Gino Meriano asks for your help in signing the petition to the Prime Minister

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

Alan Turing was the greatest computer scientist ever born in Britain. He laid the foundations of computing, helped break the Nazi Enigma code and told us how to tell whether a machine could think.

He was also gay. He was prosecuted for being gay, chemically castrated as a ‘cure’, and took his own life, aged 41.

The British Government should apologize to Alan Turing for his treatment and recognize that his work created much of the world we live in and saved us from Nazi Germany. And an apology would recognize the tragic consequences of prejudice that ended this man’s life and career.

Gino Meriano gay rights campaigner for same sex families comments : Since the introduction of the Act in April of 2009, we have been receiving a large number of enquiries about Parenting rights, so I thought this would help all those who are seeking additional information. There will be more to come between now and the next piece of law in April 2010

 

On 21st December 2005, a new civil partnership law came into effect in England and Wales, giving same sex couples the right to ‘marry’ in register offices. It was inevitable that the right to found their own legal family would eventually follow the right to a recognised partnership.

 

In April 2009, it became a legal right that both parents, regardless of their gender, were entitled to be named on the child’s birth certificate.

 

This means that if a gay couple used a surogate to become parents, then the man whose sperm wasn’t used and who had no biological connection to the child, could still legally declare his intent to be a father to that child and have the rights associated with that.

We are Now in a Level Playing Field

Professor Lisa Jardine from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) welcomed the news.

“We are now levelling the playing field. From now on, all parents regardless of their sexuality will now be named on their child’s birth certificate. The desire for a family and for one’s own child is a very powerful force, affecting people regardless of their sexual orientation or circumstance.”

Amendments to the act include:

·         A ban on selecting the sex of a child for social reasons

·         Regulation of human admixed embryos (cross human and animal embryos)

·         Requiring clinics to take into account ‘the welfare of the child’, but removing the ‘need for a father’ clause, giving single women greater power to have children

·         Enabling same sex couples to apply for an order to allow them to be treated as the parents of a child born via surrogacy

·         Allowing same sex couples the legal right to be parents to children conceived through the use of donated eggs, sperm or embryos.

For more information on the act, see:

http://www.hfea.gov.uk/2879.html

Gino Meriano comments : I am really pleased to see the Equality and Human Rights Commission taking legal action against the BNP, we should support the EHRC where ever possible to ensure they win their case and stop the BNP from discriminating once and for all.

RELEASE
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has today issued county court proceedings against the British National Party in respect of its constitution and membership criteria.  The court has set a date of Wednesday 2^nd September for a hearing for the Commission’s application for an injunction against the BNP.

The Commission sent a letter before action on 22nd June to the BNP setting out its concerns about the BNP’s constitution and membership criteria. The BNP has responded saying that it intends to clarify the word ‘white’ on its website. However the Commission believes that the BNP will continue to discriminate against potential or actual members on racial grounds. 

 

The BNP’s membership criteria appear to restrict membership to those within what the BNP regards as particular “ethnic groups” and those whose skin colour is white. This exclusion is contrary to the Race Relations Act. 

 

The Commission believes the BNP’s constitution and membership criteria are discriminatory and, further, that the continued publication of them on the BNP website is unlawful. It has therefore issued county court proceedings against party leader Nick Griffin and two other officials.

 

The Commission has decided not to take action on two further grounds set out in its letter before action in the light of the BNP’s commitment to comply with the law.  

 

John Wadham, Group Director, Legal at the Equality and Human Rights Commission says: “The BNP has said that it is not willing to amend its membership criteria which we believe are discriminatory and unlawful. The Commission has a statutory duty to use our regulatory powers to enforce compliance with the law, so we have today issued county court proceedings against the BNP. However, the party still has an opportunity to resolve this quickly by giving the undertaking on its membership criteria that the Commission requires.”  

Gino Meriano speaks out BBC Radio Surrey about a charity who will not be able to carry out repairs for elderly and disabled people unless it first asks if they are HIV positive.

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2055266_dismay_as_camberley_elderly_face_hiv_questions

Well it’s that time to talk about Civil Partnerships, what’s hot and not around the UK plus the ever important top ten for 2008 and overall.

 

So without further ado let’s get to the facts

 

Civil Partnerships : the update

 

Some facts to get you going

 

1.       A total of 33,956 Civil Partnerships have taken place since the introduction on the 21^st December 2005 till year end 2008

 

2.       2008 : 53% were men and 47% were women (compared to a 60/40 split in favour of men last recorded) however it looks as if women are going to take over in 2009 onwards

 

3.       The London Borough of Westminster took 1^st place in 2008 with Brighton and Hove following in second place

 

4.       In 2008, 11% of men and 21% of women forming a Civil Partnership had been in a previous Marriage or Civil partnership

 

5.       More women dissolved the Civil Partnership in 2008

 

1.       There were 180 Civil Partnership dissolutions granted in the UK in 2008, Of these, 154 in England, 12 in Wales, 14 in Scotland and none in Northern Ireland

 

The top ten is in and there are some changes to the line up, take a look

 

2008 Top Ten

1.       Westminster

2.       Brighton and Hove

3.       Kent

4.       Manchester

5.       Kensington and Chelsea

6.       Islington

7.       Edinburgh

8.       Hampshire

9.       Glasgow

10.   Essex

 

Overall Top Ten

1.       Brighton and Hove

2.       Westminster

3.       Kensington and Chelsea

4.       Kent

5.       Islington

6.       Edinburgh

7.       Manchester

8.       Hampshire

9.       Surrey

10.   Glasgow

 

·         Manchester has seen a great move up to 4^th place and is proven to show continued success, including at this year’s forthcoming show where ticket sales have already matched last years event and we still have more time to go, set to make the North the hottest place to visit for the Gay Wedding Show in 2009

 

·         Surrey has dropped off the top ten list for 2008 but managed to hold on in the overall top ten at 9^th place

 

·         Glasgow hits the top ten in 2008 and overall

 

·         Kent moves up a place for 2008