A report presented the findings of a study which explored how stigma and discrimination contributed to reduced health and well-being for the two largest groups of people living with HIV in the United Kingdom - African migrants, and gay/bisexual men.
Source: Catherine Dodds et al., Outsider Status: Stigma and discrimination experienced by gay men and African people with HIV, Sigma Research (020 7737 6223)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Dec
The Civil Partnerships Act received Royal assent. The Act allowed same-sex couples to make a formal, legal commitment to each other by entering into a civil partnership through a statutory civil registration procedure. A proposed amendment to include similar rights for co-habiting siblings was defeated.
Source: Civil Partnerships Act 2004, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | Cabinet Office press release | Stonewall press release | TUC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Nov
Researchers sought to establish the extent and impact of homophobic bullying on pupils.
Source: Ian Warwick, Elaine Chase and Peter Aggleton, with Sue Sanders, Homophobia, Sexual Orientation and Schools: A review and implications for action, Research Report 594, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
A report brought together available surveillance information on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the United Kingdom, and the behaviours that underpinned their transmission. By the end of 2003 there were an estimated 53,000 people living with HIV, of whom, 14,300 (27 per cent) were unaware of their infection. This high level of infection was due to sustained levels (and a possible increase) of HIV transmission in men who had sex with men, and continued migration of HIV-infected heterosexual men and women from sub-Saharan Africa.
Source: UK Collaborative Group for HIV and STI Surveillance, Focus on Prevention: HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in the United Kingdom in 2003, Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections (020 7339 1300)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report (pdf links) | HPA press release | National Aids Trust press release | Brook press release | FPA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Nov
The government announced that same-sex couples would be given the right to pass on survivor pensions, in the same way as married people. The Civil Partnership Bill would be amended so that contracted-out pension schemes were required to provide survivor pensions for civil partners from rights built up since 1988, replicating the existing position for widowers.
Source: Press release 26 October 2004, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: DWP press release
Date: 2004-Oct
An independent working group recommended specific legislation in Scotland for hate crimes towards individuals based on their sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability.
Source: Working Group on Hate Crime Report, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SE press release
Date: 2004-Oct
The Civil Partnership Bill was given a second reading. The Bill would enable same-sex couples to make a formal, legal commitment to each other by entering into a civil partnership.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 12 October 2004, columns 174-256, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Oct
A research report explored developments in the field of lesbian and gay equalities work in local government since 1990, addressing issues such as local government modernization and the changing political situation.
Source: Davina Cooper, The Changing Politics of Lesbian and Gay Equality in Local Government 1990-2001, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Oct
A report examined ways of healing divisions within the Anglican Church on the ordination of gay bishops.
Source: Lambeth Commission on Communion, The Windsor Report 2004, Anglican Communion Office (020 7313 3900)
Links: Report (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Oct
A survey found that fewer than half of gay men were 'out' to the staff in their family doctor's surgery; a third of all gay men who were registered with a family doctor said the surgery staff did not know they had sex with men, and they would be unhappy if this information were given to staff. Overall satisfaction with family doctor services among gay men was relatively high.
Source: Peter Keogh et al., Doctoring Gay Men: Exploring the contribution of general practice, Sigma Research (020 7737 6223)
Links: Report (pdf) | THT press release
Date: 2004-Aug
Between April 2003 and March 2004, the Crown Prosecution Service identified 103 cases of 'homophobic' offences. Of these, 59 resulted in a guilty plea and a further 14 resulted in conviction after trial: 73 cases - 71 per cent of the total - therefore resulted in a conviction. (This was the first occasion on which such data had been published.)
Source: Press release 10 August 2004, Crown Prosecution Service (020 7796 8000)
Links: CPS press release
Date: 2004-Aug
An issue of the journal Urban Studies contained a series of articles on sex and sexuality in the urban context - including prostitution, adult entertainment districts, and homosexuality.
Source: Urban Studies, Volume 41 Number 9
Links: Contents page
Date: 2004-Aug
A report by a joint committee of MPs and peers welcomed the Civil Partnership Bill as a measure enhancing protection for the fundamental human rights of same-sex partners. But it pointed out that it would give rise to inequality of treatment between same-sex couples and married heterosexual couples in relation to survivor's pension benefits under occupational pension schemes.
Source: Civil Partnership Bill, Fifteenth Report (Session 2003-04), HL 136 and HC 885, Joint Committee on Human Rights (House of Lords and House of Commons), TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2004-Jul
The House of Lords voted to support an amendment to the Civil Partnership Bill, which would extend the Bill to cover all carers and family members living in the same property - effectively stalling the Bill's progress through Parliament. (The Bill would enable same-sex couples to make a formal, legal commitment to each other by entering into a civil partnership.)
Source: House of Lords Hansard, Debate 24 June 2004, columns 1354-1462, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Stonewall press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Jun
The Law Lords upheld an earlier decision of the Court of Appeal and ruled in favour of the right of a surviving partner in a same-sex relationship to succeed to the full tenancy of a shared home on their partner s death.
Source: Ghaidan (Appellant) v. Godin-Mendoza (FC) (Respondent), UKHL 30 (Session 2003-04), House of Lords Judicial Office (020 7219 3111)
Links: Text of judgement | Stonewall press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Jun
Draft legislation was published aimed at tackling 'hate crime' in Northern Ireland. There would be a statutory requirement for judges to treat racial and religious aggravation, and hatred of sexual orientation or disability, as an aggravating factor when sentencing.
Source: Draft Criminal Justice (No.2) (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Northern Ireland Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Draft order | Explanatory note | NIO press release
Date: 2004-Jun
A paper reviewed the issue of definitions used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, and reviewed recent research in Northern Ireland on sexual orientation issues.
Source: Esther Breitenbach, Researching Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-May
An openly gay but celibate canon (Jeffrey John) was appointed to an important Church of England post as Dean of St Albans. He had previously been forced to resign as Bishop of Reading.
Source: The Guardian, 18 April 2004
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2004-Apr
The High Court rejected a challenge to an exemption (in statutory regulations) that allowed a small number of religious organisations to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Source: The Queen on the application of: Amicus MSF Section, National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education, UNISON, NASUWT, Public and Commercial Services Union, NURMT, NUT v. Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Christian Action Research Education, Evangelical Alliance and Christian Schools Alliance, High Court 26 April 2004
Links: Text of judgement | Stonewall press release
Date: 2004-Apr
The Civil Partnership Bill was published, under which same-sex couples would be able to make a formal, legal commitment to each other by entering into a civil partnership. The Inland Revenue said that legislation on the child and working tax credits, child benefit and guardian's allowance would be amended so that the rights and responsibilities of opposite-sex couples were replicated for same-sex couples; same-sex couples would therefore be required to make joint tax credit claims, on the same basis as opposite-sex couples.
Source: Civil Partnership Bill [HL], Department of Trade and Industry, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Press release 31 March 2004, Inland Revenue (020 7438 6420)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Inland Revenue press release | DWP press release | Stonewall press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Mar
The Civil Partnership Bill was published, under which same-sex couples would be able to make a formal, legal commitment to each other by entering into a civil partnership. The Inland Revenue said that legislation on the child and working tax credits, child benefit and guardian's allowance would be amended so that the rights and responsibilities of opposite-sex couples were replicated for same-sex couples; same-sex couples would therefore be required to make joint tax credit claims, on the same basis as opposite-sex couples.
Source: Civil Partnership Bill [HL], Department of Trade and Industry, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Press release 31 March 2004, Inland Revenue (020 7438 6420)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Inland Revenue press release | DWP press release | Stonewall press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Mar
The government announced draft proposals to tackle 'hate crime' in Northern Ireland. There would be a statutory requirement for judges to treat racial and religious aggravation and hatred of sexual orientation as an aggravating factor when sentencing.
Source: Draft Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Northern Ireland Office (028 9052 0700)
Links: Draft order (pdf) | NIO press release
Date: 2004-Feb
A research report examined the experiences of ethnic minority gay men, and made recommendations for improving support services.
Source: Peter Keogh, Catherine Dodds and Laurie Henderson, Ethnic Minority Gay Men: Redefining community, restoring identity, Sigma Research (020 7737 6223)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Feb
A briefing paper urged schools to ensure that bullying of young lesbian and bisexual women was covered in anti-bullying policies, and to enforce a 'zero tolerance' attitude to such behaviour among teachers and pupils.
Source: Pride not Prejudice: Young lesbian and bisexual women, Young Women s Christian Association (01865 304215)
Links: YWCA press release
Date: 2004-Feb
Health agencies reported that newly diagnosed cases of HIV increased by 20 per cent between 2002 and 2003, and described the rise as 'a cause for considerable concern'.
Source: Aids/ HIV Quarterly Surveillance Tables: Cumulative UK data to end December 2003, Health Protection Agency (020 7339 1300), Scottish Centre For Infection and Environmental Health, and Institute of Child Health
Links: Report (pdf) | HPA press release | National Aids Trust press release | THT press release
Date: 2004-Feb
A research report examined the experiences of migrant gay men, and made recommendations for improving support services.
Source: Peter Keogh, Catherine Dodds and Laurie Henderson, Migrant Gay Men: Redefining community, restoring identity, Sigma Research (020 7737 6223)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Feb
A report sought to describe the experiences of gay working-class men. It said that being gay and working class could sometimes limit an individual s capacity for self-fulfilment: but it could also facilitate ways of living which led to great personal happiness. Efforts by gay and HIV agencies to improve gay working-class men s access to 'self-improvement or empowerment-focused interventions' were probably a waste of time, because the men's lives were already rooted in the family and the local community.
Source: Peter Keogh, Catherine Dodds and Laurie Henderson, Working Class Gay Men: Redefining community, restoring identity, Sigma Research (020 7737 6223)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jan
The Scottish Executive published a consultation paper on hate crime. It examined the case for legal measures to address offences motivated by hatred or prejudice towards social groups.
Source: Working Group on Hate Crime: Consultation paper, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Consultation document
Date: 2004-Jan
A report looked at the experiences of young people who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transsexual in Northern Ireland, and highlighted their support needs, as well as the support needs of organisations who worked with them. The research identified the need to develop specific support for young people under 16.
Source: Research into the Needs of Young People in Northern Ireland who Identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and/or Transgender (LGBT), YouthNet (028 9033 1880)
Links: Report (Word file)
Date: 2004-Jan