TAKING PRIDE

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: may 2010 :: RMTnews 30 I joined LGBT advisory committee for a couple of reasons, for one I wanted to get more involved with union and, being gay, I thought I had a bit of inside knowledge. But one of the main reasons is looking at what we have now, it’s easy to be complacent and forget where we as a community have come from. I’m only 30 still fairly young, I never knew about the stonewall riots or heard of the Gay Liberation Front. Because of section 28 (which I was unaware of) I didn’t know anything about the gay community apart from the occasional bit in Eastenders. So I think education is important and am pleased at last year’s RMT AGM a motion was passed supporting “proud heritage” which amongst other things will be researching and developing a national museum of LGBT history and heritage. In the 1920’s Berlin had a flourishing gay scene and yet a decade later the fascists Nazis had come to power banning all gay organizations and later sending gays, lesbians and other social deviants to prison or concentration camps. We’ve had to fight for the rights we have today and yet there are still people and political parties, so called religious parties with “family” values who would happily take that away from us. If you look outside the western world you will still see prejudice of a kind incomprehensible to you and I, and in about eight countries gay sex is punishable by death. So through the work of the LGBT advisory committee and by being active at pride’s or other events and marches with the LGBT banner and through our annual conference, we have the power to educate and motivate other people. With the weight of RMT behind us, I feel we could possibly do some good on a international level as well Shaun Plume, Plymouth no5 More information can be obtained from Pat Wilkinson [p.wilkinson@rmt.org.uk] or telephone on 0207 529 8821 WHY I JOINED THE LGBT ADVISORY COMMITTEE T his year will see RMT Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transexual (LGBT) members taking part for the first time at the Pride events in Birmingham and Manchester. RMT’s presence at these events is an enjoyable way of showing this union’s commitment to equality and the LGBT community. Members of the union’s LGBT Advisory Committee have attended Pride in London and Brighton for over five years and thought the time was right to concentrate on other parts of the country. Whilst union members take part in the big parades as a walking group, there is much else to do and experience. Although members of the advisory committee will attend, the main focus is to encourage involvement by our ordinary LGBT members. These events show that getting involved with union activity can be fun and rewarding. BIRMINGHAM PRIDE The parade will start at 12 noon on Saturday, May 29 in Victoria Square. The route will end right in the heart of the Gay Village area for festival goers to continue the celebrations. The theme of this year’s Pride is Equality Over the Decades in recognition of what has been achieved since 1967 when homosexuality was legalised. For more details please email p.wilkinson@rmt.org.uk . MANCHESTER PRIDE The parade on August 28 will be the culmination of a week of festivities. Martin and Shaun of the RMT LGBT advisory committee have been busy organising our walking group. If you want to join them, please phone Martin on 07 713258502. Although the end of August may seem some way off, if you want to participate, it will be more than helpful to Martin and Shaun if you let them know you are interested – it will also be easier to find accommodation in Manchester. TAKING PRIDE