International Day Against Homophobia

markypuppyThu 13/03/08 22:43

Do you know when it is?

If not then it's on Saturday the 17th May 2008.

I just went to the launch event this evening and london college of art and it was great.

have a look at their website and use this thread to advertise what your company is doing for this day if anything or if you know of any events that are going on in the area.

Togehter let's stamp out Homophobia.

http://www.idaho.org.uk/

maybe we could have a megaparty with a raffle or some sort of money making scheme that we could give to a charity like the Albert Kennedy Trust or someone.

tavdyThu 13/03/08 22:52

I'd hoped to go to that launch event, but couldn't make it :-( How did the speeches from the four Mayoral hopefuls turn out?

And is Paddick as sexy in real life as he is in his photos?

markypuppySat 15/03/08 01:32

Yeah Brian Paddick is sexy, i know him through works LGBT Group.

HE was at another event during the day and came in dressed in his dinner suit as he had another function to go to later.

The speeches were ok, only Brian and Sian turned up = Ken and Boris were unavailable but had people speaking on their behalf, you will be better attending the Hustings meeting that has been scheduled by Stonewall in April. Second saturday i think it is that will be where they will all be together discussing what they intend on doing for the LGBT community.

I won't talk about Sian's presentation because some of the things she said about my organisation were not true.

It was a fantastic event though but far too many speakers but then it was only the first time it has been held to this scale, so let's hope that next years won't be with so many speakers.

The best part of the evening was Barbara Follet Minister for Equality she was very good and also when the Lorraine Bowen Experience came in then well she was excellent too and had BArbara and the head of the International Idaho up dancing with her. It was great.

tavdySat 15/03/08 09:26

quoting > "I won't talk about Sian's presentation because some of the things she said about my organisation were not true."

So I take it you won't be voting green at the Mayoral elections?

I don't have the option of voting, but I'd probably go for Paddick. I'd normally vote Green by default, but right now Ken & Boris look like a pair of total nightmares and Sian hasn't got a realistic chance of winning.

quoting > "It was a fantastic event though but far too many speakers"

That was one thing I noticed on the program - there were many more speakers than at the LGBT History Month launch last year, and I remember how long that dragged on. I was with a few guys from work and we'd intended to go for a meal afterwards to discuss options for what to do; in the end we didn't have the time. The three of us weren't able to meet up to discuss stuff until after the next work LGBT group meeting, when we should have presented our plans, so in the end nothing got done.

markypuppySat 15/03/08 11:26

Yeah Tavdy, i know how you feel. I left at 8 during the LGBT History month thing as like you said too many speakers.

For History month we had a plethora of events during the month and finished it off with a Gala Dinner and a Launch of our Sexual Orientation Equality Scheme which is our action plan to assist LGB passengers for the next 3 years.

If you want a copy of the document then email lgbequalityscheme@tfl.gov.uk or wait till the end of the month and the PDF will be on our website.

It was a right shame because the main person that was hosting it from the College of Art was monotone and boring and then we had too many speakers and then a change in the programme as people were either not coming or late and she kept annoucing it - it was like just move on = people can notice for themselves their has been a change in the bleeding programme.

It was nice to see the Mayoral Candidates show their support and then also to see the current Mayor of Richmond - who stood up and made a quick presentation even though he was not on the list but he was good.

There was this poster launch thing that was done after the lorraine bowen experience has been on, now lorraine was good and the place had started buzzing, then because they couldn't get their assess into gear about the poster competition the atmosphere went from a high back to a low.

I'd had enough at that point and glad we had the break. I didn't go in for the second half as the speakers they had on, i had already heard them at the LGBT History Month bit and Ali Hilli from IRAQI LGBT I have heard before somewhere else.

So being jet lagged decided to go home after the break and a lot of other people did the same, people i know from big organisations and organisations that are doing stuff for the month.

I personally would have liked more socialising time.

At our History Month Gala and Sexual Orientation Scheme Launch Event, we had presentations from our Interim Head of Equality and Inclusion, OUT TfL Board Member and Peter Tatchell. They were all told 10-15 minutes and they stuck to it, then we had socialising from about 7.30ish right through till well after 9.30 when people started to leave.

It was a great event and nice to be able to speak to people for a change and get to know the community as such.

kenafridSat 15/03/08 12:22

It sounds like a really good idea, Mark. I might even get the right venue this time.

:)

I need to meet Mr Paddick again. Can't be falling too far behind you.