| Asylum as a gay issue Tuesday November 25, 2003 The Guardian (As published) It's a fantastic victory for the lesbian and gay movement that Section 28 has finally been abolished after years of promoting homophobia (Section 28 gone... but not forgotten, November 17). For years, we campaigned against it, making visible its particular impact on lesbian women and our children. We chanted we are not "pretend families", the housework is real! The violence, prejudice and discrimination we face in the UK is far from over. We are campaigning with a number of lesbian women seeking asylum from homophobic persecution in Africa and eastern Europe. They face further persecution by the Home Office and courts, which insist that though they have been raped, imprisoned and their lives threatened for being lesbian, it is "safe" for them to go back. We are calling on prominent lesbian and gay organisations and MPs to defend the civil, human and legal rights of those of us seeking asylum. Didi Rossi International Wages Due Lesbians Full, unedited version: It's a fantastic victory for the lesbian and gay movement that Section 28 has finally been abolished after years of promoting homophobia, (especially in schools) discrimination and, cuts to lesbian and gay community projects. (Section 28 gone. . but not forgotten,p6, 17 November). For years, we campaigned against it, making visible its particular impact on lesbian women and our children, exposing how our sexual choices are deeply connected to our economic possibilities (see "Policing the Bedroom and How to Refuse It", Crossroads Books 1991). We chanted we are not “pretended families” the housework is real! The violence, prejudice and discrimination we face in the UK is far from over and Bush today condemned gay marriages in the US where lesbian/gay people are still murdered. We are campaigning with a number of lesbian women seeking asylum from homophobic persecution in Africa and Eastern Europe. They face further persecution by the Home Office and courts which insist that though they have been raped, imprisoned and their lives threatened for being lesbian, it is “safe” for them to go back. We are calling on prominent lesbian and gay organisations and individuals including MPs, to defend the civil, human and legal rights of those of us seeking asylum – being an immigrant and fleeing persecution is a “gay issue”. Those who are now visible in government, business and media only got there after years of activism by grassroots lesbian/gay people. Now let’s see if they will go beyond their lifestyle politics and apply the same standard to everyone, or are they only pressing for equality for people of the "right" race, income, class….? Didi Rossi International Wages Due Lesbians |