penwing.site

Yesterday the UK Supreme Court issued a ruling in an asylum deportation case. The court decided that asking people to hide their sexuality (as the Home Office had been suggesting) was not appropriate. A Win! That was about all I knew.

Many of us watching the #DEBill debate over the past couple of days (yes I was that sad) came away feeling betrayed. Not just because the bill had passed, but because of the disgusting processes which had been exposed. I have an idealised image of what an MP should do and a rather more realistic vision of what I think they are able to do, a rather more cynical vision of what they actually do all from following the Civil Partnerships Act, the Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations and the Equalities Bill (also passed during wash up in the previous days).

So, in 2009, according to my bookkeeping over at LibraryThing, I have read 60 books (let's face it, I'm not going to finish Black Man, Best Served Cold or Bolo before the New Year party tonight). Of those, 43 were fiction books, 5 were short story collections, 1 non-fiction, 1 play, 5 RPG Books (+one of the short story collections was technically an RPG source book), 2 graphic novel volumes, 1 Firefly reference book and 2 cookbooks.

So, it's nearly 2010 and the start of a new decade (face it date pedants, the calendar is so screwed up we may as well accept the mob rule on this - and besides, 2009->2010 feels more significant than 2010->2011).

In the UK we have a limited number of groups fighting for Queer (or LGB(T)) rights. Stonewall (who I have publicly distanced myself from) play a very safe and cosy game but attract a lot of criticism from Queer activists. NUS LGBT Campaign and individual Student Union LGBT groups are student specific. Schools Out is teaching specific. Trade Unions are specific to their members. Queer Youth Network is youth orientated. There's something missing. Something for the activist who isn't young, isn't in a trade union or a students' union.

The Tory leader writing in The Guardian? Have we entered a strange new reality? No, I think Cameron is so confident that the country is ready to ditch Labour that he's trying can embrace the left leaning Guardian crowd with his call for parliamentary reform.

I'm thinking of organising a trip to Bletchley Park and the National Computing Museum. Well, when I say "organise" I mean "co-ordinate a time when I and other mates can go". And when I say "mates" I mean real life friends, twitter folks, nevernetters etc.

So, If you want to come, twitter me - @penwing - or comment here with any Saturdays in late June or July you can come.

So, any takers?

Alex
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On Friday 24th April, the Government introduced The Equality Bill to the House of Commons for its first reading. Lord Alli has launched a site to drum up public support and discussion for this bill. I have downloaded the two volumes of this bill with interleaved explanatory notes and am slowly reading through all 552 pages of it... I've already put some comments on twitter (@penwing) but this is the first of my longer comments on the bill.

1. Introduction

Standing by the pond on this sunny but cold early April morning, I can't help but feel suspiscious. Clutching a bag of bread, this is where I've been invited to carry out a breakfast interview with Carl. I've been forewarned of his timekeeping so am pleasently surprised to see him float into view after only five minutes of waiting.

Carl is one of millions of ducks nationwide who suffer from Canard Plastiquitis - a condition which sees every cell in their body react violently to the air around them when the break out their shells.