text:
LGBT rights in the United Kingdom
LGBT rights in the United Kingdom | |
Location of the United Kingdom (dark green)
– in Europe (light green & dark grey) |
Same-sex sexual activity legal? | 1967 (England and Wales) 1981 (Scotland) 1982 (Northern Ireland) 2001 age of consent equalised (nationwide) |
Gender identity/expression | Right to change legal gender since 2005 |
Military service | Allowed to serve openly since 2000 |
Discrimination protections | All protections since 2010; some existed since 2003 for sexual orientation and 1999 for gender identity |
Family rights | |
Recognition of relationships |
Same-sex marriage from 2014 (England and Wales; Scotland) Civil partnerships since 2005 (nationwide) |
Same-sex marriages are not recognised or performed in Northern Ireland No religious or belief body is compelled to perform same-sex marriages and civil partnerships (the Church of England and Church in Wales are banned from same-sex marriages) Adultery and non-consummation are not grounds for divorce or dissolution |
Adoption | Joint and stepchild adoption since 2005 (England and Wales) 2009 (Scotland) 2013 (Northern Ireland) |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in the United Kingdom have evolved dramatically over time though still vary slightly by jurisdiction in the four countries of the UK.
Before and during the formation of the UK, Christianity and homosexuality clashed. Same-sex sexual activity was characterised as sinful and, under the Buggery Act 1533, was outlawed and punishable by death. LGBT rights first came to prominence following the decriminalisation of same-sex sexual activity across the UK between 1967 and 1982.
Since the turn of the 21st century, LGBT rights have increasingly strengthened in support. Some discrimination protections had existed for LGBT people since 1999, but were extended to all areas under the Equality Act 2010. In 2000, Her Majesty's Armed Forces removed its ban on LGBT individuals serving openly. The age of consent was equalised, regardless of sexual orientation, in 2001. Transgender people have had the right to change their legal gender since 2005. The same year, same-sex couples were granted the right to enter into a civil partnership, a similar legal structure to marriage, and also to adopt in England and Wales. Scotland later followed on adoption rights for same-sex couples in 2009, and Northern Ireland in 2013. Same-sex marriage was legalised in England and Wales in 2013, followed by Scotland in 2014, which are both expected to come into effect later in 2014.[1] Northern Ireland does not intend to introduce same-sex marriage and recognises same-sex marriages as civil partnerships.
Today, LGBT citizens have most of the same legal rights as non-LGBT citizens and Britain provides one of the highest degrees of liberty in the world for its LGBT communities. In ILGA-Europe's 2013 review of LGBTI rights, Britain received the highest score in Europe, with 77% progress toward "respect of human rights and full equality."[2]
An Integrated Household Survey estimated 1.5% people in Britain identify themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual – far lower than previous estimates of 5–7%.[3] Interpreting the statistics, an ONS spokeswoman said, "Someone may engage in sexual behaviour with someone of the same sex but still not perceive themselves as gay."[4] LGBT rights organisations and very large LGBT communities have been built across the length and breath of Britain, most notably in Birmingham, Blackpool, Brighton, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle, which all host annual pride festivals.
Same-sex sexual activity[edit]
This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2013) |
Homosexuality as an offence[edit]
Years before the formation of the modern United Kingdom in 1707, English law identified anal sex and zoophilia as offences punishable by hanging as a result of the Buggery Act 1533, which was pioneered by Henry VIII. The Act was the country's first civil sodomy law; such offences having previously been dealt with by the ecclesiastical courts. Whilst it was repealed in 1553 on the accession of Mary I, Elizabeth I re-enacted it in 1563. James Pratt and John Smith were the last two to be executed for sodomy in 1835.[5]
Although section 61 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 removed the death penalty for homosexuality, male homosexual acts remained illegal and were punishable by imprisonment. The Labouchere Amendment, section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885, extended the laws regarding homosexuality to include any kind of sexual activity between males. Oscar Wilde was convicted under this law and sentenced to 2 years of penal labour. Conversely, lesbians were never acknowledged or targeted by legislation.
In Scotland, there were no statutes making sex between men unlawful between 1424 and 1707,[6] but homosexual acts were punishable. One example is the commission for trial of Gavin Bell.[7]
In the early 1950s, the police actively enforced laws prohibiting sexual behaviour between men. By the end of 1954, there were 1,069 gay men in prison in England and Wales, with an average age of 37.[8] There were a number of high-profile arrests and trials, including that of scientist, mathematician, and war-time code-breaker Alan Turing, convicted in 1952 of "gross indecency." He accepted treatment with female hormones (chemical castration) as an alternative to prison. Turing committed suicide in 1954. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in response to a petition, issued an apology on behalf of the British government for "the appalling way he was treated" in 2009.[9][10] In 1953, the trial and eventual imprisonment of Edward Montagu (the 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu), Michael Pitt-Rivers and Peter Wildeblood for committing acts of "homosexual indecency" caused uproar and led to the establishment of a committee to examine and report on the law covering "homosexual offences" appointed by Sir David Maxwell Fyfe and Sir Hugh Lucas-Tooth.
The Wolfenden Committee was set up on 24 August 1954 to consider UK law relating to "homosexual offences"; the Report of the Departmental Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution (better known as the Wolfenden report) was published on 3 September 1957. It recommended that "homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private should no longer be a criminal offence," finding that "homosexuality cannot legitimately be regarded as a disease, because in many cases it is the only symptom and is compatible with full mental health in other respects."
In October 1957, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, spoke in support of the Wolfenden Report, saying that "There is a sacred realm of privacy... into which the law, generally speaking, must not intrude. This is a principle of the utmost importance for the preservation of human freedom, self-respect, and responsibility." The first parliamentary debate on the Wolfenden Report was initiated on 4 December 1957 by Lord Pakenham. Of the seventeen peers who spoke in the debate, eight broadly supported the recommendations in the Wolfenden Report. Maxwell Fyfe, now ennobled as Lord Kilmuir and serving as Lord Chancellor, speaking for the government, doubted that there would be much public support for implementing the recommendations and stated that further research was required. The Homosexual Law Reform Society was founded on 12 May 1958, mainly to campaign for the implementation of the Wolfenden Committee's recommendations.
Decriminalisation of homosexual acts[edit]
In 1965, Lord Arran proposed the decriminalisation of male homosexual acts (lesbian acts had never been illegal) in the House of Lords. This was followed by Humphry Berkeley in the House of Commons a year later, though Berkely ascribed his defeat in the 1966 general election to the unpopularity of this action. However, during in the newly elected Parliament, Labour MP Leo Abse took up the issue and the Sexual Offences Bill was put before Parliament in order to implement some of the Wolfenden Committee's recommendations after almost ten years of campaigning.
The Sexual Offences Act 1967 was accordingly passed and received Royal Assent on 27 July 1967 after an intense late night debate in the House of Commons. It maintained general prohibitions on buggery and indecency between men, but provided for a limited decriminalisation of homosexual acts where three conditions were fulfilled: 1) the act had to be consensual, 2) the act had to take place in private and 3) the act could involve only people that had attained the age of 21. This was a higher age of consent than that for heterosexual acts, which was set at 16. Further, "in private" limited participation in an act to two people. This condition was interpreted strictly by the courts, which took it to exclude acts taking place in a room in a hotel, for example, and in private homes where a third person was present (even if that person was in a different room). These restrictions were overturned in the European Court of Human Rights in 2000.[8]
The 1967 Act extended only to England and Wales. Organisations such as the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and the Gay Liberation Front therefore continued to campaign for the goal of full equality in Scotland and Northern Ireland where all homosexual behaviour remained illegal. Same-sex sexual activities were legalised in Scotland on the same basis as in the 1967 Act, by section 80 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980, which came into force on 1 February 1981. An analogous amendment was also made to the law of Northern Ireland, following the determination of a case by the European Court of Human Rights (see Dudgeon v. United Kingdom); the relevant legislation was an Order in Council, the Homosexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1982,[11] which came into force on 8 December 1982.
An equal age of consent[edit]
In 1979, the Home Office Policy Advisory Committee's Working Party report, Age of Consent in Relation to Sexual Offences, recommended that the age of consent for same-sex sexual activities should be reduced to 18, but no such legislation was enacted as a result.
In February 1994, Parliament considered reform of the law on rape and other sexual offences during the passage of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill. Conservative MP Edwina Currie tabled an amendment to equalise the age of consent of same-sex sexual activities to 16. Currie's amendment was defeated by 307 votes to 280. Those who supported it included Tony Blair,[12] John Smith, Neil Kinnock, Paddy Ashdown and William Hague. Those against included David Blunkett and Ann Taylor. There were angry scenes outside the Palace of Westminster at the defeat of the amendment, when those involved in a demonstration organised by the group OutRage! clashed with police. Another amendment tabled by Sir Anthony Durant suggested lowering the age of consent to 18, which passed by 427 votes to 162, and supporters included Michael Howard and John Major. It was opposed by such MPs as John Redwood, Michael Heseltine and John Gummer. An amendment tabled by Simon Hughes which was intended to equalise the age of consent for homosexuals and heterosexuals to 17 was not voted upon. The Bill as a whole was given a second reading in the Lords by 290 votes to 247. Lord Longford then sought to reintroduce 21 as the minimum age in the Lords, but this was defeated by 176 votes to 113. An amendment by the deputy Labour leader in the House of Lords, Lord MacIntosh of Haringey, that would have equalised the age of consent to 16, was rejected by 245 votes to 71.
In its decision of 1 July 1997 in the case of Sutherland v. United Kingdom, the European Commission of Human Rights found that Articles 8 and 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights were violated by a discriminatory age of consent, on the ground that there was no objective and reasonable justification for maintaining a higher minimum age for male homosexual acts. On 13 October 1997, the Government submitted to the European Court of Human Rights that it would propose a Bill to Parliament for a reduction of the age of consent for homosexual acts from 18 to 16. On 22 June 1998, the Crime and Disorder Bill was put before Parliament. Ann Keen proposed amendments to lower the age of consent to 16. The House of Commons accepted these provisions with a majority of 207, but they were rejected by the House of Lords with a majority of 168. Subsequently, the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill was introduced on 16 December 1998 and, again, the equalisation of the age of consent was endorsed on 25 January 1999 by the House of Commons, but was rejected on 14 April 1999 by the House of Lords. Those campaigning against the amendment claimed they were simply acting to protect children. Baroness Young, the leader of the campaign against the amendment, said, "Homosexual practices carry great health risks to young people."
The Government reintroduced the Bill in 1999. With the prospect of it being passed by the Commons in two successive sessions of Parliament, the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949 were available to enact the Bill should the Lords have rejected it a third time. The Lords passed the Bill at second reading, but made an amendment during committee stage to maintain the age of consent for buggery at 18 for both sexes. However, as the Bill had not completed its passage through the Lords at the end of the Parliamentary session on 30 November 2000, the former Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin certified that the procedure specified by the Parliament Acts had been complied with. The Bill received Royal Assent a few hours later, and was enacted as the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000. The provisions of the Act came into force throughout the UK on 8 January 2001, lowering the age of consent to 16.[13] This Act also introduced, for the first time, an age of consent for lesbian sexual acts, as previously there had been no legislation concerning this.[14]
On 1 May 2004, the Sexual Offences Act 2003 entered into force, which swept away all of the previous sex-specific legislation, including the 1967 Act, and introduced instead neutral offences. Thus, the previous conditions relating to privacy were removed, and sexual acts were viewed by the law without regard to the sex of the participants.
Same-sex relationships[edit]
Civil partnership[edit]
There was no legal recognition of same-sex relationships in Britain until 2005, following the legalisation of civil partnerships under the passage of the Civil Partnership Act on 18 November 2004. Civil partnerships are a separate union which give most (but not all) the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage, but there are recognition issues in other countries and with the use of courtesy titles. Civil partnerships can take place on any approved premise in the UK and in approved religious venues in England and Wales since 2011 (though religious venues are not compelled), but cannot include religious readings, music or symbols. Adultery and non-consummation are also not grounds for the dissolution of a civil partnership.[citation needed]
The first civil partnership ceremony took place at 11:00 (GMT) on 5 December 2005 between Matthew Roche and Christopher Cramp at St Barnabas Hospice, Worthing, West Sussex.[15] The usual 14 day waiting period was waived as Roche was suffering from a terminal illness. He died the next day.[16] The first civil partnership ceremonies after the statutory waiting period then took place in Northern Ireland on 19 December, with ceremonies following the next day in Scotland and the day after that in England and Wales.
Same-sex marriage[edit]
Same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom has been the subject of wide debate since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Britain. Previous legislation in England and Wales had prevented same-sex marriage, including the Marriage Act 1949 which defined marriage as between a man and a woman, the Nullity of Marriage Act 1971 which explicitly banned same-sex marriages, and the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 which reiterated the provisions of the Nullity of Marriage Act.
While civil partnerships were established nationwide, marriage law is a devolved matter in the United Kingdom and therefore the legislative procedure of same-sex marriage differs by jurisdiction. The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, which allows same-sex marriage in England and Wales, was passed by UK Parliament in July 2013 and will come into force on 13 March 2014, with the first same-sex marriages taking place on 29 March 2014.[17][18][19] The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014, allowing same-sex marriage in Scotland, was passed by the Scottish Parliament in February 2014 and is expected to come into effect in autumn 2014.[20][21]
Same-sex marriages in the UK give all the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage and can be performed on approved premises. This also includes religious venues, providing the religious or belief body has opted in. However, no religious or belief body is compelled to perform same-sex marriages; the Church of England and the Church in Wales are explicitly banned from doing so. For the purposes of the divorce of a same-sex marriage, the common law definition of adultery remains as sexual intercourse between a man and a woman only, although infidelity with a person of the same sex can be grounds for a divorce as "unreasonable behaviour."[22] Non-consummation is also excluded as a ground for the annulment of a same-sex marriage.[22]
In Northern Ireland, same-sex marriage is not recognised or performed, following several votes against it by the Northern Ireland Assembly. Same-sex marriages performed in Great Britain and across the world are recognised as civil partnerships in Northern Ireland.[23][24]
Adoption and family planning[edit]
In the Adoption and Children Act 2002 Parliament provided that an application to adopt a child in England and Wales could be made by either a single person or a couple. The previous condition that the couple be married was dropped, thus allowing a same-sex couple to apply. The Lords rejected the proposal on one occasion before it was passed. Supporters of the move in Parliament stressed that adoption was not a "gay rights" issue but one of providing as many children as possible with a stable family environment rather than seeing them kept in care. Opponents raised doubts over the stability of relationships outside marriage, and how instability would impact on the welfare of adopted children. Similar legislation was adopted in Scotland which came into effect on 28 September 2009.[25][26]
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008[27] was given Royal Assent on 13 November 2008.[28] The legislation allows for lesbians and their partners (both civil and de facto) equal access to legal presumptions of parentage in cases of in vitro fertilisation ("IVF") or assisted/self insemination (other than at home) from the moment the child is born. Since the law also allows both partners to be identified on the child's birth certificate by the words "parent". [29] The law came into force from 6 April 2009 and is not retroactive (it does not apply before that date).[30][31] Parental orders for gay men and their partners since 6 April 2010 have been available for surrogacy arrangements.[31]
Since 31 August 2009, legislation granting lesbians equal birth rights in England and Wales came into effect, meaning both can now be named on a child's birth certificate, amending the Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987.[32][33][34] The legislation was criticised by those who believe it was "damaging the traditional notion of a family".[35] Stonewall Head of Policy and Research Ruth Hunt said the new law makes life easier for lesbian families and stated "Now lesbian couples in the UK who make a considered decision to start a loving family will finally be afforded equal access to services they help fund as taxpayers".[36] Home Office minister, Lord Brett was full of praise in his comments:
This positive change means that, for the first time, female couples who have a child using fertility treatment have the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts to be shown as parents in the birth registration. It is vital that we afford equality wherever we can in society, especially as family circumstances continue to change. This is an important step forward in that process.[34][35]
Iain Duncan Smith, who led efforts to oppose the change, said that "The absence of fathers generally has a detrimental effect on the child."[37]
Military service[edit]
LGB people have been allowed to serve openly in the Her Majesty's Armed Forces since 2000, and discrimination on a sexual orientation basis has been forbidden since 2010.[38] It is also forbidden for someone to pressure LGBT people to come out. All personnel are subject to the same rules against intolerance, bullying and sexual harassment, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. The British military also recognise civil partnerships and grants same-sex couples the same rights to allowances and housing as opposite-sex couples.
The British military actively recruits LGBT people and have deployed recruiting teams to many Pride events: the Royal Navy advertises for recruits in gay magazines and has allowed gay sailors to hold civil partnership ceremonies on board ships and, since 2006, to march in full naval uniform at gay pride marches; British Army and Royal Air Force personnel could march but had to wear civilian clothes until 2008, now all military personnel are permitted to attend such marches in uniform.[39]
The current policy was accepted at the lower ranks first, with many senior officers worrying for their troops without a modern acceptance of homosexuality that their personnel had grown up with. One Brigadier resigned but with little impact. Since the change support at the senior level has grown. General Sir Richard Dannatt, the Chief of the General Staff (head of the Army), told members of the Army-sponsored Fourth Joint Conference on LGBT Matters that homosexuals were welcome to serve in the Army. In a speech to the conference in 2008, the first of its kind by any Army chief, General Sir Richard said that respect for LGBT officers and soldiers was now "a command responsibility" and was vital for "operational effectiveness."[40]
The British Army requires all soldiers to undergo Equality and Diversity[41] training as part of their Military Annual Training Tests and stress tolerance, specifically citing homosexual examples in training videos, in line with the British Army Core Values[42] and Standards,[43] including "Respect for Others" and "Appropriate Behaviour." It considers its Core Values and standards as central to being a professional soldier.
In 2009, on the tenth anniversary of the change of law that permitted homosexuality in the Armed Forces, newspapers reported that the lifting of the ban had no perceivable impact on the operational effectiveness on the military. The anniversary was widely celebrated, including in the Army's in house publication Soldier Magazine, with a series of articles including the July 2009 cover story and newspapers articles.[44][45]
Transgender rights[edit]
In December 2002, the Lord Chancellor's office published a Government Policy Concerning Transsexual People document that categorically states that transexualism "is not a mental illness."[46]
Since 4 April 2005, as per the Gender Recognition Act 2004, it is possible for transgender people to change their legal gender in the UK, allowing them to acquire a new birth certificate, affording them full recognition of their acquired sex in law for all purposes. Transgender people must present evidence to a Gender Recognition Panel, which considers their case and issues a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC); they must have transitioned two years before a GRC is issued. It is not a requirement for sex reassignment surgery to have taken place, although such surgery will be accepted as part of the supporting evidence for a case where it has taken place. There is formal approval of medical gender reassignment available either on the National Health Service (NHS) or privately.
However, there have been concerns regarding marriages and civil partnerships. Under the Gender Recognition Act 2004, transgender people who are married have been required to divorce or annul their marriage in order for them to be issued with a GRC. The government chose to retain this requirement in the Act as effectively it would have legalised a small category of same-sex marriages.The Civil Partnership Act 2004 allowed the creation of civil partnerships between same-sex couples, but a married couple that includes a transgender partner cannot simply re-register their new status. They must first have their marriage dissolved, gain legal recognition of the new gender and then register for a civil partnership. This is like any divorce with the associated paperwork and costs.
With the legalisation of same-sex marriage in England and Wales, existing marriages will continue where one or both parties change their legal gender and both parties wish to remain married. However, civil partnerships continue where only both parties change their gender simultaneously and wish to remain in their civil partnership. This restriction remains as effectively it would legalise a small category of opposite-sex civil partnerships. The legislation also does not restore any of the marriages of transgender people that were forcibly annulled as a precondition for them securing a GRC and states that a GRC will not be issued unless the spouse of the transgender person has consented. If the spouse does not consent, the marriage must be terminated before a GRC may be issued.[47]
Discrimination protections[edit]
Some discrimination protections on gender identity had existed since 1999. Regulations were introduced for discrimination protections on sexual orientation in employment on 1 December 2003, following the adoption of an EC Directive in 2000, providing for the prohibition of discrimination in employment on the grounds of sexual orientation.[48]
On 30 April 2007, the Sexual Orientation Regulations came into force, following the introduction of similar provisions in Northern Ireland in 2006. They provided a general prohibition of discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of sexual orientation. Similar legislation had long previously been in force in respect of discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, disability and marital status. The introduction of the Regulations was controversial and a dispute arose between the Government and the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales over exemptions for Catholic adoption agencies.[49]
Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Birmingham declared his opposition to the Act, saying that the legislation contradicted the Catholic Church's moral values. Several Catholic adoption agencies requested exemption from sexual orientation regulations, and the adoption charity Catholic Care obtained a judgement on 17 March 2010 instructing the Charity Commission to reconsider its case.[50] The Charity Commission again found no grounds to make an exception for Catholic Care, a decision upheld on appeal.[51] In August 2011 the Upper Tribunal agreed to hear the charity's fourth appeal in the case.[52] In November 2012, the appeal was dismissed by the Upper Tribunal, with the Tribunal ruling in favour of the Charity Commission. Catholic Care stated its intention to appeal the judgement.[53]
In October 2007, the Government announced that it would seek to introduce an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill to create a new offence of incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation.[54] This followed the creation of an offence on religious hatred that had proved controversial in 2006 (see Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006). Incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation was already illegal in Northern Ireland.
The Equality Act 2010 received Royal Assent on 8 April 2010.[55] The primary purpose of the Act was to codify the complicated and numerous array of Acts and Regulations, which formed the basis of anti-discrimination law in the UK including the Equal Pay Act 1970, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and three major statutory instruments protecting discrimination in employment on grounds of religion or belief, sexual orientation and age. This legislation has the same goals as the US Civil Rights Act 1964 and four major EU Equal Treatment Directives, whose provisions it mirrors and implements.[56] It requires equal treatment in access to employment as well as private and public services, regardless of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, transgender status, belief and age.[57] The Act amended the Approved Premises (Marriage and Civil Partnership) Regulations 2005 to allow civil partnership ceremonies on religious premises in England and Wales.[58] It also extended trans rights, banning discrimination by schools on the grounds of gender reassignment[59]
Other initiatives have included the establishment of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights on 1 October 2007 which is tasked with working for equality in all areas and replaced the previous commissions dedicated to sex, race and disability alone; the setting up of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Advisory Group within the Department of Health;[60] a provision of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 that a court must treat hostility based on sexual orientation as an aggravating factor for sentencing a person;[61] guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service on dealing with homophobic crime;[62] and a commitment from the Government to work for LGBT rights at an international level.[63]
Section 28[edit]
The 1980s saw a setback for LGBT rights. The availability in the libraries of schools run by the Inner London Education Authority of a book considered by some to "promote" homosexuality led to protests and a campaign for new legislation.[64] Consequently, in 1988, the Local Government Act included a provision prohibiting "the intentional promotion of homosexuality" by any local authority and "the teaching in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship." The provision was known as Section 28, and amended section 2A of the earlier Local Government Act of 1986. Changes in the structure of local government since that date led to some confusion over the precise circumstances in which the new law applied, including the question of whether or not it applied at all in state schools.
Section 28 (called Section 2A in Scotland) was repealed in Scotland within the first two years of the existence of the Scottish Parliament, by the Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000.[65] A move to remove the provision in England and Wales was prevented following opposition in the House of Lords, again led by the Baroness Young. Following her death in 2002, it was repealed by the Labour government in a new Local Government Act, which took effect on 18 November 2003. During the passage of the Bill, no attempt was made to retain the section and an amendment seeking to preserve it using ballots was defeated in the House of Lords. In June 2009, David Cameron, Conservative Party leader, formally apologised for his party introducing the law, stating that it was a mistake and offensive to gay people.[66]
LGBT rights movement[edit]
The Homosexual Law Reform Society, founded on 12 May 1958, in response to the findings of the Wolfenden Report was one of the first LGBT groups in the UK. Now Stonewall exists as the largest LGB equality organisation in the UK and Europe.
LGBT people have been serving openly in politics since the 1970s. The first openly lesbian MP was Maureen Colquhoun (Labour Party, MP 1974–79), who was outed in 1976. LGBT people are also allowed to serve openly in police and, in 1990, the Lesbian and Gay Police Association (LAGPA), now the Gay Police Association (GPA), was founded.
There are also large LGBT communities most noted in Birmingham (Birmingham Gay Village), Blackpool, Brighton (LGBT community of Brighton and Hove), Leeds (The Calls), Liverpool (LGBT culture in Liverpool), London (Old Compton Street) and Manchester (Canal Street), who all host annual pride festivals.
Many pride festivals are hosted in the UK every year. The first gay marches were in London in 1970, followed by the debut of the UK Gay Pride Rally there in 1972. Pride London is the biggest and oldest festival, and has been organised annually since. Pride festivals are very popular summer events in major cities, and have expanded to smaller communities in recent years.
Public opinion[edit]
An illustration of social attitudes towards homosexuality in the UK was provided in May 2007 in a survey by YouGov. The poll indicated that legislation outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation was supported by 90% of British citizens. It also showed positive public perceptions of gay people in particular, but recognised the extent to which prejudice still exists.[67] A poll in June 2009 conducted by Populus for The Times reported that the majority of the public supports same-sex marriage; 61% of respondents agreed that "Gay couples should have an equal right to get married, not just to have civil partnerships".[68][69]
Controversy over conversion therapy[edit]
Peel, Clarke and Drescher wrote in 2007 that only one organisation in the UK could be identified with conversion therapy, a religious organisation called The Freedom Trust[70] (part of Exodus International): "whereas a number of organisations in the US (both religious and scientific/psychological) promote conversion therapy, there is only one in the UK of which we are aware". The paper reported that practitioners who did provide these sorts of treatments between the 1950s and 1970s now view homosexuality as healthy, and the evidence suggests that 'conversion therapy' is a historical rather than a contemporary phenomenon in the UK, where treatment for homosexuality has always been less common than in the USA.[71]
In 2007, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the main professional organization of psychiatrists in the UK, issued a report stating that: "Evidence shows that LGB people are open to seeking help for mental health problems. However, they may be misunderstood by therapists who regard their homosexuality as the root cause of any presenting problem such as depression or anxiety. Unfortunately, therapists who behave in this way are likely to cause considerable distress. A small minority of therapists will even go so far as to attempt to change their client's sexual orientation. This can be deeply damaging. Although there are now a number of therapists and organisation in the USA and in the UK that claim that therapy can help homosexuals to become heterosexual, there is no evidence that such change is possible."[72]
In 2008, the Royal College of Psychiatrists stated: "The Royal College shares the concern of both the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association that positions espoused by bodies like the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) in the United States are not supported by science. There is no sound scientific evidence that sexual orientation can be changed. Furthermore so-called treatments of homosexuality as recommended by NARTH create a setting in which prejudice and discrimination can flourish."[73]
In 2009, a research survey into mental health practitioners in the United Kingdom concluded "A significant minority of mental health professionals are attempting to help lesbian, gay and bisexual clients to become heterosexual. Given lack of evidence for the efficacy of such treatments, this is likely to be unwise or even harmful."[74] Scientific American reported on this: "One in 25 British psychiatrists and psychologists say they would be willing to help homosexual and bisexual patients try to convert to heterosexuality, even though there is no compelling scientific evidence a person can willfully become straight", and explained that 17% of those surveyed said they had tried to help reduce or suppress homosexual feelings, and 4% said they would try to help homosexual people convert to heterosexuality in the future.[75]
Summary table[edit]
Please note: when a jurisdiction is not specified, the right applies to the whole of the United Kingdom.
Right | Yes/No | Notes |
Same-sex sexual activity | ||
Same-sex sexual acts legal | Since 1967 (England and Wales) Since 1981 (Scotland) Since 1982 (Northern Ireland) |
Homosexuality declassified as an illness | Since 1968 | |
Equal age of consent for same-sex and opposite-sex sexual acts | Since 2001 | |
Same-sex relationships | ||
Civil partnerships for same-sex couples[note 1] | Since 2005 | |
Civil partnerships in religious venues | Since 2011 (England and Wales) From 2014 (Scotland) Illegal (Northern Ireland) |
Civil and religious same-sex marriage[note 2] | From 2014 (England and Wales) From 2014 (Scotland) Illegal (Northern Ireland) |
Adoption and family planning | ||
Joint- and step-adoption for LGBT persons and same-sex couples | Since 2005 (England and Wales) Since 2009 (Scotland) Since 2013 (Northern Ireland) |
Equal access to IVF for all couples and individuals | Since 2009 | |
Same-sex couples as both parents on a birth certificate | Since 2009 | |
Equal access to surrogacy for all couples and individuals | Since 2010 | |
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples | Illegal for heterosexual couples also | |
Military service | ||
LGBT people allowed to serve openly in military | Since 2000 | |
Transgender rights | ||
Transsexualism declassified as an illness | Since 2002 | |
Right to change legal gender | Since 2005 | |
Right to change legal gender without having to end marriage[note 3] | From 2014 (England and Wales) From 2014 (Scotland) Illegal (Northern Ireland) |
Discrimination protections | ||
Laws against hate speech based on sexual orientation | Since 2008 (England and Wales) No laws exist (Scotland and Northern Ireland) |
Laws against hate speech based on gender identity | No laws exist | |
Laws against inciting hatred on sexual orientation through an aggravating circumstance | Since 2004 (Northern Ireland) Since 2008 (England and Wales) Since 2010 (Scotland) |
Laws against inciting hatred on gender identity through an aggravating circumstance | Since 2010 (Scotland) No laws exist (England and Wales, Northern Ireland) |
Anti-discrimination laws in all areas on sexual orientation and gender identity (including harassment, victimisation, direct and indirect discrimination) | Since 2010, though some protection has existed since 2003 for sexual orientation and 1999 for gender identity | |
LGBT sex education and relationships taught in schools | Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), which includes sex and relationships, is not compulsory[76] Schools in England must comply with the Equality Act's Public Sector Equality Duty (2012) which includes LGBT equality Ofsted assesses the inclusion of LGBT people in policies and the curriculum |
MSMs allowed to donate blood | Since 2011, subject to 1 year deferral from sexual activities (Great Britain)[77][78] Not available (Northern Ireland)[79] |
Migration rights | ||
Immigration equality and rights for LGBT individuals and same-sex couples | Since 2006 | |
Recognition of sexual orientation and gender identity for asylum requests | Guidelines not applied consistently Some cases recognised since 1999 including that of HJ and HT v Home Secretary Plans for guidance on asylum claims brought on by sexual orientation but not gender identity |
- ^ Civil partnerships give most (but not all) of the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage, but there are recognition issues in other countries and with the use of courtesy titles. Civil partnerships can take place on any approved premise in the UK and in approved religious venues in Great Britain (though religious venues are not compelled), but cannot include religious readings, music or symbols. Adultery and non-consummation are also not grounds for the dissolution of a civil partnership.
See Civil Partnership Act 2004 and Civil partnership in the United Kingdom - ^ Same-sex marriages give all the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage and can be performed on approved premises and religious venues in Great Britain (though no religious or belief body is compelled). Adultery and non-consummation are not grounds for divorce.
See Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 and Same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom - ^ Existing marriages continue where one or both parties change their legal gender and both parties wish to remain married. Civil partnerships continue where only both parties change their gender simultaneously and wish to remain in their civil partnership.
See Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 and Same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom
See also[edit]
- Timeline of LGBT history in Britain
- Hall–Carpenter Archives
- Gay Rights Working Party—1980s work in London to combat discrimination and police abuse
- History of violence against LGBT people in the United Kingdom
- Human rights in the United Kingdom
- LGBT rights by country or territory
- LGBT rights in Scotland
- Sexual orientation and military service
- Stonewall (charity)
- LGBT Network
- ^ . Pink News http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/12/10/government-announces-date-of-first-same-sex-marriages-in-england-and-wales/. Retrieved 10 December 2013. Missing or empty
(help) - ^ "Rainbow Europe". ILGA-Europe. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- ^ Travis, Alan (23 September 2010). "1.5% of Britons say they are gay or bisexual, ONS survey finds". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 23 September 2010.
- ^ Stephenson, Wesley (4 October 2010). "In the closet or not?". BBC News Magazine (BBC). Retrieved 5 October 2010.
- ^ Cook, Matt; Mills, Robert; Trumback, Randolph; Cocks, Harry (2007). A Gay History of Britain: Love and Sex Between Men Since the Middle Ages. Greenwood World Publishing. p. 109. ISBN 1846450020.
- ^ http://www.rps.ac.uk/
- ^ http://www.rps.ac.uk/search.php?action=fetch_jump&filename=charlesi_ms&jump=charlesi_t1645_11_28_d6_trans&type=ms&fragment=m1645_11_28_d6_ms
- ^ a b http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/07/15/the-pinknews-guide-to-the-history-of-england-and-wales-equal-marriage/2/
- ^ Whiteman, Hilary (1 September 2009). "Petition seeks apology for Enigma code-breaker Turing". CNN. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "Treatment of Alan Turing was "appalling" – PM". Number10.gov.uk. 10 September 2009. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "The Homosexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 (No. 1536 (N.I. 19))". The UK Statute Law Database. Office of Public Sector Information. 27 October 1982. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
- ^ Blair, Tony (1996). New Britain: my vision of a young country. Fourth Estate. p. 188. ISBN 978-1-85702-436-4.
- ^ "Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 2000". The UK Statute Law Database. Office of Public Sector Information. Commencement Information. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
- ^ "BBC News – Q and A: The age of consent". BBC. 29 November 2000. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
- ^ "First civil union in the United Kingdom". BBC News. 6 December 2005. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "Partner of first civil union in the United Kingdom dies". BBC News. 6 December 2005. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "Gay marriage bill: Peers back government plans". BBC News Online. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
- ^ "England's Gay Marriage Law To Become Legal After Lower House Approval". The Huffington Post. Reuters. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ "Same-sex marriage becomes law in England and Wale". BBC News. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ "Gay marriage to be introduced in Scotland". BBC News. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-22691285
- ^ a b http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/30/schedule/4/enacted
- ^ http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/regional/assembly-members-vote-to-block-gay-marriage-1-5223296
- ^ "Same-sex marriage law bid fails". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
- ^ "Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007, 2007 asp 4, s. 29". Opsi.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ Thomas, Ellen (20 September 2009). "New legislation sees gay Scottish couples win right to adopt children". The Herald. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
- ^ http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2008/en/ukpgaen_20080022_en.pdf
- ^ "Update to General Directions, Code of Practice and consent forms". Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
- ^ "Analysis: What the new IVF parenthood laws mean for lesbians". Pink News. 2 March 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
- ^ "Lesbian couples undergoing IVF now permitted to put both names on birth certificates". Pink News. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
- ^ a b http://www.hfea.gov.uk/en/1807.html[dead link]
- ^ "Parenthood – Birth registration and parental orders". Hfea.gov.uk. 2 September 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ Cacciottolo, Mario (30 August 2009). "'Brilliant' news for lesbian couples". BBC. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
- ^ a b Tran, Mark (31 August 2009). "Lesbian partners to be named on birth certificates". Guardian (London). Retrieved 31 August 2009.
- ^ a b Beckford, Martin (31 August 2009). "Children can now have two lesbian mothers and no father on birth certificate". Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 31 August 2009.
- ^ "Lesbians given equal birth rights". BBC News. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
- ^ Beckford, Martin. "Children can now have two lesbian mothers and no father on birth certificate." The Telegraph. 31 August 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
- ^ Queer:Argentinien und die Philippinen beenden Homo-Verbot im Militär (German)
- ^ Barr, Damian; Bannerman, Lucy (14 June 2008). "Soldiers can wear their uniforms with pride at gay parade says MoD". The Times (London). Retrieved 23 May 2010.
- ^ Rayment, Sean (11 October 2008). "Army's top general makes history by addressing conference on homosexuality". The Telegraph (London).
- ^ "[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Equality and Diversity – British Army Website". Army.mod.uk. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ "[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Army Values – British Army Website". Army.mod.uk. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ "[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Army Standards – British Army Website". Army.mod.uk. 6 November 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ "Pride of the army: Soldier magazine honours gay servicemen and women". PinkNews.co.uk. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ Drury, Ian (12 December 2009). "My very personal battle, by the soldier who came out while serving in Afghanistan". Daily Mail (London).
- ^ "Government Policy concerning Transsexual People". People's rights / Transsexual people. U.K. Department for Constitutional Affairs. 2003.
- ^ http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/30/schedule/5/enacted
- ^ "Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, S.I. 2003/1661". Opsi.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ Smith, Peter (5 February 2007). "Note from Archbishop Peter Smith regarding Catholic adoption agencies and the current controversy". Catholic Church of England and Wales. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
- ^ Leeds-based Catholic charity wins gay adoption ruling bbc.co.uk, 17 March 2010
- ^ Brocklebank, Christopher (26 April 2011). "Catholic charity loses appeal over gay adoption". Pink News. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
- ^ Wiggins, Kaye (2 August 2011). "Catholic Care given leave to appeal again". Third Sector. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
- ^ Mason, Tania (5 November 2012). "Catholic Care loses Upper Tribunal challenge over gay adoption". Civil Society Media. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
- ^ Grew, Tony (8 October 2007). "Government approves incitement to gay hate law". Pink News. Retrieved 10 October 2007.
- ^ "Equality Act 2010". Equalities.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
- ^ see EU Directive 2000/78/EC, 2000/43/EC, 2006/54/EC
- ^ "EHRC — Commission welcomes landmark equality legislation". Equalityhumanrights.com. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
- ^ "Home Office". Equalities. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Sexual orientation and gender identity — Policy and guidance". Department of Health. Archived from the original on 2 April 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
- ^ "Criminal Justice Act 2003, 2003 c. 44, s. 146". Opsi.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "Crown Prosecution Service: Policy Statement". Cps.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "Promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights overseas". Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Archived from the original on 19 March 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
- ^ Bosche, Susanne (31 January 2000). "Jenny, Eric, Martin . . . and me". Guardian (London). Retrieved 10 October 2007.
- ^ "2000 asp 7, s. 34". Opsi.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
- ^ "David Cameron apologises for Section 28". The Independent (London). 2 July 2009. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
- ^ Muir, Hugh (23 May 2007). "Majority support gay equality rights, poll finds". Guardian (London). Retrieved 10 October 2007.
- ^ Bennett, Rosemary (27 June 2009). "Church 'out of touch' as public supports equal rights for homosexuals". The Times (London). Retrieved 2 October 2009.
- ^ "Gay Britain Survey". Populus. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
- ^ This is presumably a reference to True Freedom Trust which appears to have dissociated itself from Exodus and conversion therapy in 2000.
- ^ Peel 2007, pp. 18–19
- ^ "Thinking Anglicans". 13 September 2008.
- ^ "Statement from the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Gay and Lesbian Mental Health Special Interest Group". 13 September 2008.
- ^ Bartlett, Smith & King 2009
- ^ Ballantyne 2009
- ^ http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/06/12/labours-clause-20-sex-education-amendment-fails-in-the-commons/
- ^ Gallagher, James (8 September 2011). "Gay blood donor ban to be lifted". BBC (London: BBC). Retrieved 8 September 2011.
- ^ Deferral of Men who have Sex with Men from Blood Donation
- ^ "Health Minister Poots stands by ban on gay blood donors". BBC News. 17 June 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
- Sutherland v. United Kingdom – 25186/94 [2001] ECHR 234 (27 March 2001)
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to LGBT in the United Kingdom. |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to LGBT history in the United Kingdom. |
- LGBT History Month United Kingdom website
- GLBTQ website article on the history of LGBT life in the United Kingdom from the Middle Ages to the Nineteenth Century.
- GLBTQ website article on the history of LGBT life in the United Kingdom from 1900 to the present.
- Comprehensive UK and International LGBT news website
- (UK) LGBT History Project's Wiki


text:
07/20/2009, Düsseldorf
Platinum for annual report and gold for training film on corporate brand-building
International consumer goods manufacturer Henkel has garnered honors in two renowned US communications competitions. For the fourth time in a row, the company received the highest accolade in the roll of the world's best with the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) conferring platinum on the 2008 Henkel annual report in the "Consumer Consumables – Household/Personal" category. And in the globally established Stevie International Business Awards, Henkel's new training film explaining the company's corporate branding strategy garnered gold.
At this year's survey of the world's best annual reports, Henkel received an LACP 2008 Vision Award, taking first place in the competition category "Consumer Consumables – Household/Personal" and beating Beiersdorf, Procter & Gamble and Unilever in the process.
The jury comprised of international communications experts awarded the Henkel annual report a score of 98 out of a possible 100 points. The interview with Chairman of the Management Board Kasper Rorsted and Chairman of the Shareholders' Committee Albrecht Woeste – a new departure replacing the classic preface of previous years – received an additional silver award in the "Best Letter to Shareholders" category.
The Jury's feedback read: "The first impression conveyed by Henkel's annual report is great, and both the cover and the interview are excellent." The jury also praised the report narrative, its financials, its creativity, its message clarity and information value, and also its detailed list of contents and ease of navigation through the pages.
The LACP Vision Awards are widely recognized as authoritative in assessing the quality of financial reporting. In all, the LACP scrutinized and assessed more than 3,500 entries from over 20 countries for its Vision Awards competition.
Henkel also enjoyed success at the globally established Stevie International Business Awards. The training film "Become a corporate branding pro in 7 minutes" received gold, the highest award, in the competition category "Orientation".
Designed for employees and agencies alike, his brief instructional video presents in a visually engaging and entertaining manner the basics of Henkel's corporate branding strategy, its vision and values and the most important core rules governing the company's corporate identity and corporate design.
The Stevie Awards is an international competition in which companies and organizations are assessed and rewarded in a wide range of categories. This year the competition attracted more than 1,700 entries from over 30 countries.
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The Pew Charitable Trusts is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life.
Mar 31, 2010
This report assesses the environmental and social impacts of the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG), running from 2000 to 2006, using a range of quantitative and qualitative information. EU allocations for FIFG totalled €3.2 billion, of which Spain received nearly half. Member State contributions brought the total allocation of FIFG funding to €4.9 billion.
A key objective of structural policy in the fisheries sector was to bring the fishing capacity of the European fleet into line with available biological resources. We identify that FIFG funding has not achieved the intended net fishing capacity reduction and, in some fleet segments, has led to fleet capacity increases. This has contributed to the worsening status of some stocks and has hindered the recovery of other stocks, as well as having had associated negative impacts on marine environment.


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AP: Drug cartel a misnomer as Mexico criminal group Knights Templar earns more from mining, logging, extortion: (link)
GazetteUMass: I like and respect Dick Vitale a lot. But every time he mentions his Vitale Bald Dome Index he sounds silly and detracts from his argument
AP: Magnitude-6.2 quake hits Chile's northern Pacific coast hours after stronger one in same region: (link)
AP: Dog that mauled 4-year-old Phoenix boy receives thousands of Facebook pleas for mercy: (link)
AP: Thousands gather at Lake Placid to welcome back members of the Sochi Olympic team: (link)
AP: USGS revises Chile earthquake's magnitude to 6.7; only minor damage reported: (link)
AP: Investigators hone in on satellite data in a way never tried before as they try to locate missing #MH370: (link)
GazetteUMass: RT @ThatBoySwift: My Final Top School is UMass & UConn & Baylor & SMU & OSU ððð¯ð
GazetteUMass: @nlgraham1 @AndyGlockner Any chance I can withdraw from conversation. I finished 399th in Jerome standings. My stupidity is quantifiable.
GazetteUMass: @nlgraham1 @AndyGlockner I'm the East coast's leading distributor of wrong. Have to take care or my own
AP: AP PHOTOS: In shadow of Ukraine's crisis, 2014 Winter Paralympics closes: (link)
GazetteUMass: MT @AndyGlockner: So Wichita's regional: 2nd -best 2-seed, Best 3 & 4, 2nd-best 5, 2 dangerous 11s vs UMass Best 7, 8 & 9 seeds. Seriously?
GazetteUMass: RT @UMassLad: My coin-flip bracket has Kansas beating UMass in the final Well, we had a good run but the luck ran out in the end
GazetteUMass: Any restaurant/sports bar suggestions in Raleigh?
GazetteUMass: RT @tsnmike: But UMass as a 6 still has my head spinning.
GazetteUMass: Minuteman fans will enjoy not seeing UMass listed here - (link)
GazetteUMass: UMass still get the incorrect space U Mass on ESPN's bracket challege
AP: "Star Trek" actor Chris Pine pleads guilty to DUI in New Zealand: (link)
GazetteUMass: For the Atlantic 10, respectability begins on Selection Sunday | One And One - SI- (link)
GazetteUMass: Storify: What tweeters are saying about UMass in NCAA tournament | GazetteNet (link)
AP: RT @AP_Retail: Guinness pulls out of St. Patrick's Day parade, following similar moves by Heineken & Sam Adams (link)
AP: President Barack Obama tells Russian President Putin that Crimea secession vote "would never be recognized": (link)
GazetteUMass: RT @UMassAthletics: Here is the UMass NCAA Ticket Request Form to get tix for Friday. Limited supply available: (link)
mikemoranDHG: Ellis Cooper with 30 pts (10 for 20), 16 rbs (10 def), 4 ast, 1steal but Franklin Pierce lost 79-77 to So. Connecticut in NCAA DII 2nd rd
GazetteUMass: If UMass wins it's first game, which is no gimme, it'll be the most popular team in America on Sunday given people's hatred for Duke
GazetteUMass: I'm assuming I'm not the only one amused at the prospect of Kevin Harlan calling a Raphiael Putney dunk.
AP: Last year, Obama administration censored, denied records requests more often than ever before: (link)
GazetteUMass: UMass is playing in the afternoon on Friday. a 2:40 tip or so following Duke-Mercer
AP: Canada-Mexico flight makes emergency stop in tiny regional airport in Montana after extreme turbulence: (link)
mikemoranDHG: Storify: What they're saying about UMass in NCAA tournament | (link)


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Choose a Player Format. You can include scrollable thumbs with the player showing all videos that are availabe for the artist / playlist.
Slipknot music video People=Shit. People=Shit is a song performed by American heavy metal rockers Slipknot coming from their second album Iowa. The single was released December 2007 and charted in the US Top 100 Rock Charts.
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QR codes add value on the supermarket shelf
The symbiotic merging of the digital and the real worlds, as in a recent example from South Korea, is perhaps still a long way off for other parts of the world. A British retailer has mounted billboards on the walls of an underground train station, showing supermarket shelves tightly packed with actual-sized products – and has opened a virtual supermarket. Each product has a QR code, allowing passengers to shop online using their smartphones while they are waiting for a train. Consumers can also pay by mobile phone, and their groceries will be delivered to their door. Within just a few months, according to information provided by the retailer, sales through the online shop have increased by 130 per cent. Martin Herrenbrück, head of global marketing and business development at SIG Combibloc, says: "The use of smartphones as regular shopping companions is going to catch on at different speeds in different parts of the world. But according to forecasts by experts, if the current trend continues, within the next 20 to 30 months more mobile telephones will be connected to the internet than PCs. Compared to the domestic appliance industry, for instance, the food industry is still more reluctant to introduce QR codes. However, a step into the digital future can really be worth it – especially if you manage to achieve a 'first mover' effect in the market you are aiming for."


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Select your customer type:
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Quicker installation means quicker returns
This 72-cell Ve module from Suntech was specially designed for large systems on roofs and open spaces. Through the use of particularly efficient polycrystalline cells, an efficiency of up to 15.2% can be achieved. Together with the large format, this can result in labour and installation cost savings.
Please click here for an overview of our newly launched product features and benefits


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Orlebar Brown
Swim Shorts, Towel and Tote Set
Editors' Notes
Editors' Notes
Orlebar Brown and WANT Les Essentials de la Vie collaborative trunks, towel and tote set in navy. Trunks are detailed with side tabs and four pockets, towel is branded and cotton tote bag is finished with a leather handle and detachable shoulder strap. A set of the ultimate beach essentials, this unique collaboration is all you need for stylish holiday lounging.
Size & Fit
Size & Fit
- Fits true to size. Take your normal size
- Adjustable at waist
- Model is a waist size 32, he's wearing a 32
- The bag measures 16"/ 41cm x 15"/ 38cm
- The towel measures 70"/ 178cm x 41"/ 104cm
Details & Care
Details & Care
- Shorts: 100% olyamide; interior net: 100% polyester; tote bag: 100% cotton; 100% leather trim and interior nylon netting; branded towel: 100% cotton
- The shorts and towel are machine washable
- Made in England
- This set is a collaboration between swim short brand Orlebar Brown and luxury bag label WANT Les Essentiels De La Vie
Free Delivery & Returns
Free Delivery & Returns
Ground shipping anywhere in the US is free
Please try items in the comfort of your own home. If you don't like them, or they don't fit, we'll happily collect them from your home or office for free.


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Remington Express Long Range Ammunition 410 Bore 2-1/2" 1/2 oz #7-1/2 Shot Box of 25
Product #: 923580
Remington #:
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You must be 21 years or older to order ammunition. Ammo must ship UPS ground. Due to Department of Transportation regulations, we cannot accept returns on ammo. Please check local laws before ordering.
Product Information
Time-proven performance. The choice of experienced hunters because the Remington Express line offers the best balance of payload and performance.
Technical InformationGauge/Bore: 410
Shell Length: 2-1/2"
Shot Weight: 1/2 oz
Shot Size: #7-1/2
Shot Type: Lead
Ballistics Information:
Muzzle Velocity: 1200 fps
Recommended Uses: Quail, pheasant, and grouse hunting
Round contains 1/2 ounce of number 7-1/2 shot.
Technical Information
Ballistics Information:
Recommended Uses: Quail, pheasant, and grouse hunting
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BA224 Human Resource Management
Attention is given to human behavior, employment, employee development, performance appraisal, wage and salary administration, employment and job rights, discipline and due process, and labor-management relations. Prerequisites: WR 115, RD 115, and MTH 20 or equivalent placement test scores. Audit available. (For detailed information, see the Course Content and Outcome Guide ).
- Credits:
- 3.00
Distance Education: Web Course Information
- Web Technical Requirements:
- Please be sure to read the Technical Requirements for this delivery mode.
- Students with Disabilities:
- Students with disabilities should notify their instructor if accommodations are needed to take this class. For information about technologies that help people with disabilities in taking Web based distance learning classes please visit the Office for Students with Disabilities website.
- Registration:
- To register, you need the CRNs (ex. 22398) of your selected classes.
- Fees:
- Please note that for many courses, additional fees may apply.
- Textbooks:
- To find textbooks, you need the CRN, Campus, Term & Course Number (ex. BA101).
CRN | Campus / Bldg / Rm | Time | Days | Dates | |
WEB » | 18677 | - | 06-Jan-2014 thru 22-Mar-2014 | ||
Instructor: Carolina M Selva
Tuition: credit Fees: $20.00 For information, contact Cascade |
This page includes one section only, more sections may exist for this class.


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7:02 pm
Fri December 21, 2012
NEWSCAST: One-Act Festival To Feature South Florida's 'Shadow Artists'
-- State officials had some early holiday gifts for Florida on the employment and education fronts.
Education officials say nearly half of Florida's high schools received an A grade for the 2011- 2012 school year.
The letter grades for high schools in our region were generally positive.
In Broward, two schools went from a C to an A grade. In Miami-Dade, six schools made the same jump.
And the number of Palm Beach County high schools earning an A grade rose from 8 to 14.
-- Unemployment numbers are out, also. And they show Florida's unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level in four years.
State officials said today that the November rate was 8.1 percent -- lower than October's rate, but still higher than the national average.
Unemployment fell in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.
-- A Miami theater wants to demonstrate that the performing arts don't have to be expensive to be extraordinary. So it's offering weekend audiences eight plays for $10.
Between today and Sunday, the New Theatre's Miami 1-Acts Festival will present a total of 16 short plays.
When the company first introduced the festival as a fundraiser over the summer, it was so successful that the theater decided to make it a bi-annual event.
New Theatre Artistic Director Ricky J. Martinez the festival will feature the talents of what he calls South Florida's "shadow artists."
"The people that are the underdogs of the community, who haven't really been cast in many shows," says Martinez. "Or don't really get spot-lighted. We really kind of focus on them."
The Miami 1-Acts festival is split into two programs for Friday, December 21st and Saturday, December 22nd with eight plays apiece. Sunday's event is a marathon, presenting all 16 short plays.


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absolutely full of great info
By Beardicus
from Grants Pass, OR
About Me Professional
Best Uses
Comments about Making the Most of Your Deer:
its full of great info and describes in very good detail
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Hiiiii All!!
I'm not a native speaker of English
but I'm crazy about it:)
My speaking is very good but I do need
more practice on English reduction. I listen
a lot to native speakers but it's not always easy to
get the reduction.. :(
Can you kindly post good videos related?
or maybe guide me to listen to a particular
speaker? Actress, actor, instructor .. or whoever
you think 'll be easier to learn from?
Thanks a lot :)
And an English teacher to boot.
Last edited by 5jj; 06-Aug-2012 at 08:31.
Context is important. Please provide enough for us to be able to deal effectively with your question.
Your thread title should include all or part of the word/phrase being discussed.
If you just want to know the meaning of a word, try OneLook Dictionary Search first.
You might find some stuff here: Speaking and Pronunciation - ESL Web Directory - UsingEnglish.com


text:
Tech News and Reviews
Posts tagged Optimus 2X
LG Optimus 2X goes on sale in Korea, teases white version for February
03 years
by Arlene.L
in Cellphones
No big surprises here, unless you count that snowy white number up above. Yep, LG's not only stolen a march on Motorola in introducing the world's first dual-core smartphone, it's also about to beat Apple to the white handset punch as well. The 1080p-recording, Tegra 2-wielding Optimus 2X is now available in its home market of South Korea and, if LG stays true to its roadmap, should be filtering through into Europe before this month is out. We don't know if its white variant will ever escape the clutches of Korea (and we sure hope it does), but it should be making its bodacious debut over there in February.


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Involuntary force reduction coming to Air Force
Thursday - 2/3/2011, 8:40am EST
Officers from junior grade to colonels face the prospect of being shown the door if they are not recommended for promotion to the next level. The Air Force says retention is at the highest level in 16 years.
A voluntary force reduction took place last year. But General Norton Schwartz, the chief of staff, says the Air Force still has a couple of thousand more officers than it needs.
This story is part of Federal News Radio's daily DoD Report. For more defense news, click here.


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There are 21 comments. Join in ↓
Can't wait to see some folding #'s from this platform Fold On!!!!! |
man, this makes me wonder if I should hold off for a couple months. How sweet would it be to be 1 of the first few to get my hands on 1 of these things. |
They will be in short supply and going for a premiem at first. |
If you can hold off, I would: Not to get this processor (which will probably cost an arm and a leg and be in short supply like warlord said), but because it's going to drive the prices way down on everything else. |
Very good point 3vi1. I might just go out and get me a core2quad when Nehalem comes out. |
any word on MB's to support these new cpu's. I would imagine it wouldn't be supported by current MB's with this tri channel memory their talking about along with a few other things. |
Its going to be a new socket |
Intel Engineer: "Look boss! It's super fast and works in LGA775!" |
warlord dies of laughter |


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Slide 1 of 9
Your first line of defense against the harmful rays of the sun (besides staying completely out of it's way from 10-2 every day) is to slather on some sunblock.
Remember to reapply sunblock every two hours when staying outdoors for a prolonged period of time. Sunblock should also be applied at least 30 minutes before going outdoors and an SPF of 30 or higher is recommended.
$8.99 at Drugstore.com
Next slide: Sun protection hat (women)
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3 apps that uninstall apps on OS X the right way
As a new Mac user, you are taught to uninstall an app by dragging it to the trash. While this method does uninstall an app for your computer, often associated files are left behind. These files can add up and hog space on your Mac.
There are much more efficient ways to uninstall an app on your Mac. Here we round up three apps that help you uninstall software on your Mac. … Read more


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Israel does not plan to cooperate with the UN Human Rights Council fact-finding mission into West Bank settlement activity that was appointed in Geneva on Friday.
"The fact-finding mission will find no cooperation in Israel and its members will not be allowed to enter Israel and the territories," Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said.
"Its existence embodies the inherent distortion that typifies the UNHRC treatment of Israel and the hijacking of the important human rights agenda by nondemocratic countries," he added.
The council ordered the probe at its 19th session in March and asked its president to appoint a three-member panel. The Human Rights Council considers Israeli settlement activity to be illegal under international law and the findings of the probe are expected to reflect this view.
On Friday, at the end of the council's 20th session in Geneva, its President Laura Dupuy Lasserre said she had appointed jurists Christine Chanet of France, Unity Dow of Botswana and Asma Jahangir of Pakistan to the panel.
The "three highly distinguished individuals" would investigate the implications of "Israeli settlements for the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem," Lasserre said.
She called on Israel "not to obstruct the process of the investigation and to cooperate fully with the mission."
But in Jerusalem on Friday, Palmor defended the government's decision, which it took in March, not to cooperate with the fact-finding mission and to cut its ties with the council.
"Israel was left with no other choice than to make this decision, after it became apparent that putting the disproportionate focus on Israel while systematically ignoring massive human rights violations in the very countries who bear responsibility for this focus, only leads to the contempt and degradation of the important cause of universal human rights," Palmor said.
The fact-finding mission was yet another "blatant expression of the singling out of Israel at the UNHRC," he said.
Israel's decision to cut its ties with the council should be a wake-up call to democratic countries as to the council's corrupt nature, Palmor said.
Hillel Neuer, executive director of the Geneva-based nonprofit group UN Watch, immediately attacked the council's announcement.
"While there are genuine human rights victims on all sides, this inquiry's mandate is imbalanced and lacks credibility," Neuer said.
"Its terms were framed in a four-page resolution, co-sponsored by the Arab and Islamic groups, that omits any reference to Arab terrorism against Israeli civilians, including the hundreds of rockets fired recently from Gaza and Sinai into Israeli towns and villages."
The Human Rights Council on Friday provided background on the three panel members.
Chanet, who will chair the committee, was part of the Round Table Conference at the Peace Palace at The Hague in November 2001, in which the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct were finalized. She has been a member of the UN Human Rights Committee since 1996 and was twice its chairwoman.
Jahangir is the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan and has twice chaired her country's Human Rights Commission. She directs the AGHS Legal Aid Cell that provides free legal assistance to the needy. She has also served as UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief of the Council of Human Rights. In 1983, she was imprisoned for her activism against her country's military regime.
Dow has been commissioner of the International Commission of Jurists since 2004, and was reelected to the post in 2009. She is a practicing lawyer in Botswana. From 1998 to 2008 she was Botswana's first female High Court judge. She is also novelist and has authored books such as Juggling Truths, The Screaming of the Innocent and Far and Beyond.


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In a previous blog (R-E-S-P-E-C-T: How To Earn Respect At Work), I discussed ways employees can earn respect at work. But earning respect shouldn't be a one-way street – it should also be embraced by employers. Respect isn't just something subordinates are forced to give managers. It's a valuable asset for employers to show and earn in the workplace. Earning employee respect isn't always easy, but when employers find ways to build respect at work, positive benefits ensue. How do you build employee respect at work?
According to Bruce J. Avolio, Ph.D., executive director at the Center for Leadership and Strategic Thinking in the University of Washington's Foster School of Business, five tips for employers/managers to earn the respect of employees include:
Bill Mixon, president of Universal Hospital Services, Inc., believes the key to earning employee respect is to empower employees and model the leadership behavior you desire by treating employees with dignity and respect. "If employees respect a person's leadership, they are more prone to put those same leadership qualities into practice. Empowering employees to make decisions also builds trust. When you show employees you trust their knowledge and skills, you allow them to make smart decisions that benefit the company."
Developing employee potential is also important. Notes Mixon, "When employees feel valued and appreciated, they take stronger ownership of their work and seek new opportunities to grow in their roles. This not only benefits the employee, but also the company and its customers."
Howard Behar, retired president of Starbucks Coffee Company, used this same tactic of showing employees they are appreciated to help establish the Starbucks culture, which stresses the importance of people over profits. For example, Starbucks made sure there were no special perks for executives. "All employees are called 'partners' and there is no separation in any way of partners and the management team. Outside of pay and stock, every partner gets the same, even the same health insurance. We did this because it was the right thing to do, not because we thought it would help us build respect," Behar explained.
In addition, the Starbucks management team held 'open forum' meetings where any partner could ask anything and they would address it. "It was open dialogue, and I mean really open dialogue during these meetings. If they wanted to debate what I was paid as the president of the company then they could," said Behar. "No topic was off-limits."
The management team also included a feedback card in every partner's paycheck asking for comments on anything that seemed in contradiction to the company's values and morals – with Behar reading every feedback card submitted. If an executive didn't live up to the values and morals of the company, the organization would eject that individual. Behar added, "You could get fired a lot faster for not living the values than not achieving the financial numbers."
Bottom Line: Are you a manager/employer looking to earn the respect of your employees? Then focus on relationships and trust. The foundation for earning respect is establishing good relationships with employees by building trust within the organization. Explains Behar, "If people are feeling trust, they will be more productive, are more willing to take risks, be creative, and solve difficult problems. It doesn't mean issues won't arise, but it means you can withstand just about anything because you can talk things through."
For additional information about employers and employees earning respect at work check out this article, "Earning Respect At Work", in The Work Style Magazine, September 2012 issue #10.
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Most people believe that what is apparent is important, but employers of choice recognize that what is not apparent is most important.
Here are the top six lessons learned by employers of choice about the important – but not always apparent – elements of the best places to work:


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Cats Manipulate People With Their Purrs
So apparently cats can exploit their caretakers to get what they want through the use of a special purr. I can't say I'm surprised, that's a picture of two of my old cats there (rest in peace, guys). One minute they were purring -- and the next I was teaching them how to read!
Researchers at the University of Sussex have discovered that cats use a "soliciting purr" to overpower their owners and garner attention and food.
Unlike regular purring, this sound incorporates a "cry", with a similar frequency to a human baby's.The team said cats have "tapped into" a human bias - producing a sound that humans find very difficult to ignore.
I dunno, I'm not really that big into babies crying. But maybe that's just my fatherly instincts talking. Read: impregnate and run. What can I say -- I'm a nurturer.
Cats 'exploit' humans by purring [bbcnews]
Thanks to FDSY, Sharkey, RealLifeF***up and Ryan, who are all controlled by an entirely different kind of cat.
This post dedicated in loving memory of The Little Man, October, Jimmy and The Terrorist.
This is a video of two kittens born with Myotonia Congenita, aka "Fainting Goat Syndrome". It's by far the cutest/saddest thing you'll see all day (particularly the fall at 0:47) :( at the slightest sound, the kittens respond by collapsing and falling into a rigid paralysis w... / Continue →
I've been looping this video for the past 20 minutes and I can't stop smiling my big toothless GW grin. Granted, it's already been on Youtube for over a month and has like 30 trillion views, so why I haven't seen it is beyond me. But somehow, it's all your fault. I swear, yo... / Continue →
Remember ninja cat? How could you forget, that furry little bastard was cute, cute, cute! And how about ninja cat two? That one was a scrumptious little muffin-top too! And now, ninja cat 3! Oh, and I love the sound the guy makes in the end. Sounds like....victory. Ninja... / Continue →


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Home » Court Divisions » Family » Family Court Services
To schedule an Orientation, see information on the Orientation class web page.
To schedule a mediation, go to Family Court Services at the Family Court, upper level. See the Family Courthouse page for hours. Or call, (408) 534-5600 and listen for the Family Court Services option.
FCS Waiting Room policies: You must have an appointment with FCS to use our waiting room, on the second floor of the Family Courthouse.
If you do not have an appointment, please wait on the main floor. Please try not to bring children unless you have been asked to bring them.
If your children are with you and you haven't been asked to bring them, please bring a family member to stay with the children on the main floor while you are upstairs.
If there is a Restraining Order in your case, the restrained party must wait on the main floor.
Complaint process and form
FCS wants to know if you have a concern about its service. We are interested only in helping you and the courts make the best decisions possible to meet the needs and interests of your children.
We encourage all clients with complaints about their experience with Family Court Services to first talk directly with the individuals involved in order to try and work things out. Many complaints about mediation and evaluation services are a result of misunderstanding or miscommunication, and many of these misunderstandings can be worked out through direct, honest discussion.
If you want an investigation of and response to a complaint, you must submit the complaint in writing (Complaint Form FM-1078 ). You must give a copy of the written complaint to the attorney or self-represented person on the other side and submitted one of the following:
- FCS Declaration of Mailing or
Personal Service
(Local Form FM-1061 ) - Proof of Personal Service
(State Form FL-330 ), or - Proof of Service by Mail
(State Form FL-335 )
Once the complaint has been investigated, a written response will be prepared and sent to the complaining person and copied to all the attorneys/self-represented persons in the case.
The Office of Family Court Services performs child custody mediation, emergency screening, and evaluation services upon court referral. See this Flowchart for an overview of custody and visitation events involving Family Court Services.
Family Court Services offers an Orientation class to prepare for child custody mediation and evaluations at no fee. See the Orientation class web page for more information and how to sign up.
The FCS Office is located at the Family Courthouse at 170 Park Avenue in downtown San Jose. See the Family Courthouse page for address, directions, and phone numbers for the Family Courthouse. Services are also offered at the South County Courthouse, Sunnyvale Courthouse, and (mediation only) Notre Dame Courthouse. Your paperwork will tell you where to go.
Family Court Services provides a range of programs. Click to read more about the FCS programs and services offered.
Mediation information and forms
When you come to a mediation, you may find it helpful to bring the following documents:
- Your personal calendar Your children's school schedule (so you know where there are school breaks, for making future appointments)
- Any restraining order you might have
- Notes that you've written about what you hope to get out of mediation
The following forms and documents may be useful during the mediation process. Some of these may be sent to you by FCS in the mail, or they may be given to you in person when you are at FCS. The forms below are also used by attorneys representing clients in Family Court, or by persons representing themselves.
- Application for Waiver of Court Costs and Fees (for FCS fees), State Form FW-001 There are helpful video instructions for this form. See A/V instructions for FW-001 .
- DV Protocol
- Domestic Violence and Child Custody Information Sheet (English ; español )
- DV Questionnaire for Parents, Local Form FM-1076 (English ; español )
- Emergency Screening Referral procedures, Local Form FM-1079
- FCS Declaration of Mailing or Personal Service, Local Form FM-1061
- FCS Intake Form, Local Form FM-1015 (English ; español )
- Mediation Feedback Form - Parent Survey, Local Form FM-1039
- Scheduling of JCC (Judicial Custody Conference) out of Private Mediation - Procedure ,
and JCC Statement Local Form FM-1016 - Protective Order re: FCS Information, Local Form FM-1036
- Support Person for Victim of Domestic Violence Information Sheet, Local Form FM-1071
- Waiver of Mediation Confidentiality, Local Form FM-1073
- Waiver of Right to Individual Sessions, Local Form FM-1072
Screenings and evaluations
- Flowchart for Custody and Visitation
- Screenings
- Evaluations
- Order Appointing Child Custody Evaluator, State Form FL-327
- Addendum to FL-327 Order Appointing Child Custody Evaluator (Family Court Services), Local Form FM-1056
- Addendum to FL-327 Order Appointing Child Custody Private Evaluator, Local Form FM-1057
Mediation is free. However, you will be charged a fee of $100 if you do not show up for an appointment, or if you cancel with less than 48 hours notice for a mediation appointment, or less than 1 week notice for an assessment or evaluation appointment.
Court Filing Fees do not cover Family Court Services fees. Read this announcement about FCS fees .
FCS Fees: there is a charge of $160 per hour for FCS processes that require a recommendation to the Court.
Deposits: $250 for Screenings; $750 for Evaluations. If you subpoena an FCS staff person, there is a deposit fee of $275. You will be billed for service time that is not covered by the deposit.
If you cannot afford the fee(s), you must submit the Request to Waive Court Fees (for FCS fees), State Form FW-001 . (See A/V instructions for FW-001 .) Note that this is in addition to any application you may have filed when first coming to court.
Also, the First 5 program (see tab below) can help you pay for Supervised Visitation, Therapeutic Supervised Visitation, and Parenting Without Violence classes. Program staff can also connect you to other services offered by a FIRST 5 Family Partner. See the First 5 program tab, below, to find how to contact someone who can answer your questions about this.
Additional Services and Resources
- Community resource list prepared by Family Court Services
- Drug testing services prepared by Family Court Services
- Guide to Local Resources Santa Clara County Mental Health Dept. - contact information for local hotlines, family wellness, mental health resources, immigration information, parent education, and more
- CalWORKS Resource Guide County of Santa Clara - emergency resources, plus help with health services, transportation, child care, employment services, housing and more
- Recommended books to help with mediation and parenting: see pages 28-29 (last two pages) of the "Kids, Court and You" FCS Orientation Handbook (English version , Spanish version )
- Websites for parents : Online resources for children and families
The State Administrative Office of the Court has videos for children, teens, and parents covering some of the issues involved in going through a divorce. See Families Change - Your Guide to Separation and Divorce.
Also see the tabs below, and also the list of community resources on the Self-Help family Resources and Referrals page.
Court-ordered programs
16-week programs:
- Parenting without Violence: list of classes
- Conflict Accountability: list of classes
- 52-week programs:
- Santa Clara County Certified Child Abuser's Treatment Programs (available only to DFCS clients)
- Santa Clara County Certified Batterers/Domestic Violence Programs (Condado de Santa Clara Programas Certificados En Violencia Domestica)
- Supervised visitation:
- Supervised Visitation Provider list - list of agencies known to the Court that provide supervised visitation
- Supervised Provider Declaration (Local Form FM-1043 ) - Annual Declaration under Penalty of Perjury
- California Rules of Court: Standard 5.20 - Uniform standards of practice for providers of supervised visitation
- Guide for Non-Professional Supervised Visitation Providers
- For parents: Supervised Visitation and You
- Para Los Padres: Las Visitas Supervisadas y Usted
- Therapeutic visitation: Therapeutic Supervised Visitation initial protocol
- Community organizations offering parenting education
Treatment Court
Family Law Treatment Court is a treatment plan that helps parents who have alcohol or drug problems get into treatment and stay clean and sober, so that they can be better parents and possibly spend more time with their children. The Family Law Treatment Court Coordinator can be reached at 408-534-5769 . See the Participant Handbook , given to parents interested in following this treatment plan, for more information.
The plan:
- is voluntary – it's up to the parent to choose to do
- it lasts for one year
- is supervised by the Court
- is customized for everyone going through the program, because each person has different needs
Who can use it? Parents who have a current child custody or visitation case in Family Court.
How does the Court help? The Treatment Court Judge and a Treatment Court Coordinator tell parents about places to get treatment. The Court has custody review hearings every 4 months.
They also:
- provide support
- set up random drug testing
- watch over the parent's progress in treatment
The parties in the case, their lawyers and the all-purpose judge in charge of the child custody and visitation matters can find out about the progress the parent is making in treatment.
FIRST 5 Services
Santa Clara County and Superior Court are partners in the FIRST 5 program which helps young children get a good start in life.
Who can use FIRST 5? You can use FIRST 5 services if you:
- live in Santa Clara County
- have an open case in the Family Court system
- are pregnant or have at least one child age 5 or younger in your home
Here are some of the things FIRST can help with:
- helping children get ready to do well in school
- health insurance
- dental work
- eyeglasses for children
- counseling, parenting classes, domestic violence services, and substance abuse treatment - plus may help pay for these services if they have been court ordered and the parents qualify
- food, shelter, and/or clothing
Here are ways to get FIRST 5 services:
- FIRST 5 Specialists at Family Court can help families get resources for children. Call 408-534-5784 .
- Eligible families with a court order for supervised visitation may have these services paid by money from FIRST 5.
- FIRST 5 also funds the Family Law Treatment Court Coordinators.
Mental Health Resources
Note: The Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara is making the names and lists below available as a public service only.
By accessing these lists, you understand and agree that the Superior Court is not in any way responsible or liable for the acts, omissions, or services, of any of the providers, or for any other actions taken based upon the information provided.
- The County of Santa Clara has a website called the Mental Health Professional Services Directory where you can look up local Family Court related counseling and evaluation services.
- Click for the Santa Clara County Psychological Association (SCCPA) Forensic Committee's searchable list of evaluators/mental health professionals . Individuals on this list may provide a variety of services such as custody evaluations, assessments, or counseling for families and children in separating/divorcing families.
- There are also counseling services listed on the family resources page.


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Structure of the Human Obesity Receptor Leptin-Binding Domain Reveals the Mechanism of Leptin Antagonism by a Monoclonal Antibody
Structure of the Human Obesity Receptor Leptin-Binding Domain Reveals the Mechanism of Leptin Antagonism by a Monoclonal AntibodyOb-Stopping Obesity, Metabolic and Immune-Mediated Disorders
Structure, Volume 20, Issue 3,
Pages 487-497,
Publication Date 7 March 2012
Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.
DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2012.01.019
Byron Carpenter
Glyn R. Hemsworth
Zida Wu
Mabrouka Maamra
Christian J. Strasburger
Richard J. Ross
Peter J. Artymiuk
Academic Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Reproduction, Department of Human Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK
Krebs Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
Division of Endocrinology, Campus Charité Mitte, Schumannstrasse 20/21, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Corresponding author
Present address: MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
► Structure of the leptin binding domain of the human obesity receptor (ObR) ► Structure of a leptin blocking antibody was solved in both free and ObR-bound forms ► A model is proposed for leptin binding to the leptin-binding domain (LBD) of ObR ► 9F8 Fab blocks leptin binding to ObR through a small overlap in their epitopes
Leptin regulates energy homeostasis, fertility, and the immune system, making it an important drug target. However, due to a complete lack of structural data for the obesity receptor (ObR), leptin's mechanism of receptor activation remains poorly understood. We have crystallized the Fab fragment of a leptin-blocking monoclonal antibody (9F8), both in its uncomplexed state and bound to the leptin-binding domain (LBD) of human ObR. We describe the structure of the LBD-9F8 Fab complex and the conformational changes in 9F8 associated with LBD binding. A molecular model of the putative leptin-LBD complex reveals that 9F8 Fab blocks leptin binding through only a small (10%) overlap in their binding sites, and that leptin binding is likely to involve an induced fit mechanism. This crystal structure of the leptin-binding domain of the obesity receptor will facilitate the design of therapeutics to modulate leptin signaling.