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WALTHAM FOREST: Council pledges more support for LGBT community

4:18pm Tuesday 23rd February 2010 in Waltham Forest News By Carl Brown

LESBIAN, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people in Waltham Forest are an “invisible” minority with many passing as straight to avoid harassment or attack, a report has found.

The findings, entitled Waltham Forest LGBT Matters, were commissioned by the council to gain a greater understanding of life in the borough for the LGBT community.

More than half of the 270 LGBT surveyed feel that homophobic or transphobic harassment is a problem in the borough.

One in three avoid certain areas for fear of homophobic attack, one in 10 have been attacked and a third verbally abused because of their sexuality.

The report comes weeks after the latest police figures show a sharp increase in the number of reported homophobic crimes in the borough.

There were 44 reported incidents in the 12 months leading up to January 2010, compared to just 14 in the previous year.

The findings also show that many LGBT people feel little sense of community in the borough, which the report describes as “exacerbated by the absence of LGBT community infrastructure” and by an absence of LGBT people in the council's promotional literature.

A significant minority of those interviewed also said they felt that many members of the large Muslim and evangelical communities in the borough were “critical of LGBT people”.

The report estimates there are between 7,000 and 10,000 lesbian, gay or bisexual people in the borough.

The council has promised to work harder to inform people on how to report hate crime and provide more opportunities to celebrate the LGBT community locally.

Cllr Marie Pye, communities cabinet member said: “We work hard in our schools and in the wider community to educate young people about celebrating differences.

“But perhaps we are not working hard enough to contact those who actually experience harassment”.

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Comments(26)

wfmywordmybond says...
4:34pm Tue 23 Feb 10

There must be an election looming!!!
Cllr Pye was to be the main speaker at last years International Day Against Homophobia but didn't bother to turn up.
So much for her commitment to the cause!

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jack de large says...
8:05am Wed 24 Feb 10

LGBT people in this borough feel they are an "invisible" minority, they should try being elderly or have mental health problems.

This story seems to raise more questions than it answers. If my maths are correct, and there are up to 10,000 LBGT people in the borough and just over half of the 270 people surveyed, let's say 140 people. That means 1.4% of lesbian, bisexual or gay people feel in some way disenfranchised. Does that not mean the rest are pretty happy an just getting on with their lives? I suspect if you survey the elderly in this borough, particularly those in Council care, thee would be fewer satisfied customers, there would be no point asking people with mental health problems because they don't get the support they would need to complete the survey.

I work in a department store in Central London, a very high number of the staff at all levels are from the LGBT community, nobody notices, nobody pays any attention, we live in far more tolerant times than this story would have us believe. There will always be the odd person from a minority who wants to take offence at the least little thing or suggest that their reasons for failure have to do with their gender, religion or ethnicity but I suggest the truth is very different. This is either the councils diversity/equality departments trying to find a reason for their existence or the Labour/Liberal Democrats desperately seeking votes. Sorry if this seems bit cynical but there are many sections of the community who don't get the advantage of positive action from this Council.

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chrisbo says...
8:27am Wed 24 Feb 10

Hmmm, not sure you understand the meaning of the word 'survey', Jack. As a gay man living in Walthamstow, I can tell you that this represents my views accurately (and I wasn't surveyed.) The only place myself and my partner feel comfortable is in the Village. Muslims are the most visible minority in E17, and manage to get the majority of 'positive action' from the council. This religion's views on homosexuality are well-known - we are subject to disapproving looks and sneers from both adults and kids from that community. We moved to E17 because we thought it had potential. We were wrong - and will be leaving the area as soon as we can afford to.

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newyear says...
9:47am Wed 24 Feb 10

chrisbo makes some interesting points. When Cllr Pye says “We work hard in our schools and in the wider community to educate young people about celebrating differences." she is perhaps not helped in her endeavours by Ed Balls' recent watering down of the Children, Schools and Families Bill in relation to sex and relationships education in faith schools. In relation to religions it sometimes feels as if the equalities agenda is a one-way street and that homophobia is being made the poor relation amongst hate crimes.

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Debdenite says...
9:56am Wed 24 Feb 10

"We moved to E17 because we thought it had potential. We were wrong - and will be leaving the area as soon as we can afford to."

We feel the same in Loughton, as a mixed race family in a predominantly white BNP-voting area. People stare and make abusive comments and we will also be leaving the area next week. This is not an enlightened country, but a country that is increasingly about people demanding their own exclusive ghettoes. Those with a chip on their shoulders about their situation always take it out on those different from them.

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newyear says...
1:17pm Wed 24 Feb 10

Excellent point, Debdenite - I'm very sad to hear of your plight by the way - what a society we live in! It seems that every minority which believes itself to be oppressed feels the need to oppress a more vulnerable group in turn. Perhaps when self-esteem is very low it makes people feel better about themselves but, whilst it's understandable at the level of human psychology, it's indefensible at the level of human social interaction. I do fear that this is part of the 'divide and rule' agenda which, consciously or otherwise, is used by the ruling elites to keep us distracted - in otherwords attacking each other rather than challenging the status quo. Jack de large mentions local politics and wfmywordmybond alludes to politicians courting the 'pink vote'. Whilst I don't think the LGBT community (if such an entity can be said to exist) is that easily bamboozled it is tempting to vote simply for a change at a General Election. I'm frankly amazed at how many LGBT people say they will vote Tory. This is tantamount to turkeys voting for Christmas! They need to remember who it was who imposed the notorious Section 28 (Tories) and who repealed it (Labour). Also, who equalised the age of consent (Labour) and introduced civil partnerships (Labour). If you're L,G,B or T by all means vote Lib Dem (if you really want to waste your vote) but for goodness sake DON'T vote Tory - or you'll get more (or is that less?) than you bargained for!

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Debdenite says...
2:04pm Wed 24 Feb 10

"I do fear that this is part of the 'divide and rule' agenda which, consciously or otherwise, is used by the ruling elites to keep us distracted - in otherwords attacking each other rather than challenging the status quo."

I totally agree with you. The recession was not caused by immigrants, it was caused by the finance industry. Yet, people are voting BNP because they want foreigners out to secure them jobs. Gay people are not the enemy of Muslims, yet Muslims (as well as the BNP) make them into demonic perverts in order to feel superior. As for the Tories, I don't vote for them but I think their days of gay-bashing and scape-goating are over (if anything, Labour's love affair with religious zealots and their faith schools is just as sinister as Section 28, just less overt). At least the political class has become a little more progressive, even if sections of the public are still regressed morons who blame others for their problems and not the government.

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newyear says...
2:32pm Wed 24 Feb 10

Sadly, I think you're right about Labour's "love affair with religious zealots and their faith schools", Debdenite, and I picked up on Ed Balls' cowardice in watering down the new legislation in my first comment. I have to say (and maybe this is more in hope than expectation) that I think that agenda was New Labour in general and Blairite in particular. I'd like to think that the Labour party that emerges from the election will get back on track. In any event it will emerge much-chastened and hopefully that will give it the wake-up call it needs. That said, perverse as it may sound, I'm not giving up on Labour. Admittedly the Lib Dems have some good policies - they were sound on Iraq and I believe they suggest lowering the voting age to sixteen, which I agree with if we want to engage and empower our young people - but then they can afford high principles when they are in permanent opposition. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely - as with Thatcher, so with Blair. I want to see Labour win again, but with a significantly reduced majority so that they are forced to be more accountable and collegiate. As to your personal circumstances, why don't you move to Waltham Forest? The BNP are nowhere here and unlikley to be so. Waltham Forest has lots of issues, goodness knows, but its community cohesion is surprisingly robust.

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Debdenite says...
2:58pm Wed 24 Feb 10

newyear: I lived in Walthamstow many years ago near the dog track. The place I rented seemed miles from anywhere, so it was a bit boring. The Turkish shop in the centre of town was great, though.

With any party, there are things you are going to disagree with. I vote Liberal because I am, at heart, a Liberal - not a Socialist nor a Conservative (although I have tactically voted for other parties in the past). And I think they have some decent, intelligent people in their front-bench team and are mostly devoid of the nasty kind of politics we've seen recently with Bully Brown and the expenses fiasco.

What I am certain about is that we can never find answers in the extremes of politics or by playing the blame game (class, religion or race), whether the ideology is Islamist, fascist or communist.

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newyear says...
3:16pm Wed 24 Feb 10

Agreed, Debdenite, agreed. As to the dog track, that's pretty much Chingford and, as you say, not the most accessible or vibrant of places to live. Central Walthamstow at least has the Victoria Line and trains to Liverpool Street if you want to get out-and-about. I know it's not much of an advertisement for a place to say it's easy to get out of but you could do much worse - as you have, sadly, discovered to your cost. Please come back!

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Walthamster says...
6:03pm Wed 24 Feb 10

Chrisbo, I'm sorry this has happened to you. That's not the Walthamstow I know, and I don't like the idea that homophobic behaviour is being allowed to spread.

As for a supposedly Labour government watering down legislation against homophobia, by pandering to the worst side of religions -- well, I'd like to say it's beyond belief but not with 'New Labour'. I don't think there's a shred of principle among the whole lot of them.

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Janet1 says...
6:12pm Wed 24 Feb 10

Chrisbo - just seen your name here. I'd really like to talk to you about financial scandals here. Please contact me on jwright@freelance-jo
urnalist.co.uk.

Also, I hope you and your partner don't leave Walthamstow. It's a terrific place, with all the potential you first saw and loads of wonderful people. Don't be put off by a few bigots.

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faro0485 says...
9:48pm Wed 24 Feb 10

I blame this nonsense organization known as "Waltham Forest LGBT Matters", they have no clue when it comes to LGBT matters... maybe I should take over "Waltham Forest LGBT Matters" and make a real change for LGBT Matters... because if I did, they'd hear us globally.

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mdj says...
10:51pm Wed 24 Feb 10

Assault is a criminal offence; harassment can be. This is true whoever the victim is, so it's hard to see where the Council comes in to this. The best way to treat everyone equally is to provide services of equal quality and value to all, surely? Once we start breaking down the population into categories, we're thinking of how to treat different people in different ways, which is the problem in the first place....

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jack de large says...
7:57am Thu 25 Feb 10

This has been an interesting debate and in many ways I think it illustrates my point. The level of sympathy shown to the gay contributors is the natural reaction of normal people to unreasoned hatred. It has nothing to do with who is in government, any more than the personal opinions of individuals that cause problems for the LGBT community are. I believe that improvements in gay rights function of an advancing society and a step away from formalised religion, I hope this will continue regardless of who is in Number 10.

Labour can claim to be a party who has supported gay rights, but would Jim Callaghan, In 1979, have passed a bill allowing gay people to marry as Blair was able to? No, because it wouldn't have been as publicly acceptable then as it is now.

Newyear, you said I mentioned politics but I was really just pointing out that at this time in the political cycle politicians, particularly those in the ruling junta, will say and do anything to snatch a vote.

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newyear says...
2:28pm Thu 25 Feb 10

It's what I see as the regrettable step back towards formalised religion that worries me, jack de large. It's tempting to think that we live in a more secular society and in many ways this probably true, in this country at least. Unfortunately, extremist theologies and ideologies are taking hold and this is a disturbing trend which makes many 'minority communities', not just the LGBT 'community', feel increasingly anxious and vulnerable. Yes, we have hate crime and equalities legislation but many religious groups seem to feel themselves exempt from it because they are preaching 'the word of God'. A much more robust attitude towards challenging and prosecuting what I call 'hate preaching' ie homophobic street evangelism (the sort of thing we unfortunately hear all too often in Walthamstow Town Square) needs to be taken. Religion at its most all-embracing can be a force for good, as is seen in Pastor Martin Niemoller's inspirational meditation 'First they came...'. We all have to look out for each other because one day it could be us they come for!

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newyear says...
3:19pm Thu 25 Feb 10

PS: There'll be a Crime Prevention Van in Walthamstow Town Square from 1pm-4pm this Saturday (27th).

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jrp says...
4:43pm Thu 25 Feb 10

Parked in Walthamstow, someone will probably nick it!

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newyear says...
9:26pm Thu 25 Feb 10

A new twist on 'my old man said follow the van', jrp!

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faro0485 says...
9:58pm Thu 25 Feb 10

newyear wrote:
It's what I see as the regrettable step back towards formalised religion that worries me, jack de large. It's tempting to think that we live in a more secular society and in many ways this probably true, in this country at least. Unfortunately, extremist theologies and ideologies are taking hold and this is a disturbing trend which makes many 'minority communities', not just the LGBT 'community', feel increasingly anxious and vulnerable. Yes, we have hate crime and equalities legislation but many religious groups seem to feel themselves exempt from it because they are preaching 'the word of God'. A much more robust attitude towards challenging and prosecuting what I call 'hate preaching' ie homophobic street evangelism (the sort of thing we unfortunately hear all too often in Walthamstow Town Square) needs to be taken. Religion at its most all-embracing can be a force for good, as is seen in Pastor Martin Niemoller's inspirational meditation 'First they came...'. We all have to look out for each other because one day it could be us they come for!
It is the word of the god that solves the problems faced by those in the LGBT community, as well as the science discovered by Swedish scientists in regards to homosexual and neurology. And not forgetting Andrea Dworkin's relationship.

I see that you are returning the assumed "extremism" to those who you believe to be religiously educated. Because you will learn how homophobic even those in the LGBT community can be against those who want to progress the situation of LGBT folk.
Yes one day, the mob will come after you if you don't change.

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chrisbo says...
8:09am Fri 26 Feb 10

Oh dear, another nutter. First, I think we need to be clear - there is no such thing as the LGBT community. We are everywhere, and face the same problems as everyone. We certainly don't huddle together in groups feeling sorry for ourselves - we are often among the more successful and charismatic people in the community. Second, please clarify what 'mob' will come after us if we don't change? Bring it on, mate.

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newyear says...
9:17am Fri 26 Feb 10

Can't change, won't change, faro0845! - and your final line reads like a threat (albeit a hollow one) so just be mindful of the hate crime legislation.

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faro0485 says...
9:57pm Fri 26 Feb 10

chrisbo wrote:
Oh dear, another nutter. First, I think we need to be clear - there is no such thing as the LGBT community. We are everywhere, and face the same problems as everyone. We certainly don't huddle together in groups feeling sorry for ourselves - we are often among the more successful and charismatic people in the community. Second, please clarify what 'mob' will come after us if we don't change? Bring it on, mate.
Always a new year, always failing to keep to last-year's resolution? Oh well.

As for that mob... I don't know, but for people who don't give charity and don't change, the god replaces them with another people who are not like that. That's a generalized fact, and you'll have to either change for the solutions provided above or prepare (which is unlikely) for that mob .

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MMughal says...
7:21am Sat 27 Feb 10

chrisbo wrote:
Hmmm, not sure you understand the meaning of the word 'survey', Jack. As a gay man living in Walthamstow, I can tell you that this represents my views accurately (and I wasn't surveyed.) The only place myself and my partner feel comfortable is in the Village. Muslims are the most visible minority in E17, and manage to get the majority of 'positive action' from the council. This religion's views on homosexuality are well-known - we are subject to disapproving looks and sneers from both adults and kids from that community. We moved to E17 because we thought it had potential. We were wrong - and will be leaving the area as soon as we can afford to.
When it comes to religion based issues, muslims are very active and very clever and they act as a block. They try and use christian religious heads as much as they can to spearhead their causes in christian majority states. Thus they hide wherever they can behind others to push their own agenda wherever they can in any way they can.

Islam and some muslims are a serious problem that cemb has been trying to educate people about. CEMB is council of exmuslims in britain.

They are playing their part in society in very subtle way. Their participation in politics is not towards integration but to gain political advantage so that they could push more and more islam on us.

If this was not their main agenda then they would have pushed for freedom, secularism, democracy, human rights and separation between religion and states they originate from. Also they would have shown more concern against islamization of our free society.

More and more mosques are build with funding from countries whose people are suffering terribly eg saudi arabia and iran etc. They are doing this to gain access to our society so they could influence us as well as they do in their own home lands.

If we do not wake up then things will turn yet more ugly. Today gays and lesbians or women, tomorrow the infidels.

MMughal

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newyear says...
10:29am Sat 27 Feb 10

Would this be the God of love you're talking (or is that rambling) about, faro0485? If you're a believer you're not a very good advertisement. I think I'll stick to athiesm, thank you. As to charity, I volunteer my time for a charity. Charity is as charity does and actions speak louder than words - especially when the words are as incoherent as yours.

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Walthamster says...
4:22pm Mon 1 Mar 10

Very interesting post, MMughal, thanks. I found the CEMB website at www.ex-muslim.org.uk
. Well worth a look.

I recommend it particularly to Faro0485, as an example of people brought up in a religion but staying totally sane and saying No to the bad stuff.

Actually, Faro, if you're a Christian, what about a bit of Christian charity towards people who aren't doing you any harm?

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