"Pitfalls facing gay recruits overseas"

There's an interesting letter in today's Financial Times high-lighting some of the special problems gay staff with long-term partners may face when endeavouring to have their partners accompany them on overseas assignments. The case in the letter is not about some backward country, but the second economy in the world, Japan, which decided it no longer wished to allow a gay partner living there with his 'spouse' to re-enter the country after a trip abroad.

The chimera of religion exposed ...

... by, of all people, Christian lawyers and the Church of England. The truth is that when the myths and make-believe spouted by organised religious organisations are subjected to close scrutiny by those with no vested interest in continuing the whole charade, then those who do 'believe' what the church preaches find it difficult to argue the case convincingly even to themselves.

Personally I have no desire to prohibit anyone believing whatever they like, however crazy I might find it, just so long as these loons confine their fantasising to the private realm and are no longer able to inflict it on all of us through the legal system, the recent exemptions granted to religious bodies in their employment practices being a case in point. That's the kind of thing that really cries out for someone to sue the church!

PS/ My tax filing for this year was completed and sent off a couple of days ago, but I decided that Thursday evening and yesterday should be 'me' time. Some 'retail therapy' on Thursday and a glorious walk along the beach and river in Nairn yesterday afternoon (a bright, sunny day here in Nairn with a strong and surprisingly mild wind blowing in off the sea), followed by the first half of a bottle of a bottle of a very good Australian Shiraz which has been sitting in my cellar maturing for some years (I have only four bottles of that dozen left to sample, but I think they still have a few more years left when they will make good drinking). This evening, however, marks the real end of summer for me; the Last Night of the Proms this evening will see me sipping from a bottle of champagne and consuming a few of my favourite Belgian chocolates, whilst awaiting the final few rousing moments of joyful patriotism (I'll try and keep the volume control within reasonable limits). Whatever flag you want to see being waved around in the Royal Albert Hall I expect you'll not be disappointed - even those of my fellow Scots who prefer to see the Saltire alone flying on Scottish public buildings! I'll resist the temptation to make further snide comment, though with some difficulty. Enjoy the evening!

Church of England loses gay job-dscrimination case

A gay man seeking employment with the Church of England has won (Times) his claim for "unlawful discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation" and is likely to receive substantial compensation. The Telegraph's report is here.

It is clear that, despite the disgusting exemptions granted to religious organisations under the Sexual Discrimination Act, which provide them the right to discriminate against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people in matters of employment, that there are limits to what such 'cults' can get away with under this law. I would like to see the Act amended to repeal these exemption completely, but the tribunal's decision is at least a move in the right direction.

Sacked for being gay in Scotland?

That's what top estate agent Gordon Lockhart is claiming at an employment tribunal. It may of course just be a coincidence, but it seems that soon after revealing to one of the directors of the firm he worked for, Re/Max, that he is gay and after returning from New Zealand where he had entered into a civil partnership agreement with his partner Leon Gray he learned of his dismissal . The firm claims that he was dismissed because of "poor levels of customer service", even though he was their top salesman in Scotland and had won awards for his high performance three years in a row. The claim by the firm that his status as an independent contractor rather than a direct employee means that the employment tribunal has no jurisdiction in the matter may complicate matters, but sounds like a ruse to me to allow the firm to engage in clear discrimination - unless it can present cast-iron evidence to back up its claim. I await the outcome of this case with interest.

Gay rights in Nigeria, such as they are, are likely to be severely curtailed

A Bill currently being debated by the Nigerian Parliament will impose very severe sanctions on all aspects of homosexual expression:

The Bill is entitled: “The Prohibition of Relationships Between Persons of the Same Sex, Celebration of Marriage by Them, and for Other Matters Connected Therewith.” The draconian measure will, quite apart from its principal aims as outlined in the title, outlaw membership of a gay group, attending a gay meeting or protest, advocating gay equality, donating money to a gay organisation, hosting or visiting a gay website, the publication or possession of gay safer sex advice, renting or selling a property to a gay couple, expressions of same-sex love in letters or emails, attending a same-sex marriage or blessing ceremony, screening or watching a gay movie, taking or possessing photos of a gay couple, and publishing, selling or loaning a gay book or video. Even mere socialising by two or more gay people is likely to be interpreted as illegal. The Bill widens Nigeria’s already harsh anti-gay laws, to criminalise any expression, public or private, of homosexuality. Attending a private gathering of gay people, or imparting HIV prevention information to a gay person, will also become a crime.

Outrageously this Bill is backed by the Anglican Church in Nigeria and by its notoriously homophobic Archbishop, Peter Akinola. If there is to be a rift in the Anglican Communion worldwide, then I think it is high time that the Anglican Church in the UK and in the United States started to face up to this sinister development and sever all ties with it Nigerian sister organisation. The Archbishop of Canterbury should reassess fundamentally where he is leading his Church and proclaim that he will not maintain relations with parts of the Anglican Communion which support such pernicious policies.

Similarly it is high time that the UK takes a stand and tables a motion to suspend Nigeria from membership of the Commonwealth at the next CHOGM if it passes this Bill into law; if fellow Commonwealth members are unwilling to agree to the suspension of Nigeria in these circumstances it is my view that the UK must consider seriously whether its own continuing membership of that organisation is tenable.