Category: LGBT

Cornwall, Education, England, Law, LGBTLeave a comment

Please Sir, how do you define marriage?

Michael McFarland Campbell
The Rt Hon. Michael Gove MP

That’s the question we should all be asking of the man in charge of Education in England (and Cornwall), for according to Julie Henry, Education Correspondent for The Sunday Telegraph, HM Secretary of State for the Education, The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, has issued guidance that all Free Schools and Academies must teach the importance of marriage. Continue reading “Please Sir, how do you define marriage?”

LGBTLeave a comment

first Saturday in Advent… Christmas approaches

Michael McFarland Campbell

It is coming up to Christmas and so it is the time for many places to have Christmas Fairs. Outside Belfast City Hall, for instance, is a Christmas Continental Market. Last weekend there was a Christmas Craft Fair at All Souls’ Church in Elmwood Avenue. Today was the turn of Belfast’s LGBT Centre.

There were stands from a wide variety of people and organisations including trade unions, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Belfast Pride, Cara-Friend, Belfast Front Runners, as well as many more. Many people from QueerSpace were on hand Continue reading “first Saturday in Advent… Christmas approaches”

Blogging, Disability, HIV, LGBTLeave a comment

publicans should take care to provide auxiliary aids for the disabled

Michael McFarland Campbell

Sitting at the bar in a public house is a rare treat for me nowadays as it is not often that I get the chance to drink alcohol. In the past, I would have been out every night, but since spending most of my time with Andrew, this does not happen frequently. It is not that I don’t drink, simply that it is better if I do not do so as heavily as once I did. Last night, therefore, was most pleasant as I was sat in the Barley Mow public house in Bedford with a friend. All was well, after … Continue reading publicans should take care to provide auxiliary aids for the disabled

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Blogging, LGBT1 Comment

a mistake worthy of the Daily Fail…

Michael McFarland Campbell

According to a story on the Pink Paper‘s website, the North East of England has the largest proportion of straight people, with almost 96% of those living in the North East [saying] they were homosexual in response to the Integrated Household Survey published by the Office for National Statistics. I think that it is patently obvious that there is a missing ‘not’ in that sentence. Makes you think that it is always important to proof read though. Continue reading a mistake worthy of the Daily Fail…

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Education, Health, LGBT, mental health6 Comments

the old school responds… and so do I…

Michael McFarland Campbell

Coat of Arms of Ballymena Academy

Apologies for the long posting – this is partially due to the response from the old school… but do read on…

Last year as part of Anti Bullying week, I took the opportunity to write to the headmaster of my old school, Ballymena Academy, to seek clarity on the school’s policy on bullying, particularly homophobic bullying.

I didn’t hear back from him, so in January I wrote again, but still heard nothing until this morning I got a response from him. It seems that the letter I wrote in November never arrived and that the letter that I wrote in January got lost in the depths of Royal Mail. However, the response is as follows:

22nd September, 2011

Dear Mr Campbell,

I am replying to your letter, received 21st September, 2011 but dated 13th January, 2011. There has not been any previous communication on this matter from you.

You raise several issus in your enquiry about the school’s measures to prevent homophobic bullying.

I will begin with pupils.

  • In the 21st Century, Ballymena Academy takes all forms of bullying seriously and seeks to ensure that all our pupils benefit from their education, enjoy the experience of their schooling and feel that the school does value them as individuals and treats them with respect. Continue reading “the old school responds… and so do I…”