London Disabled LGBT Conference coming soon!

[baratron]

I've been sent this, and I thought it would interest any of you with disabilities or chronic health problems - including invisible disabilities. I'm almost certainly going along, possibly in an official capacity. Apologies for the multiple cross-posts, but it seems that despite sending huge amounts of information to the gay and disabled press, people still haven't heard about it. Especially not bisexuals - I expect a lot of us don't read mainstream gay press, and of course there are tons of people with disabilities and long-term medical problems who don't identify as disabled, and so don't read the disabled press either. Please spread the word around your UK-based friends!

Inclusion not Ignorance

Places are still available for the First ever London Disabled Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Conference, to be held on 10th October 2002 at City Hall, London, SE1, from 10am to 4.30pm.

This free conference is aimed at Londoners but we welcome participants from other parts of the UK to share their successes and challenges in raising issues for disabled LGBTs in their home community.

Two years into a new government for London and where are the Disabled LGBT communities on the agenda? Now that strategic rule has returned to London, the powers that be are keen to ensure that all London's communities are involved. This is why Grater London Action on Disability (GLAD) has decided to organise Inclusion not Ignorance to ensure that disabled LGBT voices are heard. For too long disabled LGBT disabled people have been excluded from the gay culture of London, from many of our disability organisations and from the strategies and policies of London's organisations and institutions.

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London will open the event which promises to be a lively day of discussion and celebration.

Workshops include:
* Safety and discrimination
* Celebrating who we are
* Working across communities
* Coming Out
* Spirituality

The Programme

10:00 Registration and refreshments

10:30 to 11:15 Opening Session with welcome from Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London and Reg McLaughlin, Chief Executive of Greater London Action on Disability, plus presentations on legal rights and history of disabled LGBT action.

11:15 Coffee and networking!

11:45 Workshops on who we are - as disabled lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender communities.

12:45 Lunch and networking!

2:15 Workshops on issues that affect us.

3:15 Tea and networking!

3:45 Final session, feedback from workshops, messages to London and where do we go from here.

4:30 Conference Close.

To register or get more information, contact Brenda Ellis or Janet Nixon at GLAD LGBT conference, GLAD, 336 Brixton Road, London SW9 7AA or call or write to us -
Tel : 020 7346 5800
Fax : 020 7346 8844
Email : b.ellis@glad.org.uk or j.nixon@glad.org.uk
Textphone: 020 7326 4554

The venue is fully accessible - BSL sign language interpreters, personal assistance, induction loop, palantypist, parking. Lunch and refreshments are also provided.

(Funded by the Platinum Trust)

I'm going back to bed now - where I intended to go two hours ago...

Comments

[lovingboth]

Hurrah for H-L!

If you think something will stop you going, please do let us know.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great event!

(I'm now mulling over the comparison between "chronic health problem" and "invisible disability": does it count if the health problem is not currently causing any reduction in ability?)

[mhw.livejournal.com]

London *sigh* Always bloody London. About the hardest city I know to get around.

Still, it's a Good Thing, even if I probably shan't be able to make it. Heck, we could do with a national one of these.

[mhw.livejournal.com]

I don't see why it shouldn't. I resisted for ages labeling myself as "disabled", until someone pointed out that all it means is "does this thing get in the way of me doing the stuff I want to?". And even if it doesn't get in the way yet, for a lot of things there's always the chance of progression or worsening, and forewarned is forearmed.

Actually, I find it nicer to think of myself as "disabled" now, rather than having a "chronic health problem", because really I'm just broken, not unhealthy :)

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

My chronic ('long term') health problem only really has the effect of slightly altering my diet (if I'm being strict with myself), and leaving me a bit tireder than everyone else very, very occasionally. So, I don't say 'disabled' on forms - it would seem like I was being a drama queen...

But it's a very personal thing.