Date: Tue, 10 Mar 1998 00:25:10 +0000
From: jgh <jgh@intonet.co.uk>
Subject: MAJOR GAY RIGHTS GROUPS UNITE IN CAMPAIGN FORUM 

*** MAJOR GAY RIGHTS GROUPS UNITE IN CAMPAIGN FORUM ***

      Ten of the nation's most important gay rights groups have joined
forces in the fight for lesbian, gay and bisexual equality. 

      27 members from major organisations met on Saturday, 7th January, at
the King Edward VI in Islington, and voted unanimously to work together to
launch a new national offensive for human rights. 

      The groups and individuals involved are deeply concerned that the
campaign for equality is being stalled by recent set-backs in the British
and European courts and by the unwillingness of the new Labour Government to
repeal discriminatory laws. Two recent examples are the failed case of Lisa
Grant (see European Court Summary or Full Judgement), and the prosecution of
the Bolton 7. 

      The group's immediate objectives are: 

1.  To organise a national standing forum within the next month. All
sections of the community will be invited to participate to decide
collectively the way forward against homophobic discrimination. 

2.  To give notice to the Government, all political parties and all Members
of Parliament that the continuing denial of lesbian and gay human rights is
intolerable, and that we are no longer prepared to be treated as
second-class citizens. 

     The Government can expect to be fought 
    -- in the courts, 
    -- in Parliament, 
    -- by peaceful demonstration, 
    -- and by direct action 
at every opportunity. 

     No Government would allow such discrimination against women or ethnic
minorities. The denial of equality to lesbian, gay and bisexual people is
unacceptable. 

3.  To ensure that this year's Pride march is organised as a political
demonstration as part of a much larger campaign for homosexual human rights,
as we have seen in the recent success of the countryside campaign. 

      The groups represented at Saturday's meeting want to unite with other
lesbian and gay rights groups across the continent to build a Europe-wide
campaign for lesbian and gay equality, with the aim of achieving legislative
change in the European Union. 

      For too long, the enemies of equality have exploited the fact that
lesbian and gay organisations fight individually for their own aspects of
the cause. This forum plans to unite small and large organisations in a
coordinated campaign. 

      It is not intended to tell groups how to operate, but to act as an
opportunity for the exchange of information and to coordinate campaigning.
It will enable both small and large organisations to pool their efforts so
the maximum pressure can be applied to the enemies of human rights. 


Notes for Editors

The following groups and individuals attended: 
    representatives of 

LAGER, 
LGCM, 
NUS LGB Campaign, 
OutRage!, 
Rank Outsiders, 
Torche; 

     and observers from several other organisations, including Youthspeak
and London L+G Switchboard. 

      Stonewall expressed keen interest but sent apoligies, since they were
celebrating their 10th anniversary and their first National Conference. 

      Lisa Grant and Jill Percey have pledged their active support for the
forum, and will work on promoting it throughout Europe. 

      For further information, please contact Ian Farmer, (coordinator): 

0171-231 5183 (home); 
0171-446 7107 (work). 

        ====================================

        This initial message is being circulated by OutRage!,
and is also on our web site at 
        http://www.OutRage.cygnet.co.uk/FUKQ.htm
(Forum for U.K. Queers).

        Please accept our apologies if you receive this mailing
from another source.  We do intend to address this problem.

                John Hunt, OutRage! London

        ====================================