Activists paint rainbow crosswalk at Russian embassy in Sweden

in: http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2013/08/activists-paint-rainbow-crosswalk-at-russian-embassy-in-sweden.html

Övergångsstället vid ryska ambassaden är nymålat. #gilla

LGBT activists in Sweden are letting the Russian government know exactly how they feel about Vladmir Putin's controversial new anti "gay propaganda" legislation in a way that is simple and peaceful but vibrantly proud.

Swedish newspaper The Local reports that protesters gathered outside of the Russian embassy in Stockholm this weekend to paint over a traditional black and white "zebra" crosswalk with a rainbow of colours.

Utanför ryska ambassaden.
 pic.twitter.com/x3PmchzywX

On Saturday, a group of naked men are reported to have marched back and forth across the rainbow crossing outside the embassy while supporters called on others to boycott the World Athletics Championships which began this weekend in Moscow.

 

“We have no case file on it but it will probably be classified as vandalism or a violation of traffic regulations,” said Ulf Lindgren of the Stockholm Police to Swedish language paper Dagens Nyheter.

 "There's a risk it can create danger for those using the crossing as they should look a certain way. It's confusing if they are different," added Lundgren.

He noted that it is not the police department's responsibility to restore the sidewalk to its regular pattern, but as of Tuesday morning it appears as though someone had arranged for this to be done.

  

Nu tvättas regnbågen bort från övergångsstället vid ryska ambassaden. pic.twitter.com/IN5CH85s3Y

 Nu tvättar de bort regnbågsövergångsstället utanför ryska ambassaden :( foto @UlrikaBy instagram.com/p/c8seB2mjtb/



The colourful crosswalk may have been short lived, but it served as a powerful symbol for Stockholm's LGBT community, which celebrated its annual Pride festival earlier this month.

 Spreading some #gay propaganda outside of the #Russian embassy in Stockholm. http://pic.twitter.com/lQPbv0f4WL



Russia's announcement of a new law cracking down on gay rights activism during the 2014 Olympics in Sochi has sparked international debate over participation in the forthcoming games.

In the wake of this intended crackdown, the Russian embassy in Stockholm has been the target of a series of pro-LGBT rights demonstrations.




Outside Russian embassy, #stockholm demonstration in support of #LGBT rights #sthlmpride2013 #russia http://pic.twitter.com/umkMArWFlO

Standing up against the Putins so called morals. Outside the russian Embassy in Stockholm! #russia #gay #LGBT http://pic.twitter.com/QsyeHVgS1G

Gay pride rally outside of Russian Embassy in Stockholm this morning http://pic.twitter.com/wELTFzCUaV via @claesnyberg #sthlmpride

Before it could be washed away, passersby took photos of the rainbow crosswalk to voice their support on Instagram and Twitter.

Rainbow crosswalk outside the #Russian Embassy in #Stockholm. #Equalrights for all

Snyggt övergångställe utanför #Ryska #Ambassaden

 "Neat crosswalk outside the Russian Embassy," reads the caption above, and below "Hey Russian Ambassador, what has anybody done to you?"




Hej ryska ambassaden vad fint någon gjort hos er ❤️




Civil olydnad får tumme upp. Övergångsstället utanför ryska ambassaden.

 "Thumbs up for Civil disobedience. Crosswalk outside Russian Embassy." reads the caption above. Below, "Outside the Russian embassy right now. Apparently they made this last night."


 
Utanför ryska ambassaden just nu. Applåderar de som gjorde detta inatt #hbtq #lgbt #pride #antigayolympics



 And while the rainbow crosswalk in Stockholm wasn't the first of its kind, it won't be the last either.

Australian LGBT protesters also took to sidewalks outside of the Russian embassy in Sydney this weekend with colourful chalk in a similar fashion.


A beautiful day for chalking! The @DIYrainbows crew outside the Russian Embassy in Woollahra today: http://pic.twitter.com/7Y9M3xh5cc


The #DIYRainbow movement spread beyond Sydney through much of Australia.


And a similar work was spotted in Utrecht, Holland, where this photo was taken, and later posted in response to a photo of the Swedish crosswalk on Street Art Utopia's Facebook page.
 
Cobuz Okhuijsen's Photos | Facebook



 Others are protesting Russia's law in more traditional ways at embassies in Chile...
 
Chile: Volunteers from LGBT-rights org. @IgualesChile decry Russian homophobia outside Russian embassy http://pic.twitter.com/1q7HZtn3Nj via @ahsoffia


Turkey...


Pride march attacked in Russia, sign in Istanbul at the Russian embassy: "Don't worry, homophobia can be cured." http://pic.twitter.com/EPu5u0eLqn



 Scotland...
 
Wee @LGBTScotland afternoon protest for LGBT equality at the Russian Embassy @alchemister @FireCrow69 http://pic.twitter.com/VM2F2Tmi7i

Israel...

"Berlin36 Moscow13" #TelAviv activists protest homophobia in front of Embassy of #Russia #LGBT 972mag.com/tel-aviv-activ… http://pic.twitter.com/QDUCm8OvaJ

And of course, in Canada, where permanent rainbow-coloured crosswalks were installed in downtown Vancouver's west end during the city's Pride Week celebrations earlier this summer.

Rainbow crosswalks show off Vancouver's pride

http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2013/08/activists-paint-rainbow-crosswalk-at-russian-embassy-in-sweden.html

Scottish charity launches largest ever LGBT consultation

in: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/11/28/scottish-charity-launches-largest-ever-lgbt-consultation/

 

The Equality Network will also use the results of the consultation to set its priorities for the next few years

The Equality Network has launched a major consultation on the future priorities for LGBT people in Scotland.

The “Time for Change” consultation will be the biggest survey of LGBT people to date with thousands expected to take part.

Its results will be used to inform the Scottish Government and public bodies of the issues that matter to LGBT people, so that they can prioritise their work in tackling prejudice, discrimination and disadvantage.

The Equality Network will also use the results of the Time for Change consultation to set its priorities for the next few years.

Earlier this month, the charity won an award for its equal marriage campaign from Scotland’s Herald newspaper.

The Equality Network are also holding a series of 19 consultation events that are taking place in communities across every region of Scotland from Dumfries to Shetland, the Scottish Borders to the Western Isles.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/11/28/scottish-charity-launches-largest-ever-lgbt-consultation/

Escócia apresenta projeto de lei para legalizar casamento gay

in: http://sul21.com.br/

O casamento gay deve ser legalizado na Escócia até 2013, anunciou nesta quarta-feira (25) o governo do país, responsável por elaborar um projeto de lei que estabelece aos casais do mesmo sexo os mesmos direitos de casais heterossexuais. A proposta será publicada ainda neste ano, mas deve ser aprovada pelo Parlamento e pela monarquia britânica. A primeira ministra do país, Nicola Sturgeon, está confiante de que a lei será aprovada. Todos os líderes de partidos escoceses apoiam a medida e a coroa britânica já demonstrou sua predisposição a aceitar a mudança. Além disso, grande parte da população do país se mostrou a favor (65%) do casamento gay em uma pesquisa do governo que obteve 77 mil respostas.

“Nós acreditamos que esta é a coisa certa a fazer em um país que aspira a ser uma sociedade igualitária e tolerante, como é o caso da Escócia”, explicou Sturgeon. A medida encontrou apoio de grupos de direitos humanos e de ativismo LGBT no país e ao redor do mundo, que comemoraram a decisão.

Apesar disso, a proposta encontrou forte resistência entre setores religiosos e conservadores da Escócia. De acordo com o diário britânico The Guardian, a Igreja Católica criou uma campanha online contra o projeto de lei com o apoio de grupos islâmicos e presbíteros. “Nós acreditamos que o tempo irá mostrar que a Igreja está totalmente certa em dizer que relações homossexuais são prejudiciais para qualquer tipo de amor expresso em amizades profundas”, disse o porta-voz da Igreja Católica na Escócia segundo a rede BBC.

Nem todos os grupos religiosos, entretanto, desaprovaram a medida. “Estamos conscientes que as opiniões divergem entre os nossos próprios membros, e que muitas pessoas estão ansiosas e chateadas com a situação atual”, disse o Reverendo Alan Hamilton, organizador do comitê de assuntos legais da Igreja Presbítera da Escócia, à BBC. “Acreditamos que a homofobia é um pecado e reafirmamos nosso forte compromisso pastoral a todas as pessoas da Escócia, independente de sua orientação sexual ou crenças”, completou ele.

Por conta destas divergências, o projeto de lei garante a liberdade religiosa das organizações e indivíduos que discordam do casamento de casais do mesmo sexo, excluindo qualquer tipo de punição a estes. Nenhuma instituição religiosa será obrigada a conduzir as cerimonias matrimoniais caso discorde da medida, explicou Sturgeon. Além disso, membros de grupos que decidirem incluir o casamento gay não são obrigados a conduzir os casamentos.

“O casamento gay diz respeito a igualdade e liberdade – liberdade dos casais, de grupos religiosos e humanistas que desejam este tipo de união, mas da mesma forma, liberdade de outros grupos que querem dizer não ao casamento de pessoas do mesmo sexo”, disse Tom French, coordenador da organização Equality Network.

A medida fará da Escócia o primeiro país do Reino Unido a legalizar o casamento gay. Desde 2005, os países permitem apenas a união civil, que difere até mesmo do casamento civil, de casais do mesmo sexo. Nesta terça-feira (24/07), o primeiro ministro britânico, David Cameron, disse que gostaria de ver o casamento gay legalizado no Reino Unido até 2015.

Com informações do Opera Mundi




http://sul21.com.br/

Gay marriage equality in Scotland ‘by the end of 2013′

in: http://www.queermagazineonline.com/

Scotland is likely to have full marriage equality by the end of 2013 at the latest, Tim Hopkins, Director of the Equality Network told PinkNews.co.uk at a reception in the Scottish Parliament yesterday evening.

400 people attended the reception after all opposition party leaders signed up to the Equal Marriage Pledge.

The Scottish government, led by the Scottish National Party, concluded public consultation on equal marriage on 9 December. It was the government’s largest ever public consultation, with over 50,000 responses.

It will now analyse the feedback and publish their response in spring along with a draft bill, which will be open for expert consultation and voting by mid-2013, expected to pass as law by the end of 2013.

“This is the last piece of devolved legislation in Scotland that needs to be changed to introduce full equality for LGBT people in the law,” declared Hopkins.

This is in contrast to England and Wales, where the consultation process will only start in March this year.

Westminster “might move ahead at the same time scale as in Scotland, but if it doesn’t, the fact that it goes here will help campaigners in the rest of the UK” speculated Hopkins.

Speaking with

PinkNews.co.uk, out bisexual MSP Patrick Harvie, leader of the Green party stated: “This is a real opportunity to shift the argument not just here but in the rest of the UK. If we are to move on this quickly Westminster will be prompted to move on this issue faster”.

Opinion polls suggest a majority of Scots support equal marriage, including the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2010 which indicated 61% support versus 19% opposition. This included a majority of respondents following all the major faiths and political parties in Scotland.

Over 400 people attend the reception in support of same-sex marriage. The event, the biggest since the parliament was established, was hosted by leading MSPs from all five parties and was attended by guests including leading politicians, faith leaders, same-sex couples, trade unionists, and youth and student representatives.

Speaking with PinkNews.co.uk, Rae Cahill MSYP, Deputy Chair, Scottish Youth Parliament said: “Our consultation showed that young people (16-25 years old) in Scotland overwhelmingly support marriage equality, the figures were 74%. Young people insist that full equality is right for Scotland, it is the future for this country and ourselves.”

Out gay MSP Joe FitzPatrick, member of the SNP, told PinkNews.co.uk: “This is not just about marriage, its about equality, its about the Scotland we want people to live in. I want to live in Scotland that treats everyone in respect. We can be a beacon of progressive policy.”

Tim Hopkins continued: “This is a broad campaign supported across the country. There are many religious groups, the Unitarian Church, the Quakers, the Humanists (who conduct the second largest amount of marriages after the Church of Scotland) and many others in Scotland who unanimously support same-sex marriage.

“Many religious groups who want to conduct same-sex marriage should be to have the freedom to do so. Equality means equality, marriage should also be a religious ceremony.”

Joan Cook of the Unitarian Church said: “The Unitarians do not discriminate in any way LGBT people, many of our Ministers and office bearers are openly members of the LGBT community, including our current President, the Rev. Dr. Ann Peart.

“We have been conducting same-sex blessings, in our churches and elsewhere, for decades now, and look forward to solemnising same-sex marriages.”

Rabbi Mark L. Solomon, from Liberal Judaism said: “It isn’t just that if we as LGBT people are equal in the full real sense, our life will get better. We know that, we feel it deeply.

“But now we see marriage as a free and loving mutual commitment between equals, marriage has got better and we want to make it better still.

“It was feminism that set me free to come out as a gay man. I always believed that gay rights are the logical ethical offspring of women’s rights. And now the possibility that we can encourage two women or two men to be married, would mean not only that we are truly equal but the marriage itself is a relationship of true and full equality.”

The question of marriage equality will also affect transgender people.

Pietà and Susie Schofield, married as a husband and wife for over 25 years with three children, have been hitting a brick wall due to marriage inequality.

Pietà, a transgender woman, and Susie were told that if they wished to have their relationship recognised by law as between two women, they would to divorce and go through a civil partnership.

With the introduction of marriage equality they will simply be able to continue their marriage as a same-sex couple.

“Right now, a transgender man can marry a woman legally, so marriage equality will not merely solve our problem but also end inequality for all transgender people,” they explained.

Tim Hopkins said: “We can’t just sit back and wait for it to happen. There are strong bodies campaigning against marriage equality, including large religious bodies who have the ears of the media and a lot more funds than we have. It is really important for everybody to continue campaigning on this issue and state that there is majority support for equality across Scotland.”