian Straight Education Network) have been studying homophobic abuse in US schools for ten years. Analysis of National School Climate Survey data over 10 years showed that since 1999 there has been a decreasing trend in the frequency of hearing homophobic remarks; however, LGBT students' experiences with more severe forms of bullying and harassment have remained relatively constant. Click here for further information.

FAMILY SUPPORT PROJECT

9th September 2010
GALYIC have joined forces with the Maze Project (Calderdale and Kirklees WomenCentre) to launch a new Family Support Project. Staff from the Maze Project are used to working in sensitive ways around domestic violence within families whilst GALYIC have the expertise of supporting young LGBT people. It is hoped this ground-breaking project will help families to be more accepting of their LGBT children. Click here for further information.

YOUNG GAY MEN TWICE AS LIKELY TO USE CHRYSTAL METH AS HETEROSEXUAL YOUTH

26th August 2010
Studies show that about one out of 10 gay or bisexual men in King County, Seattle, USA, uses crystal meth in any given year and that meth users are among the highest risk groups for contracting HIV. Meth use among gay men has been a pervasive problem for decades, particularly in the western United States. Click here for further information.

ENHANCING HIV PREVENTION SERVICES TO YOUNG GAY MEN

26th August 2010
Young gay men are most impacted by the HIV epidemic. Professor Perry Halkitis of New York University argues that a holistic approach to prevention programmes is essential. Such an approach would include substance misuse, mental health, and developing resiliency. Click here to read article.

COMING OUT ABOUT SMOKING

24th August 2010
A new report from the National Youth Advocacy Coalition in the USA identifies important implications for future research on tobacco use among young LGBTs and the development of culturally appropriate prevention, treatment and public policy initiatives aimed at reducing tobacco use disparities based on sexual and gender identities. Click here to access report.

GALYIC CELEBRATES

18th August 2010
GALYIC celebrated moving office to Hebden Bridge Town Hall and reaching our 11th birthday by holding an open day when members gave a presentation of some of our achievements. The Mayor, Councillor Dixon, welcomed members and later, along with the Town Clerk, hoisted the rainbow flag above the town hall. Click here for a compilation of photos from the event.

COMING OUT,COMING HOME: HELPING FAMILIES ADJUST TO A GAY OR LESBIAN CHILD

16th August 2010
A new book has just been published by Columbia University Press. Written by Dr. Michael Lasala, associate professor at the School of Social Work at Rutgers University. Coming out, coming home: Helping families adjust to a gay or lesbian child describes the findings and practice implications of a National Institute of Mental Health funded qualitative study of 65 gay and lesbian youth and their families. Click here to access Amazon to find out more about the book.

ON-LINE WORKSHOP WITH LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE

6th August 2010
The British Transport Police (LGBT Network) are holding a workshop on-line on 21st August, 1-3 pm for LGBT young people aged 16 to 24 years. This workshop, the first fully interactive online police and community event run by the police in the UK, gives the unique opportunity for young people to interact with officers and discuss experiences and concerns they may have faced with regards to hate crime.
There will be a chance for the young LGBT community to explore and suggest ways of improving services victims receive, providing vital feedback to officers.
Those participating in the workshop will each receive a goodie bag and a chance of winning a bundle of DVDs.
To register for the event Click here .

REDUCING MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THE LGBT COMMUNITY

2nd August 2010
A specialist health service is being piloted in Lothian, to help reduce the mental health inequalities experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. The project will provide social activities and set up peer support groups that improve social networks, as isolation and social exclusion greatly increase the risk of poor mental health. It is funded by NHS Lothian, with a grant from the Scottish Government. Click here to access further information.

GAY MEN REMAIN UK'S TOP DRUG USERS

30th July 2010
The UK Drug Policy Commission have just published a series of reports on minority groups including LGBT, disabled and BME communities. The aim of the review was to encourage greater consideration of the needs and challenges of drug problems for minority groups, by bringing together a variety of evidence in one place. The findings suggest that mainstream services are not always meeting the needs of diverse communities. The reports present challenges for commissioners of and practitioners within drug services and identifies key implications for policy and practice. Much of the LGBT research is about gay men but the findings also show that lesbians are more likely to use marijuanha. Click here for the literature review, here for the policy briefing, and here for the implications of all reviews with regard to policy and practice. Click here for a link to an article in The Guardian, and here to access the reports on the disabled and BME communities.

SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS HELP GAY TEENS

30th July 2010
A new study, from the University of Michigan, which will be published in the Journal Youth and Adolescence next month, found that girls in lesbian relationships reported reduced internalised homophobia after even just one month, while boys' relationships needed to last longer to have an effect on self-esteem. Click here to access further information. The article is entitled 'Relationship trajectories and psychological well-being among sexual minority youth'.

STUDY ON HOMOPHOBIA IN HASTINGS

30th July 2010
The University of Brighton has been awarded funding to gather information on the policies of local employers and service providers, to highlight areas where discrimination faces LGBT people in Hastings. The research will include an audit of all public bodies to see how they are meeting their equalities duties and catering for their LGBT populations. Click here to access further information.

SMOKING RATES HIGH AMONGST LGBT POPULATION IN SCOTLAND

15th July 2010
As with the recent American Lung Foundation report, prevalence rates for smoking appear to be higher amongst the LGBT community in Scotland than in the general population, but little is being done to address this basic health inequality.
Recommendations drawn from the report produced by Partnership Action on Tobacco and Health, include a call for closer links between tobacco control/smoking cessation organisations and those working in the LGBT/HIV/sexual health fields. Click here to access further information.

LGBT HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE UNITED NATIONS

14th July 2010
None of the 3,287 NGOs that have been approved by the UN council are international LGBT organizations and the application of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission last month to be approved was blocked. Click here to access further information.

NATIONAL HIV/AIDS STRATEGY FOR USA

13th July 2010
The vision for the new HIV/AIDs strategy is, "The United States will become a place where new HIV infections are rare and when they do occur, every person, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or socio-economic circumstance, will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination" Click here to access further information.

IMAMS HELP GAY MUSLIMS EMBRACE NEW SOCIAL IDENTITIES

13th July 2010
Some British Asian gay Muslims are embracing a new identity, based as much on race and religion as on sexual orientation with a number trying to do it with the help of their local imams. Click here to access further information.

SUICIDE PREVENTION STRATEGIES THAT TARGET LGBT COMMUNITIES CALLED FOR IN AUSTRALIA

13th July 2010
The Australian Senate's Community Affairs Reference Committee's report into suicide in Australia recommends attention be paid to the developing of target programs, prevention strategies and policies for the GLBTI community, and that GLBTI people be recognised as a higher risk group in regards to suicide for official purposes. Click here to access further information.

GALYIC'S NEW TELEPHONE NUMBER

6th July 2010
We have now completed our moved to Hebden Bridge Town Hall and our new landline telephone number is: 01422.844858.

GAY-FRIENDLY UNIVERSITY GUIDE

6th July 2010
Stonewall have produced an on-line guide to universities in the UK which tells you which ones are gay-friendly according to their ten-point check list. Click here to access the guide and here for a news report.

DRAMATIC SUICIDE RATES AMONG THE LGBT YOUTH

5th July 2010
COC Netherlands has called upon the Dutch Government to develop a comprehensive LGBT Youth Suicide Prevention policy after publication of the report, 'Increasingly normal, never the norm' by the Social and Cultural Research Agency identified LGBT young people as five times more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual youth. Click here for more information and here for report summary.

LGBT POPULATION TWICE AS LIKELY TO USE TOBACCO AS HETEROSEXUALS

2nd July 2010
A new report from the USA which looks at 40 separate research reports has concluded that smoking tobacco in the LGBT population is almost double that of heterosexuals. The report identifies stress and discrimination as the reason for the high levels of tobacco use and calls for sexual orientation and gender identity to be included routinely in research on tobacco use. The report also recommends that LGBT people should be regarded as a priority for specific, targeted, interventions. Click here for more information.

BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION: CONVERSION THERAPY DANGEROUS

2nd July 2010
Over two-thirds of doctors at the British Medical Association's annual meeting in Brighton have approved a motion backing a call for the Royal College of Psychiatrists and other mental health standards bodies to reject conversion therapy and ban their use in their codes of practice. Click here for more information.

GALYIC MOVES TO HEBDEN BRIDGE

30th June 2010
We have moved the GALYIC office from Todmorden to Hebden Bridge Town Hall. We will still be using the P.O. Box 8, Todmorden, Lancashire, OL14 5TZ address for correspondence, at least for the time being. At the moment we are using the mobile number until the new line is installed. 07765 361590.

CHICAGO'S LGBT COMMUNITY HONOURS 30 YOUNG PEOPLE

24th June 2010
Thirty young LGBT people aged under 30 years have been identified as being outstanding young people. Click here for more information.

GAY THEMED BOOKS IDENTIFIED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

24th June 2010
Young people from a school in Kentucky have identified a recent explosion in the publishing world of reads that speak to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning teens. Click here for more information.

PROMS FOR LGBT SOCIAL PHENOMENON IN CANADA

24th June 2010
At least a dozen cities, including Halifax, Toronto, Kitchener, Ont., Hamilton, Edmonton and Vancouver, are holding high school graduations for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students. Click here for more information.

LGBT YOUTH ISSUES TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT WHITE HOUSE MEETING

24th June 2010
A delegation from GLSEN (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) which included five young people attended an LGBT reception with President Obama at the White House. Click here for more information.

TEENAGER CHALLENGES SCHOOL

24th June 2010
A young lesbian in rural Mississippi is challenging her high school principal who refused her request to wear traditionally male clothing in her senior yearbook picture. Click here for more information.

OUTREACH PROGRAMME FOR AT RISK LGBT YOUTH

24th June 2010
Homeless LGBT youth in New York are being targeted by a special outreach health programme. Click here for more information.

MAKING THE SUICIDE PREVENTION VIDEO

24th June 2010
You Are Not Alone is a video aimed at reducing the level of suicides amongst LGBT young people. This article talks about how the project came about. Click here for more information.

LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE & HOMELESSNESS IN USA

21st June 2010
A significant new report from the USA states that the average age for lesbian and gay youth to become homeless is 14.4 and for transgender youth, 13.5. This is partly because the average age for gay and lesbian youth to come out is now mid-teens when they are dependent on their parents, many of whom are homophobic; young people are running away from home and often end up homeless. At the same time, most homelessness agencies are not responding to their specific needs. Click here for more information.

NATIONAL RESEARCH INTO LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE

19th June 2010
The Big Lottery Fund have awarded a grant of £500,000 to a consortium of agencies including the Metro Centre, London, Greenwich University and Ergo Consulting to conduct research into the needs of 15,000 LGBT young people aged 16 to 24 years across England. It is hoped the research will be able to track changes as it covers a period of five years. Click here for more information.

GOVERNMENT CONFIRM COMMITMENT TO LGBT EQUALITY

16th June 2010
Theresa May today released the new Coalition Government's commitment to tackling LGBT inequality. A larger document which will provide details of how the Government will meet its commitments will be published later in the year.
The four page factsheet briefly identifies the key areas, starting with schools, and states: "We will help schools tackle bullying, especially homophobic and transphobic bullying. As part of our drive to promote good behaviour in schools, we will ensure schools can effectively tackle bad behaviour and bullying with a particular focus on identifying and tackling homophobic and transphobic bullying.
The new public sector Equality Duty included in the Equality Act 2010 would require schools to consider how to focus on this issue."
The Government have said they will also "improve access to, and the quality of, support and reporting services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender victims of hate crime" as well as confirming their commitment to the Public Sector Equality Duty which comes into force next April. Click here for more information.

BULLYING LINKED TO YOUTH SUICIDE

13th June 2010
Research from the charity Beatbullying has found a clear link between bullying, most of which happened at school, and suicides among young people aged between 10 and 14 years;65% were girls. Of 59 cases reported in the media between 2000 and 2008, 26 were related to bullying. During the same period, 1,769 suicides occurred in young people aged between 15 and 19 years. Beatbullying are calling for action from Government. The report does not say how many of these were related to homophobic bullying but it is likely to be significant. Click here for more information.

FAMILY ACCEPTANCE VIDEO SCREENED AT FESTIVAL

12th June 2010
The Family Acceptance Project in San Francisco is developing six short videos to help parents of LGBTQ young people become more supportive and accepting of their children. The first of these videos, "Always My Son," was screened at the San Francisco LGBT Film Festival, Frameline34 this week. "This film presents a real life story that can offer hope to LGBT youth and families and help decrease the isolation that so many families of these youth experience," said FAP Director Caitlin Ryan. "Our intent is to show the family journey from struggle to support, while humanizing the lives of ethnically and religiously diverse young people and families." Click here to access report.

SURVIVORS OF TEL AVIV ATTACK DISPLAY DRAWINGS

12th June 2010
A year ago a gunman entered an LGBT youth group in Tel Aviv and shot and killed two people while injuring many others. Twelve of the survivors have an exhibition of their drawings which have helped them to cope with the experience. Click here for more information.

PREVENTING SUICIDE IN COLORADO

10th June 2010
Funded by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, We Are Not Alone is a 24 minute documentary made with nine LGBTQ young people and their straight allies. They talk about intimate struggles with family, domestic and sexual violence; substance abuse; bullying; self-harm; and, in the majority of the nine situations, violence that has led to suicide attempts. The dvd is aimed at schools to encourage students to "understand that [LGBTQ] teens go through some of the exact same things they do, and to understand, people are just people." Click here for more information.

STUDY CORRELATES SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND HEALTH DISPARITIES

10th June 2010
A new study from Masachusetts has found significant health disparities between lesbians, gays and bisexuals and heterosexuals which included mental health, tobacco use, weight, sexual assault during lifetime and lesbians were more likely than heterosexual women to report multiple risks for heart disease. Click here for more information. Click here for abstract.

LGB YOUTH MORE AT RISK OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES DUE TO SMOKING

2nd June 2010
A new study American study, published in the May issue of the journal Lung, found that gay and lesbian smokers between the ages of 18 and 24 were more likely to have had strep throat, a bacterial infection; bisexual smokers were more likely to have had a sinus infection, asthma or bronchitis, in contrast to their heterosexual peers. Click here for more information.

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER

24th May 2010
The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, will be screened on BBC2 next Monday, 31st May at 9pm. It will be followed by a documentary Revealing Anne Lister at 10.30pm. To see a ten-minute overview of her life, click here.

COALITION GOVERNMENT'S PROMISES

21st May 2010
"We will help schools tackle bullying in schools, especially homophobic bullying."
"We will use our relationships with other countries to push for unequivocal support for gay rights and for UK civil partnerships to be recognised internationally."
"We will stop the deportation of asylum seekers who have had to leave particular countries because their sexual orientation or gender identification puts them at proven risk of imprisonment, torture or execution."
"We will change the law so that historical convictions for consensual gay sex with over 16s will be treated as spent and will not show up on criminal records checks."
"We will promote better recording of hate crimes against disabled, homosexual and transgender people, which are frequently not centrally recorded." Click here for further information.

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER

15th May 2010
The BBC2 film, The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, is about Anne Lister who once owned Shiben Hall in Halifax. The film opened this year's London LGBT film festival on March 17th, is the closing film at this year's Toronto LGBT film festival on 30th May and will open this year's San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival on 17th June. It will be screened on BBC2 this June.

AFRAID TO BE GAY

15th May 2010
ITV's Tonight programme showed a 28 minute film made with Gareth Thomas, the rugby player who recently came out. Whilst acknowledging legal changes, the programme looks at the rise in homophobia and suggests we need to be doing more work in schools to tackle people's attitudes. Click here to access programme.

SURVEY ON SEX EDUCATION

15th May 2010
The government want to know what young people aged 11 to 18 years think about sex and relationships education and sexual health/contraception services. This is an opportunity for LGBTQ young people to say what you would like. Click here to take part in survey.

MAY 17th INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA AND TRANSPHOBIA

14th May 2010
Next Monday, Kiss-in events are taking place in cities around the world to mark IDAHO. Click here for further information.

LIVERPOOL LAUNCH ANTI-HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING SCHEME

14th May 2010
Peter Tatchell is launching a five-year anti-homophobic bullying programme in Liverpool. The plan is backed by local church leaders, representatives from the lesbian, gay and bisexual community and the National Union of Teachers and has been set up after research found that homophobic bullying was endemic in schools in Liverpool. But, perhaps, it was the murder of Michael Causer and the attack on PC James Parkes which has made Liverpool take this action. Click here for further information.

MINISTER FOR LGBT AFFAIRS

12th May 2010
The Australian National LGBT Health Alliance are asking whether or not there should be a minister for LGBT affairs given the level of health inequalities. The call came at a national conference attended by government officials. It was pointed out that the majority of equity groups had significant government infrastructure whilst LGBTI community does not. Click here for further information.

MAINSTREAM YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CENTRES TO TARGET LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE

6th May 2010
Headspace is the Australian governments national youth mental health foundation which has centres throughout Australia. Headspace are working with lesbian and gay groups to help them make their services more responsive to the needs of LGBT young people. Click here for further information.

$3.6 MILLION AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS FOR LGBT YOUTH SUICIDE PROJECT

6th May 2010
The local government in Victoria, Australia have just agreed to spend $3.6 million over four years to establish a youth suicide community support program to target young same-sex attracted and Indigenous young people. Click here for further information.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MORE PREVALENT IN SAME-SEX COUPLES

6th May 2010
Recent research from the University of California has found that same-sex couples are nearly twice as likely as heterosexual couples to experience domestic violence. Click here for further information.

PROTESTS TO SHUT GAY HOSTEL FAILS

4th May 2010
Attempts to close a homeless hostel for young gay people in Sunderland have failed. Click here for further information.

BOSTON STRONG ANTI-BULLYING LAW PASSED

29th April 2010
As a result of two teenagers who killed themselves because of bullying, the state of Massachusetts has passed the strongest anti-bullying law in the USA. Click here for further information.

TORONTO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS ESCAPING HOMOPHOBIA

28th April 2010
The Triangle Programme in Toronto is a school aimed at LGBT young people. It has grown from 10 when it first opened in 1995 to 45 students. Click here for further information.

LGBT TEENS IN CLOSET HIGHER RISK FOR PREGNANCY

28th April 2010
A survey published this week in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality shows higher pregnancy levels among sexual minority youth, one reason identified is the stigma gay teens continue to face and the strategies they may engage in order to cope with that stigma. In 1998 among the teenage girls surveyed, 7.3 per cent of lesbians and 10.6 per cent of girls who said they were bisexual reported pregnancy compared with 1.8 per cent of heterosexual girls. Click here for further information.

LGBT YOUTH MEET LEGISLATORS IN SACRAMENTO

28th April 2010
Around 100 youth from throughout California met in Sacramento to talk with staff and members of the state legislature and administrators from the Department of Education about LGBT issues, including access to mental health services, hate crimes protections, and educational opportunities. Click here for further information.

TEXAS TACKLES SEXUAL ABUSE IN PRISONS

26th April 2010
Several reports published in the USA reveal high levels of sexual abuse of LGBT inmates in prisons, including juvenile establishments. In order to reduce the level of sexual abuse in prisons, standards spell out requirements for staff training, inmate education and sexual assault investigations. They require facilities to provide prisoner rape survivors with access to medical and mental health services, even if inmates are too afraid to testify against their attackers. Click here for further information and see News Archive 2009 to access relevant report.

GAY MEN AND LESBIANS MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE VIOLENT EVENTS AND SUBSEQUENT PTSD

16th April 2010
A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health and Children's Hospital Boston has found that gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, and heterosexuals who have ever had a same-sex sex partner are one-and-a-half to two times as likely to experience violent events, especially in childhood, than the general population and have double the risk of experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a consequence of these events. It is the first study to directly link higher rates of PTSD in those four groups (classified as sexual minorities) to greater violence exposure. Click here for further information.

SCHOOL BOOKS ON HOMOSEXUALITY PRESENT A LOOK AT GAY LIFESTYLE

16th April 2010
The Gallup's Modern Guide to Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Life will be available fall 2010. The series presents gay lifestyle in a positive tone as an accepted way of life, not as an "issue". The 15 books comprising the series examine coming out, positive role models, and supportive communities. The series also covers the social and political stigma that gay people still face. Click here for further information.

47 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES UNANIMOUSLY AGREE ON HISTORIC HUMAN RIGHTS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PEOPLE

16th April 2010
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, representing the national governments of its 47 member countries, unanimously adopted the world's first intergovernmental agreement which codifies the application of human rights standards to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. The recommendations cover hate crimes and speech, employment, education, health care, housing, asylum, sports, and freedom of association, expression and assembly, among other areas. They also instruct member states to order national human rights bodies to address anti-LGBT discrimination. Click here for further information.

PLANS FOR SCHOOLS TO INTRODUCE COMPULSORY SEX EDUCATION DROPPED BY GOVERNMENT

7th April 2010
In order to get legislation through parliament before it closes for the general election, Ed Balls, Education Secretary, has dropped several contentious aspects of the bill, including one section which would have included compulsory sex education for 15 year olds. It was hoped that this would have included information about homosexuality, homophobic bullying and HIV. Click here for further information.

EQUALITY BILL

7th April 2010
The Equality Bill has now passed all of its stages and, once it has received Royal Assent, will become law. There were some fears that the legislation might have been lost if all stages had not gone through Parliament before it closes for the General Election. An important aspect of the new law is that as from April 2011 all public bodies, including councils, schools and the NHS will have to actively promote equality, including challenging homophobia and promoting equality for LGBTs. Click here for further information.

NEW CRIMINAL GAY HATRED LAW EFFECTIVE FROM TODAY IN UK

23rd March 2010
As from today, criminal offence outlaws threatening behaviour or materials intended to stir up hatred against people on grounds of their sexual orientation. The measures are included in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008, building on existing legislation against racial and religious hatred. Click here for further information.

NEW SCOTTISH SURVEY SAYS MOST LGBT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HATE CRIME

23rd March 2010
A survey by Stonewall Scotland has found that most LGBT people have been verbally abused with a third experiencing physical attacks. The survey found that 88% of people who experienced verbal abuse did not report it, and 61% of those physically attacked did not inform police. Click here for further information.

MASSACHUSETTS PASSES LEGISLATION OUTLAWING BULLYING

23rd March 2010
Following legislation passed by the Senate last week, the State of Massachusetts has passed a similar law which with the intention of stopping bullying in and out of schools including cyber-bullying. Click here for further information.

ADOLESCENT SAME-SEX ATTRACTION AND MENTAL HEALTH: THE ROLE OF STRESS AND SUPPORT

18th March 2010
Researchers Brent Teasdale and Mindy S Bradley-Engen have utilised the social stress model from the sociology of mental health to look at the impact of of social stress and social support on LGBT young people. The researchers conclude: "Our findings suggest that adolescents attracted to their own sex are at a higher risk for depressive symptoms because they are more likely to perceive prejudice, are more likely to witness and experience victimisation, and have lower perceptions of support and social acceptance…In other words, part of the reason these teens are more likely to think about and attempt suicide is their low levels of social support and high levels of stress." The full article can be found in the Journal of Homosexuality, volumne 57, number 2, February 2010, pp287-309. The authors suggest that school/ peer context could be crucial for intervention. Click here for further information.

ROMAN CATHOLIC ADOPTION AGENCY IN LEEDS WINS HIGH COURT BATTLE TO BAN LESBIANS AND GAYS FROM ADOPTION

18th March 2010
Catholic Care, which covers Leeds, Middlesborough and Hallam, South Yorkshire, has won a High Court battle which could allow it and other Catholic agencies to discriminate legally against lesbian and gay couples. Click here for further information.

EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH IN USA CONFIRMS FIRST LESBIAN BISHOP

18th March 2010
The Episcopal church in America have confirmed that Mary Douglas Glasspool has won support from the majority of her church's standing committees and diocesan bishops and will be ordained and consecrated on 15th May. Click here for further information.

GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN HIGHEST RISK GROUP IN USA FOR HIV/AIDS

18th March 2010
A new fact sheet published this month by the US Centre for Disease Control states that men who have sex with men (MSM) account for nearly half of HIV infections in the USA; they also count for nearly half of all new HIV infections each year. The main ages at which MSM become infected are 13-19 for young black MSM, 13-19 for young Hispanic MSM, and white MSMs in their 30s and 40s. Click here to access report.

LESBIANS AND GAYS EXCLUDED FROM US MEDICAL TRIALS

18th March 2010
An American researcher has found that in some medical research trials lesbian and gay people are excluded based on their sexual orientation. Click here for further information.

PARLIAMENTARY REPORT: GOVERNMENT BREAKING EUROPEAN LAW

12th March 2010
A report published today suggests that the government is passing legislation that may be unlawful because it is in breach of European directives. The report is critical of government for allowing religious organisations to discriminate against LGBT people in the Equality Bill. The report also suggests government's approach to faith schools may also be in breach of European law. Click here for further information and to access report.

NEW STUDY REVEALS PREVALENCE OF CYBERBULLYING AND ITS PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON NONHETEROSEXUAL YOUTH

9th March 2010
A new national online survey of 444 junior high, high school and college students between the ages of 11 and 22, included 350 self-identified non-heterosexual subjects. 54 percent of the LGBT and allied youth reported being victims of cyberbullying in the 30 days prior to the survey. This included electronic distribution of humiliating photos, dissemination of false or private information, or targeting victims in cruel online polls. Among the non-heterosexual respondents, 45 percent reported feeling depressed as a result of being cyberbullied, 38 percent felt embarrassed, and 28 percent felt anxious about attending school. More than a quarter (26 percent) had suicidal thoughts. Co-authored by Robyn Cooper and Warren Blumenfeld of Iowa State University, the study is being published in this month's special LGBT-themed issue of the International Journal of Critical Pedagogy. Click here for further information.

U.S. SURVEY FINDS SHARP DROP IN CHILDREN'S BULLYING

8th March 2010
A recent study, funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, found that the percentage of children who reported being physically bullied over the past year had declined from nearly 22 percent in 2003 to under 15 percent in 2008. Those reporting they'd been assaulted by other youths, including their siblings, dropped from 45 percent to 38.4 percent. There have been several initiatives to reduce bullying and the Olweus Bullying Prevention Programme, is one of the largest. It has been implemented in several thousand American schools. It is a comprehensive program that includes forming an anti-bullying committee, training staff to intervene immediately if they observe bullying and meeting with students and parents when problems occur. Click here for further information.

SUPPORTIVE FAMILIES, HEALTHY CHILDREN

28th February 2010
The Family Acceptance Project have recently published an excellent booklet aimed at showing parents of LGBT young people how their response to them coming out can seriously damage their children; there are also suggetions on how best to support their children. The publication is in simple language and includes lots of positive images and positive messages for parents. Click here to access Family Acceptance Project to download the publication.

GALYIC MEMBER STANDS FOR ELECTION FOR CALDERDALE YOUTH PARLIAMENT

20th February 2010
Andrew Greenwood, a member of GALYIC and the GALYIC Youth Council Secretary, is standing in the forth-coming youth parliament elections for Calderdale. Andrew, who used to attend Calder High School and is currently at Greenhead College, Huddersfield, is one of six candidates. The elections will take place next Thursday, 25th February at schools and youth centres throughout Calderdale. Good luck Andrew!

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION BACKS CAMPAIGN TO STOP HOMOPHOBIA IN FOOTBALL

20th February 2010
The English F.A. are supporting a campaign by the Justin Campaign initiative, Football v Homophobia launched yesterday to coincide with LGBT History Month. The Justin Campaign was founded to show that ten years after Justin Fashanu's tragic suicide in 1998, homophobia is still very present in the world of professional football. Click here for more information and here to access the Justin Campaign..

NEW FEDERAL LAW TO PROTECT GAY AND LESBIAN STUDENTS IN USA

20th February 2010
In response to homophobic bullying and in particular the murder of 15 year old Larry King, a new law is being introduced in the USA. The Student Non-Discrimination Act will mean that gay and lesbian students in public schools could not be excluded from participating in or be subject to discrimination under any educational programme that receives federal assistance. Discrimination would include harassment, which is defined as acts of "verbal, nonverbal or physical aggression" as well as intimidation or hostility based upon a student's actual or perceived sexual orientation. Schools that fail to enforce the protections could lose their federal funding. Students and their parents also would be allowed to sue them and seek monetary damages. Click here for more information.

EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL TACKLES HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING

20th February 2010
East Sussex County Council are using LGBT History Month to launch a new programme to tackle homophobic bullying in schools. The Council are working with Stonewall to develop the programme.
East Sussex County Council's Lead Member for Children and Families, Councillor Meg Stroude, said, "All our young people have the right to attend schools and youth clubs without the fear of being bullied or discriminated against. It is not just gay and lesbian young people who experience homophobic bullying and using sexual preference as an insult is both cowardly and ignorant. Everyone should be offended by this sort of bullying and is not something that is welcome in East Sussex." Click here for more details.

ANNE LISTER PRESENTATION BY GALYIC

19th February 2010
Members of GALYIC gave a presentation about Anne Lister at the LGBT History Month Pre-Launch event at the British Museum in London. A video of their presentation is now available on line. Click here to access it.

GALYIC ON RADIO LEEDS

12th February 2010
Helen Whitehouse, Crisis Intervention Worker and Amber, a member of GALYC, were interviewed on Radio Leeds today. Click here to access the interview, fast forward to: 1.09.23-1.22.33.

SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL BOARD OK's NEW GAY SUPPORT PROGRAMME

10th February 2010
Despite cut-backs in other areas, the School Board in San Francisco has agreed to fund a new programme to support students who are LGBT. There will be a district position to manage LGBT youth issues. The programme will also require the district to keep tabs on harassment and discrimination based on sexual orientation and distribute educational packets every year to parents encouraging them to discuss sexuality, gender identity and safety with their children. It is suggested 13% of middle schools and 11% of high school students identify as LGBT. In addition, 43 percent of those middle schools students who identify as LGBT - 430 children - said they didn't go to school because they didn't feel safe compared with 11 percent of heterosexual students Click here to access story.

LESBIAN AND BISEXUAL WOMEN'S HEALTH SURVEY IN CALDERDALE AND KIRKLEES

9th February 2010
The Brunswick Centre, funded by NHS Calderdale, Kirklees and Calderdale and Kirklees Councils have commissioned Huddersfield University to conduct research into the health and social care needs of lesbian and bisexual women in Calderdale and Kirklees. Click here to access the on-line survey.

FILMS ON MENTAL HEALTH TO BE SHOWN AT LESBIAN AND GAY FILM FESTIVAL

5th February 2010
Cooltan Arts will be showing three of their films about LGBTs and mental health at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. One film profiles the work of Cooltan Arts, a charity which uses creativity to enhance wellbeing for those with mental distress; the second covers a walk around some of the famous LGBT spots in London; whilst the third includes an interview with Maggie Hambling talking about her work, sexuality and mental health. Click here for further information.

US SURVEY FINDS HEALTH CARE DISCRIMINATES AGAINST LGBT PEOPLE

5th February 2010
When Health Care Isn't Caring is the title of Lambda Legal's Survey on Discrimination Against LGBT People and People Living with HIV. The survey is the first to examine refusal of care and barriers to health care among LGBT and HIV communities on a national scale in the USA. It is hoped that the data will influence decisions being made about how health care is delivered now and in the future Click here for further information.

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER

5th February 2010
A BBC film made about Anne Lister, the 19th century lesbian who owned Shibden Hall in Halifax, will open the 24th London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival on 17th March. The film stars Maxine Peake as Anne Lister. Click here for further information.

SUICIDAL BEHAVIOUR AMONG LGB YOUNG PEOPLE

5th February 2010
A new study from Canada which will be published in the February edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, has found that it is young people who self-identify as LGB or are unsure of their sexual orientation who are at risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts compared with those young people who identify as heterosexual but still have same-sex attractions or behaviour.
The researchers suggest that same-sex attraction/fantasy or behaviour per se does not increase suicidality and recommend further research to examine the link between anti gay sentiment and suicidality, as well as individual factors that lead to nonheterosexual identity expression in an adverse environment. Click here for further information.

NEW RESEARCH ON RUNAWAYS IDENTIFIES LGBT YOUNG PEOPLE AS VULNERABLE

4th February 2010
A new report entitled Commissioning, Delivery and Perceptions of Emergency Accommodation for Young Runaways has just been published by The Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Based on research by the Children's Society and York University, the report says there are significantly higher than average rates of running away amongst a number sub-groups of young people - disabled young people, young people who had difficulties with learning, and young people identifying as gay, lesbian or bisexual.
The report also suggests that some young people are at greater risk than others whilst away from home and these include young people in some minority groups (including disabled young people, young people born outside the UK, and young people who identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual).
In relation to emergency accommodation, the research acknowledges, this diversity highlights the importance of services being culturally sensitive and able to respond to a range of needs. It also raises questions about whether particular models of emergency accommodation might be more or less appropriate for particular sub-groups of young runaways.
The findings also identify a significant research gap in relation to diversity issues in relation to other subgroups of young runaways including disabled young people and gay, lesbian and bisexual young people. Click here for further information.

BOOK LIST FOR LGBTQ CHILDREN AND TEENS

3rd February 2010
The American Library Association's Rainbow Project has just published a list of books they recommend are suitable for children and young people to read. The books recommended were found to be of exceptional quality and impact. Click here for further information.

SMOKING SURVEY AMONG LGBT YOUTH REVEALS STAGGERING RATES

3rd February 2010
The State of Ohio has just published a survey which revealed that 80 percent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth in Northeast Ohio are current users of tobacco, this is more than three times the national average for the general youth population. Nearly 60 percent of those surveyed indicated that they had unsuccessfully attempted quitting in the past, with a majority stating that a significant reason they returned to smoking was that they were continually around peers who smoked. In response to the high levels of tobacco use amongst LGBT young people, Healthy Ohio have developed a specific project called ButtOut. Click here for further information.

FILM TACKLES HOMOPHOBIA IN SCHOOLS

2nd February 2010
Peer Productions have produced a film to tackle homophobia in schools. The film, called The Homophobia Project, explores what it would be like to live in a world where everyone is lesbian or gay, and where despite one in nine secondary school students questioning their sexuality, being straight is still viewed as something dirty or wrong. Click here for further information.

NEW AMERICAN STUDY FINDS SEXUAL MINORITY YOUTH BULLIED MORE THAN HETEROSEXUAL YOUTH

27th January 2010
A new study by doctors at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that sexual minority youth are bullied two to three times more than heterosexual youth. Sexual minority youth are more vulnerable to a variety of physical and mental domains such as bullying or suicidal thoughts.
"There is a need for health care professionals, and others who work with children, to be aware that sexual minority youth are more likely to be victims of bullying and other forms of violence," said Elise Berlan, MD, lead author and physician in Adolescent Medicine at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "Parents should also take time to communicate with their children about sensitive topics such as sexuality, peer relations and violence." Researchers looked at the relationship between sexual orientation and bullying from the Growing Up Today Study (GUTS), an on-going study of American adolescents, which included information on more than 7,500 adolescents.
While examining the 2001 results, the study also showed that youth identifying themselves as gay or lesbian were less likely to bully others and more likely to report being bullied than heterosexual teens. Children that are different from the social norm often become targets of social isolation, harassment and bullying.
Recommended strategies to identify this type of abusive behavior include encouraging clinicians to routinely inquire about sexual orientation and their experiences with bullying, interpersonal violence and abuse; screening sexual minority youth for depression, suicidality and involvement in high-risk behaviors; and increasing the support of school policies to ensure a safe learning environment for all students.
"Students, parents, schools and community organizations can work to create environments that are supportive and accepting of all students, regardless of their sexual orientation," said Berlan, also a faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "Schools, in particular, need to work to increase the awareness of bullying." Click here then featured article on right.

LESSONS FIGHT ANTI-GAY PREJUDICE IN CORNWALL

27th January 2010
New lessons have started in Cornish schools aimed at cutting the number of suicides among gay people. Click here for more information.

RESEARCH SHOWS LACK OF SUPPORT FOR TRANSGENDER AND GENDER-NONCONFORMING YOUTH IN U.S. SCHOOL SYSTEMS

23rd January 2010
Transgender children are some of the most vulnerable students in America's schools. Nobody knows how many there are, and very few educators know what to do with them. Despite extensive advocacy efforts, trans youth are subjected to bullying and harassment in the classroom; diagnosed with nonexistent learning disabilities and psychological problems; and generally misunderstood by their doctors, teachers, and classmates. Click here for more information.

BBC TO SURVEY PUBLIC ABOUT ITS PORTRAYAL OF LGBs

23rd January 2010
The BBC has commissioned an investigation into how lesbian, gay and bisexual people are portrayed on television, radio and on-line. Click here for more information.

STONEWALL PRODUCE FILM TO TACKLE HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING

23rd January 2010
Stonewall have produced a film called FIT which is being sent to all secondary schools in Britain next month. The film is based on a play written by Rikki Beadle-Blair. Click here for more information.

INTERNATIONAL SAME-SEX HAND HOLDING DAY

23rd January 2010
Next Saturday, 30th January 2010, is the fifth international same-sex hand holding day. Sshh (same-sex hand holding) is a silent revolution taking place across the world. Click here for more information.

NEW SAFE SPACE KIT PRODUCED BY GLSEN

23rd January 2010
GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) have produced a Safe Space Kit for schools in the USA to tackle homophobia. Click here to access report.

GAY MUSLIM YOUTH MADE HOMELESS BY FAMILY VIOLENCE

11th January 2010
The Albert Kennedy Trust has had an increase in the number of young Asian gay Muslims contacting them for support. Some have been forced to go to Pakistan to marry against their will, others have been threatened with violence and some beaten up. This is a problem throughout the UK but is often hidden for fear of family violence. It is likely that this is the tip of the iceberg. Click here to access BBC News item. A programme will be broadcast on BBC's Asian Network Reports at 12.30 and 1800 today.

NEW FIVE YEAR PROJECT TO SUPPORT HOMELESS LGBTQ YOUTH IN ARIZONA

9th January 2010
As a result of a research project the University of Arizona's Southwest Research Institute for Women has just received a grant of $1.75 million from the Substance Misuse and Mental Health Administration to develop a five year project targeting homeless LGBTQ young people. Click here to access further information.