Date: Thu, 05 Mar 1998 19:10:26 +0000
From: jgh <jgh@intonet.co.uk>
Subject: Updates to OutRage! web site

        *** Updates to OutRage! web site ***

1) Letter to Home Affairs Select Committee,
        on legal discrimination.

        If the legal inequalities suffered by homosexuals were inflicted on
black people, no one would have any hesitation in condemning that as
apartheid. Homophobic discrimination is a form of sexual apartheid. It
involves one law for heterosexuals and another for homosexuals. We are
treated as second-class citizens, being denied many of the basic human
rights that heterosexuals take for granted. This is intolerable in a
supposedly civilised, democratic society. 

        OutRage! has drafted a six-point programme for lesbian and gay law
reform, which sets out our priorities.

1.The repeal of all gay-only sexual offences for which there is no
heterosexual equivalent, and all crimes without victims --including the
offences of buggery, gross indecency, procuring, soliciting-- and their
replacement by a new sexual offences code that makes no distinction between
male and female, heterosexual and homosexual. 

2.A new Unmarried Partners Act, giving legal rights to all unwed couples,
both gay and straight, including: 

legal recognition as next-of-kin; 
joint guardianship of any children; 
the inheritance of pensions, life insurance, and property on the death of a
partner; 
and entitlement to company fringe benefits that extend to employees'
spouses, such as health-care cover. 

3.Equalisation of the age of consent at 14 for both heterosexual and
homosexual relationships, to reduce the criminalisation of young people
involved in consenting sex, and to remove the legal obstacles to earlier,
more explicit and effective sex education in schools. The best way to
safeguard young people's sexual welfare is by education and empowerment. 

4.A comprehensive Equal Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination, harassment,
and incitement to hatred on any grounds, including sexual orientation,
gender identity, race, sex, religion, age, national or social origin,
marital status, disability, and medical condition, (to protect people with
HIV). 

5.The replacement of Section 28 with new legislation, requiring schools to
stamp out homophobic bullying in schools, to promote pupils' understanding
and acceptance of gay people, and to ensure that AIDS awareness lessons
encompass information about safer sex for lesbians and gay men. We envisage
this initiative as part of a wider statutory obligation on schools to
promote tolerance and combat all forms of prejudice and bullying, including
on the basis of race, gender, disability, religion, and physical appearance. 

6.An end to the ban on homosexuals in the armed forces, as part of a package
of democratic reforms --such as the overhaul of the court-martial system--
to enhance the civil and human rights of all service personnel. 

See:  http://www.OutRage.cygnet.co.uk/HomAffSC.htm

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2) The pharmaceutical giant Merck has conceded that development of a potent
protease inhibitor drug for the treatment of HIV was halted in 1989, after
the company tested the drug on rats and dogs and they all died. 

See:  http://www.OutRage.cygnet.co.uk/merck98.htm

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3)  Was Jesus Gay?  --  Missing Fragments from St. Mark's Gospel

See:  http://www.OutRage.cygnet.co.uk/jesus.htm

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OutRage! is a broad based group of queers 
committed to radical, non-violent direct action and civil disobedience to: 

• ASSERT the diginity and human rights of queers;
• FIGHT homophobia, discrimination and violence directed against us;
• AFFIRM our right to sexual freedom, choice and self-determination. 

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        The above information may be posted in furtherance of the AIMS
of OutRage! without any further formality.

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        To be removed from this list, reply with a message "remove"
to jgh@intonet.co.uk

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