Faith, Homophobia & Human Rights Conference

Statement from conference

Following the Faith, Homophobia & Human Rights conference held on Saturday 17 February, supported by 52 organisations and attended by 250 delegates, attendees issued this concluding statement.

For photos (including hi-res 'free for use' by legitimate media versions') of the conference and podcasts of the main speeches, click here.

Venue: Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

Date: Saturday, 17 February 2007

Times:
Speakers, Panels and Workshops 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Reception 6.00 PM - 7.30 PM
On site Restaurant/café/bar will be open until late.

Click here to see the draft Conference Programme

Are faith groups entitled to expect their views on sexuality to take precedence in society over those who hold no faith? Can you make sense of the competing claims made by faith groups?

What do you if you are a person of faith committed to full equality for all irrespective of sexual orientation? How do you think the state, public bodies, local authorities and employers can show respect to lesbian gay, bisexual and transgender people, as well as to people of faith who do not want us to have full equality?

Should there be zero tolerance for homophobia? In some circumstances it is already legal to discriminate in employment, the provision of goods and services, and education, on the grounds of religious faith, as well as sexual orientation. Do you know what they are? Is it right there are these exceptions?

What criteria have to be met to avoid breaking the law? Why is there not one law which applies to all – regardless of faith and/or sexual orientation? If you are responsible for advertising, recruiting, training or employing in any sector of society are you aware of how to respect lgbt people who hold a religious faith?

Can you trust faith groups to employ on merit and not prejudice? Should there be a law to outlaw incitement to homophobic hatred? If so, how will homophobic faith groups react? How can we be certain their views will not prevail in a society increasingly willing to indulge intolerance in name of religion?

What is a homophobic crime? What is a faith crime? What are the limits of free-speech?

Booking Form

Booking for the conference is now closed. The conference took place on 17 February 2007.

This multi-faith conference is open to all who are interested in these questions, and many others that arise from the conflict that some believe is intrinsic between the unfettered, public expression of faith and the full, open expression of same-sex relationships. Are the two reconcilable? There will be leading keynote speakers, workshop facilitators and panellists from a wide range of backgrounds including the law, health service, police, trade unions, politics, education, housing, activism, civil liberties and diversity training. With support from progressive faith and secular groups from around Britain and beyond, there will be no shortage of challenging opportunities to learn and share experiences and find solutions.

Some speakers, workshops and panellists have been arranged already but the provisional programme will be available from 1st December to allow for additions and changes. All welcome regardless of sexual orientation, and whether you have or do not have a religious faith.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

MANAGED BY

SUPPORTERS

SPONSORED BY The Home Office, The Gay Police Association and The London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Russell Jones & Walker Solicitors, BT OpenReach, Amicus, Communication Workers Union (CWU), Reed Smith Richards Butler AttorneysIN ASSOCIATION WITH the Trades Union Congress (TUC), MANAGED BY The Lesbian & Gay Christian Movement, and SUPPORTED BY Positive East, The Centre for the Study of Christianity & Sexuality, Tooks Chambers, The Gay Police Association, Families and Friends of Lesbians & Gays, Ekklesia, The Gay & Lesbian Association of Doctors and Dentists, The Gay & Lesbian Humanist Association, GALOP, Inclusive Church, Black Lesbians and Gays Against Media Homophobia, The British Humanist Association, The Consortium, The Lesbian & Gay Foundation, Schools Out, The Metro Centre Ltd, OutRage!, Educational Action Challenging Homophobia, The Intercom Trust, The Interfaith Alliance UK, Liberal Judaism, Progressive Christianity Network, Lesbians and Gays in Probation, Naz Project, Student Christian Movement, Christian Socialist Movement, International Day Against Homophobia, Beit Klal Yisrael, Gender Identity Research and Education Society, SPECTRUM, Quaker Lesbian & Gay Fellowship, WiseThoughts, The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture, Justice, Liberal Democrat Youth and Students, Leeds Animation Workshop, UK Gay & Lesbian Immigration Group, British Institute of Human Rights, Jewish Gay and Lesbian Group, ILGA Europe, and Amnesty International. Other supporters to be announced.

Download the Supporters list as a PDF

Conference Background

The Gay Police Association has recorded a 74% increase in homophobic incidents, where the sole or primary motivating factor was the religious belief of the perpetrator.

Two priests and worshippers at the Anglican church in Riga, Latvia, were pelted with eggs and excrement by protesters after a service to mark the city’s gay and lesbian pride festival. The vicar Dr Juris Calitis said the atmosphere outside the the Church reminded him of the anti-Jewish pogroms of the war.
Plans to hold a gay pride festival in Jerusalem were attacked by Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders.
Organisations such as Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX), Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality (JONAH), Inqueery, and other members of Exodus International are demanding schools in the USA teach that it is possible to stop being gay.

Fact: One in three English schools is now a faith school.
Question: How can we be certain none condone homophobia? How do we make schools safe for lgbt pupils?

Fact: Faith bodies have been exempted from key provisions of employment and anti-discrimination law law.
Question: Therefore how can they claim to be committed to Equal Opportunities?

Fact: Faith bodies want the right to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation and religion.
Question: So why do they receive public money and grants if they are unwilling to abide by laws applicable to every other sector of society?

True or False? “The UK is a diverse society society, but it won’t remain so if millions of ordinary people feel they’re not allowed to criticise the minority who hate gay people, treat women as second-class citizens and support political or religious violence...Only secular culture, in the form of respect for the rule of law, can offer a stable political solution in countries where people have so many different faiths or none at all.” - Joan Smith, The Independent.

If you are concerned about these, and many other related issues this is a conference you cannot miss. All are welcome.

It will be multi-disciplinary, embracing a wide spectrum of professional practitioners in the field of anti-discrimination and employment law, solicitors and barristers, human rights, law enforcement, diversity trainers, victim support, teaching, trade unions, local government, the lgbt voluntary sector, faith groups, politics, think tanks and public bodies.

Other organisations are expected to offer their support, in addition to those already listed.

The conference is being designed after extensive consultation and the pro-gramme will be available in late November.In the meantime it is strongly advised to register as interest is anticipated to be considerable.

Have you experienced religiously-inspired homophobia or discrimination?

We'd like to hear about it. Click here to tell us your story.

Help promote the Faith, Homophobia & Human Rights conference

If you have a space to fill in your magazine, newspaper or newsletter, we'd be most grateful if you'd consider giving us a free advert to promote the Faith, Homophobia & Human Rights conference.

Please consider using one of these pre-made adverts to help raise the profile of the conference. If none of the sizes or formats below suits your needs, please do contact us on 020 7739 1249 or lgcm@lgcm.org.uk and we'll do our best to help you help us.

Statement from conference

Venue: Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

Date: Saturday, 17 February 2007

Times:
Speakers, Panels and Workshops 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Reception 6.00 PM - 7.30 PM
On site Restaurant/café/bar will be open until late.

Click here to see the draft Conference Programme

Booking Form

SPONSORS

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

MANAGED BY

SUPPORTERS

Conference Background

Have you experienced religiously-inspired homophobia or discrimination?

Help promote the Faith, Homophobia & Human Rights conference

Further Reading

Statement from conference

Venue: Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

Date: Saturday, 17 February 2007

Times: Speakers, Panels and Workshops 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM Reception 6.00 PM - 7.30 PM On site Restaurant/café/bar will be open until late.

Click here to see the draft Conference Programme

Booking Form

SPONSORS

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

MANAGED BY

SUPPORTERS

Conference Background

Have you experienced religiously-inspired homophobia or discrimination?

Help promote the Faith, Homophobia & Human Rights conference

Further Reading

Times:
Speakers, Panels and Workshops 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Reception 6.00 PM - 7.30 PM
On site Restaurant/café/bar will be open until late.