Letters to the editor

Selected letters may appear in The Pink Paper

I heard on BBC world service last night (13/02/05) that there is a new Super HIV strain - dispite taking the latest anti-retroviral drugs some fella in Washington died in 6months after contracting the virus. Take care fellas

Regarding Ken Livingstone and Qardawi, all I can say is that if Qardawi is really not anti- gay then why does he not do something (anything!!) to stop persecution, torture, rape and imprisonment of gay men in all Islamic lands today? Its easy for him to say one thing when he comes over here, but the proof is in what is going on where he comes from! All Islamic countries persecute gays and Malaysia, a very moderate Islamic land, recently imprisoned someone for sodomy and he wasn't even gay! Israel on the other hand does not discrimate against gay men or women and they can even serve in the armed forces (and have to!). There are gay clubs there and I saw a gay parade in Tel Aviv. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and all its Arab neighbours are either dictatorships or corrupt monarchies which discriminate against homosexuals and can even murder them. And Ken's insult to a Jewish reporter here needs to be apologised for and his blaming an Israeli army lieutenant for 'blowing the whistle' on Qardawi, makes me think that 'our' Ken is also an anti-semite and therefore a dangerous man.

Great relaunch, Was cool to see a bit of urbaness to the issue. would be great to have some more ethnic issues highlighted in the future.

Marital Apartheid : Civil Partnership Act In the late 1970's, gay rights organisations throughout the world came together to demand equal treatment in law. In the early half of this decade, one gay rights organisation, Stonewall, has accepted "special" laws for homosexuals - is this the road you want to take ; where we accept special laws which effect homosexuals only? Here are a few facts about the "special" law for same-sex couples wishing to take part in Civil Partnerships. - you are not classed as husband, wife or next of kin. You, and your partner are classed as a "relatives", the same as siblings or in-laws. This has been caused by a new amendment to the Registered Births Deaths and Marriage Act 1965. Therefore, should you and your partner have children, the non-blood relation will have no legal leg to stand on should you seperate. - Opposite-sex marriage law contains over 4,500 co-habitation, inheritance and pension benefit rights, same-sex partnerships contain 10. - Opposite-sex couples cannot register under the Civil Partnership Act - what's so equal about this law then? - The last law to be enacted which was specifically targeted at homosexuals was Section 28. Therefore, the Civil Partnership Act is hardly in good company. Yes, we all can benefit from this special law, in the short term, but in the long term, by accepting a law which is solely directed at homosexuals we give up the right to demand EQUALITY. Finally, before taking part in Civil Partnership, you need to ask yourself one VERY important question. Is it wise to add yours and your partners names to a governmental "gays only" list? Don't say you haven't been warned. Don't partake in Civil Partnerships and urge others not to do so also. Gay Militia UK

For those of us living abroad can we please have a better on-line site. Just 4 news items were on your home page and clicking on the front page image only lead to subscription information.

Must be a lot of single people in Gay Militia

I've only just found you on the web and not sure of the purpose of this page but, could someone possibly help me here? Myself and my partner have just moved into a house but, when trying to get contents insurance, No-one will give us a joint policy. Yet, if we were a hetro couple, there would be no problem. Could someone possibly help me out? Les

I hate the fact that being gay is not actually a big issue but people make it into one.

What is happening to Birminghams Gay Village, i have been refused entry to Missing for wearing a baseball cap, and was told that no sportswear is allowed in Route, so no joggers or baseball caps, yet other headwear is allowed, i asked why and was told that the temporary manageress (who is straight) thinks they are scruffy, mine most assuredly are not, does this person not realise that baseball caps are as much a dress code to the lesbian community as the litte black dress is for heterosexual women, do we not have to deal with enough predjudice without being picked on for our clothes, is not the whole idea of the gay community somewhere we can be ourselves without predjudice, there is hardly any trouble in Hurst Street, yet in Broad Street, where people compete with each other there is trouble every night, so much so that more and more straight folk come down to the village, i am beginning to think that the gay village in Birmingham is nearing it's death toll, i for one will not be spending my pink pound there while predjudice prevails