PRIME MINISTER
GORDON BROWN
SENDS HIS WISHES

 Click here to read Gordon Brown's original message in PDF format

I’m sorry not to be with you all in Regent’s Park but am pleased to have the chance to send you my best wishes for the fourth UK Black Pride.

I’m very proud of all that this Government has achieved on LGBT rights these last 12 years – often in the face of fierce opposition. From equalising the age of consent, lifting the ban on military service, introducing gay adoption and creating civil partnerships to scrapping section 28, introducing the Gender Recognition Act and banning discrimination at work and in the provision of goods and services, we’ve taken massive strides towards equality.

More recently, we have taken action to tackle homophobic bullying in schools, made incitement to homophobic hate a crime, secured unprecedented lesbian fertility rights and introduced the Equality Bill.

But I also know that we quite simply couldn’t have done it without the activism of our out and proud LGBT community, so I hope you’re very proud of what your campaigning has achieved: you’ve changed laws, you’ve changed lives, you’ve changed the world.

Together we’ve done a lot – but we can never be complacent and must always be vigilant to see that progress isn’t reversed.

This government is committed to standing at your shoulders in the fight for equality and we are guided by one very simple principle when it comes to LGBT rights: you can’t legislate love.

Best wishes and have a great Pride,
Gordon Brown, Prime Minister
15th August 2009

A REVIEW OF
THE COURT CASE OF
KELLIE TELESFORD

Kellie Telesford aged 40, was found dead in her flat in Thornton Heath, South London on 21st November 2007 after friends raised concerns about her welfare. Kellie was born Kayiode Dexter-Telesford, but at the time of her death was living as a pre-op transgender female.

TO RECAP: At approximately 21.00 on 21 November 2007, officers in Thornton Heath responded to reports to concern for welfare from friends for the occupant of 81 Leander Road. Officers attended the address and forced entry, where they found a body. The 40 year old was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post mortem conducted at Mitcham Mortuary 22 November 2007 gave the cause of death as strangulation.

Shanniel Hyatt, 18, of Northborough Road, Norbury was charged with the murder of Kellie Telesford. At the trial at the Old Bailey, 18-year-old Shanniel Hyatt admitted to stealing Ms Telesford's mobile phone, Freeview box, DVD player and Oyster card, but said that he had not known that she was transsexual and that she had been 'fit and well' when he left. He denied murder. He was later cleared of murder and of manslaughter after the jury spent four hours deliberating.

Mr Hyatt's barrister Joanna Greenberg QC suggested that Ms Telesford died during a sex game with another man after her client had left. Her killer is still free.

More information can be found at www.kellietelesford.co.uk

COME DINE WITH US
@ PENDULUM
every tHURSDAY

UK Black Pride & The Soho Supper Club invites you to join dine at Pendulum, 56 Frith Street, Soho, London W1.

Pendulum is Soho's new bar, restaurant and gallery between Soho Square and Old Compton Street.

Each Thursday The Soho Supper Club invites a guest host to throw a dinner party and to enjoy conversation, drinks and mingling and after dinner questions and answers.

The menu at Pendulum is inspired by the flavours of America's foremost regional cuisine: Southern home cooking, wholesome, hearty comfort food. Set menu is £12.50 and includes two courses. (excludes drinks).

Pendulum also boasts the best cocktail makers in Soho!

All drinks* at £2 before 9pm including a wide range of beers and sprits Spirits including Fosters, Kronenbourg, Amstel, Smirnoff Red, Gordons Gin, Bacardi Rum, J&B rare, Jack Daniels, Bulleit Bourbon, Martell and Captain Morgans. (*except champagne and premium and super premium brands).

RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED

Tel: 020 7734 8300
Email: pendulumsoho@vpmg.net

The National Portrait Gallery

Gay Icons explores gay social and cultural history through the unique personal insights of ten high profile gay figures; Lord Waheed Alli, Alan Hollinghurst, Sir Elton John, Jackie Kay, Billie Jean King, Sir Ian McKellen, Lord Chris Smith, Ben Summerskill, Sarah Waters and Sandi Toksvig.

The chosen icons, who may or may not be gay themselves, have all been important to each selector, having influenced their gay sensibilities or contributed to making them who they are today. They include artists Francis Bacon and David Hockney; writers Daphne du Maurier and Quentin Crisp; composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Benjamin Britten; musicians k.d. lang, The Village People and Bessie Smith; entertainers Ellen DeGeneres, Lily Savage and Kenneth Williams; sports stars Martina Navratilova and Ian Roberts and political activists Harvey Milk and Angela Mason.

Their fascinating and inspirational stories will be illustrated by over sixty photographic portraits including works by Andy Warhol, Linda McCartney and Cecil Beaton.

‘I wish this selection had been available to me when I was young and trying to make sense of my reactions to the world. How inspirational to have had portraits of the great and the good staring out at me telling me that I was not by any measure on my own.’ - Sandi Toksvig

Click here for more info & to buy tickets: http://www.npg.org.uk:8080/gayicons/index.htm

Iconic is a season of events, accompanying the Gay Icons exhibition, which explores fantasy, desire, melancholy, beauty, sexuality, joy and ambiguity through queer performance, film, music, literature, walks and talks. Iconic is a season of events, accompanying the Gay Icons exhibition, which explores fantasy, desire, melancholy, beauty, sexuality, joy and ambiguity through queer performance, film, music, literature, walks and talks.