In times of crisis we know there will be more attempts to divide us by whipping up bigoted ideas. But there has been widespread anger yesterdays newspapers with our statement and protest attracting widespread support already including from the NUJ Gen Sec and many members, UCU LGBT committee, NUS LGBT and Black student campaigns and more. We must take a stand against any attempted anti-gay backlash but also use this opportunity to win arguments in defence of asylum seekers and refugees.
Please circulate the statement widely and get backing from individuals, organisations and union branches. Send names to noroomforhomophobes@gmail.com
Bring people and banners to the protest on Thursday 15th July
Check out facebook groups
"No room for gays? No room for homophobes" http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133406423360622#!/group.php?gid=137196942964613&v=wall&ref=ts
Plus event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133406423360622#!/event.php?eid=133406423360622&ref=mf
Statement: Tell the Daily Express, Daily Mail and Daily Star - LGBT asylum seekers are welcome here
We condemn the disgraceful homophobic comments in the Daily Star, Daily Mail and Daily Express which attack the recent Supreme Court decision to prevent the deportation of two gay asylum seekers back to Iran and Cameroon.
The Express front page on 8th June headlined "Now asylum if You're Gay: they must be free to go to Kylie concerts and drink multi-coloured cocktails, says judge". The Daily Mail asked "What planet is he on?" and called his decision to give home to gay asylum seekers "infantile". The Daily Star carried an editorial titled 'No room for gays' which claimed "opening the floodgates to gay asylum seekers is absolute madness." (see links to articles below)
The reality is very different. Homosexuality is still illegal in over 80 countries world wide. LGBT people seeking asylum in the UK are often fleeing attempted murder, serious assault or rape. Only this month a young gay man has been sentenced to death in Iran. In 2003 a gay Iranian man who had been refused asylum in the UK poured petrol over his body and set light to himself in the offices of Refugee Action in Manchester rather than go back to Iran.
Stonewall's recent report "No Going Back" reveals that only 1 in 50 people who claim asylum on the basis of their sexual orientation is admitted to the UK with applicants frequently being told by the UK authorities that they can avoid attacks by being "discreet" in their country of origin - that is, by lying about their sexuality for the rest of their life.
Abbey Kiwanuka from Uganda where there are moves to introduce the death penalty for homosexuality, said: "This (recent decision) gives me hope …..I feared for my life in Uganda. Just two weeks ago a gay man was beheaded. I lost my appeal because the court said I should go back and live a discreet life. I can't do that. It's impossible to do. "
The only motivation in these tabloid articles is to whip up hatred and division. They want to weaken our support for persecuted people and use asylum seekers and LGBT people as scapegoats to divert attention from an economic crisis we did not create. This is designed to undermine opposition to the cuts which their rich friends want to force on us.
It also risks intensifying homophobia in Britain at a time when reports have shown an increase in reported homophobic attacks of up to 63%. The brutal murder of Ian Baynham in central London last Autumn is a terrible and tragic reminder of where this can lead.
We remember Jan Moir's homophobic article in the Daily Mail following Stephen Gately's death in which she claimed "Whatever the cause of death is, it is not, by any yardstick, a natural one" and questioned civil partnerships. Despite a record 22,000 complaints, including one made by Gately's former partner, the Press Complaints Commission found no case to answer. This cannot be allowed to happen again.
We demand an apology and retraction of the vile views published in The Daily Star, Daily Express and Daily Mail and that they publish the truth about the persecution which LGBT refugees and asylum seekers face in their home countries, and about homophobia here in Britain.
We urge you to write to the papers' editors, post comments online and register a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission.
We also support calls for a protest outside the Daily Express Thursday 15th July, 5-6.30pm.
Supported by: Supported by Love Music Hate Homophobia, Jeremy Dear NUJ Gen Sec, Michelle Stanistreet Dep Gen Sec NUJ UCU LGBT members committee, Elly Barnes LGBT history month/Schools Out, Vicki Baars & Alan Bailey NUS LGBT campaign, Clare Solomon ULU President elect, Richard Simcox National press officer PCS, Mark Bergfeld NUS NEC, Aaron Kiely NUS Black students campaign, Stow College Student Association, Sean Fox Branch Sec Haingey UNISON, Robert Goddard Youth and Education Officer Stonewall Cymru, Dave Toomer NUJ NEC rep for North West England, Steven Bird, deputy FoC, Katie Carnie, chapel officer, David Crouch, FoC. from NUJ Financial Times, Jason Brown LGBT rep NUS Black students campaign, Jess Hurd Chair NUJ London Photographers' Branch,Counterfire, Socialist Workers Party and many more. All individuals in a personal capacity.
