The Northern Ireland gay blood ban looks set to continue with the news from the DUP’s health minister, Edwin Poots MLA, that he has received some new research strengthening his position. As reported on the BBC, the minister says he … Continue reading Continuing NI gay blood ban continues the prejudice
Once again it seems that Northern Ireland is going to be left behind by a Minister who has delayed policies in the past in another department. Today Edwin Poots MLA, our Health Minister informed the Health Committee in the Assembly that the lifetime ban on gay men donating blood was not going to be lifted, unlike what is happening in the rest of the United Kingdom. It is clear that the Minister is not really taking the same advice as his counterparts across the water. A number of organisations and political parties have been making comments. Are we expected to be self-sufficient … Continue reading Another policy, another delay: Poots does it again
Today a report Through our eyes: experiences of lesbian, gay and bisexual people in the workplace was published by The Rainbow Project having been commissioned by the Department for Social Development. Interpreting statistics is always a difficult task, and it always depends upon how you look at things what you end up saying. In this post, I am going to quote from the Key Findings and Recommendations document for the above report, and then make my own suggestions on more positive statements that could be made instead. In the Workplace More than 1 in 4 (26.9%) respondents from the private … Continue reading Northern Ireland – not as homophobic as you might think…
Today, The Rainbow Project is launching a report that shows that gay people who are attacked because of their sexuality are still reluctant to report them to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The research was carried out by John O’Doherty, Equality Officer with The Rainbow Project, following their commission by the PSNI. According to the research, more than 60% of homophobic incidents in the last three years were not reported. I know that the police do try to reach out to the LGBT community in various ways: they are nearly always at Belfast Pride Festival in the summer, as … Continue reading Rainbow’s report shows 60% of incidents not reported
Gyronny Herald 